Congress approves $500 million for defense projects with Israel

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The United States Congress Friday approved an additional $500 million for developing joint defense projects with Israel.

The funds will be allocated between many different projects, including the development of a short-range missile interception system, navigation systems for missiles and combat aircraft, and aerial drones.

The money is not part of the regular military aid to Israel, which currently stands at over $2 billion.

The Senate authorized the funding after it was approved by the House of Representatives on Thursday."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/769104.html

[babylonsister]

1. Did you post this in GD/P? It'd be nice to know where our

non-existant money is going.

[Tom Joad]

2. What's really strange is that our opponents claim that we have no

right to criticize Israeli policy, since we don't live in the region. tell me i have no reason to speak out when we stop the billions of dollars of U.S. military aid each and every year.

[eyl]

5. Since this money

is intended for joint development projects - that is, the US will directly benefit from Israeli work - does it follow that Israel has reason to demand changes in US policy?

[Tom Joad]

6. We need to change U.S. policy in regard to its full support of

Israeli militarism. As a U.S. taxpayer I will speak up. Because Israel's actions reflect on the US and its citizens. e.g. the cluster bombs in Lebanon are as much a US legacy as an Israeli legacy, and i agree that it was "monstrous and insane" to drop those, mostly just hours before the ceasefire.

I hope Israelis do demand changes in US policy... for example, demand an end to the Bush regime and his war in Iraq... it certainly is hurting Israel as well as the US. We could use all the help we can get. I know the day in Feb 2002, when millions marched around the world to stop the attack, thousands marched in Tel Aviv as well (I was in the West Bank at the time). More power to them.

However, the Israeli govt is one of the few govts on earth who supported the attack on Iraq. But that is consistant, isn't it.

[nealmhughes]

3. Is that all?

A lousy half a billion. Don't they know Israel is "special?" Bill Kristol and Jerry Falwell me so...:( :evilfrown: And after all Israel does for peace in the Mideast...

[Tom Joad]

7. that's in addition to other projects, costing many billions of our

money. At least $3 billion/ year.

[muesa]

8. What do you want to cut?

1. The research on the mechanism of the auto-immune destruction of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans?
   
2. Pharmacogenomic chemotherapy for pediatric leukemia?

[Tom Joad]

9. No MORE fucking Cluster Bombs that kill Arab children would be a start.

[muesa]

10. No more freakin' esomeprazole that prevents

pre cancerous esophageal lesions. And absolutely no more pharmacogenomic chemotherapy.

[Tom Joad]

11. Nevermind. all gone.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Yyyyyyyessssss!!!!!!!!

:beer: