"U.S. aid to Israel has some unique
aspects, such as loans with repayment waived,
or a pledge to provide Israel with economic
assistance equal to the amount Israel owes the
United States for previous loans.
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/IB85066.pdf
In effect besides the 3-4 billion in aid Israel gets annually, Israel does not pay back the loans it gets. We are not Jew haters, we are realists and do not appreciate Americans who support Israel at the expense of America.
Very interesting reading. Thanks for the FAS report. You might learn some things if you actually read it..
Loans with Repayment Waived
The United States has not canceled any of Israel’s debts to the U.S. government, but the U.S. government has waived repayment of aid to Israel that originally was categorized as loans. Following the 1973 war, President Nixon asked Congress for emergency aid for
Israel, including loans for which repayment would be waived. Israel preferred that the aid be in the form of loans, rather than grants, to avoid having a U.S. military contingent in Israel to oversee a grant program. Since 1974, some or all of U.S. military aid to Israel has been
in the form of loans for which repayment is waived. Technically, the assistance is called loans, but as a practical matter, the military aid is grant. From FY1974 through FY2003,
Israel has received more than $45 billion in waived loans. (Egypt also receives some of its U.S. military assistance in the form of loans with repayment waived. In 1990, the United States canceled $6.7 billion in past military debts that Egypt owed to the United States.)
Other things you might learn is that Loan Guarantees don't cost taxpayer very much at all as long as Israel maintains a credit rating.
In whole --- 85% of the military dollars that we grant Israel goes to OUR military industrial complex. American jobs.. They are allowed to spend about 20% of that money elsewhere. You might look at the Defense Industry lobbies for more EFFECTIVE SUPPORT on these than AIPAC.
Do I want to grant that much military aid to Israel? Not as a matter of normal business. Certainly not EVERY YEAR and certainly not if Israel ever misused those weapons against their neighbors in full fledged war.
It should NOT be a perennial budget item. Neither should the military aid to ANY other country for that matter. That type of aid ought to managed on NEED and as conditions change with geopolitical challenges.
But Israel should have adequate support to fend off aggression. And in times of threat -- we SHOULD amp up their armed forces. As Israel is a nuclear power -- I prefer that they have options to USING that nuclear capability. And in their neighborhood, that means they need overwhelming defensive abilities to survive..
The military aid to Israel needs to be managed better. LARGELY it's not our generousity that motivates it. It's our desire to keep our Defense Industry in business..
"But Israel should have adequate support to fend off aggression."
Why? Palestinians just want their homes and land back. Why should thieves be financed to keep their stolen goods?
They don't need all those toys for Palestinian revolts and temper tantrums. Those are for when ISIS comes marching thru Jordan.
Which is something that Palestine supporters with brains needs to consider. A brand new Pali state is a short SNACK for other Arab insurgents and threats like ISIS. And at SOME POINT -- Abbas and SERIOUS Pali diplomats will recognize the utility of HAVING ISRAEL there as a capable defense force against extremists of ALL types that want to prey on peaceful and weak Arab nations..
Its a selling point that folks can see if they play the game several moves ahead.. Not likely you and the other backwards looking, Hamas loving, anti-Israel types would ever think of..