U.S. to increase military aid to Israel in decade-long deal

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The United States will increase its military assistance to Israel and sign a new agreement securing American aid to the country for the next decade, President George W. Bush announced Tuesday following his meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Olmert had persuaded Bush to announce the aid increase, senior political sources said Wednesday.

Prior to Olmert's visit to Washington it was agreed that the issue would be raised during their meeting, but the President gave his response to the Israeli request for increased military assistance only during the meeting with the prime minister.

"The increase of the military assistance is the most important result of Olmert's visit to the United States," the political sources said."

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[Tom Joad]

1. Well, it's not like the US needed those funds for anything.

[Purveyor]

2. Eat your f'n heart out...New Orleans! eom

[bemildred]

3. Bush: More money for VA requires other cuts

White House budget officials said they won’t try to stop a possible increase in veterans’ spending proposed by the House of Representatives, but they have warned that spending bills for other federal agencies could be vetoed unless lawmakers make cuts in other programs to offset the increases for veterans.

The House veterans’ funding bill proposes a $6.7 billion increase over the current-year budget, which is $3.8 billion more than proposed by the Bush administration.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for veterans’ spending, said this is the biggest increase in 77-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and that it reflects a concern by lawmakers that veterans’ programs must be improved in time of war.

“This bill is about respect and honors the promises made to our veterans with historic increases in funding to provide them the health care and benefits they earned when they put on our nation's uniform,” Edwards said in a statement.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2881114

[azurnoir]

4. A ten year deal?

that puts the bulk of this in the lap(s) of the next President or two, who will have to payup or be accused of being antiIsrael which will be translated to antisemitism by the right wing in this country.

[Hardrada]

5. More funds worse than wasted in the ME.

We should have let the Ottomans keep the place.