81% 0f Americans oppose the $38 billion military gift to Israel

 

 "A solid majority of Americans would redirect $38 billion the Obama Administration pledged to Israel toward other priorities.

The Obama administration last week signed an executive agreement with Israel pledging $38 billion ($3.8 billion per year) in foreign aid for fiscal years 2019- 2028. The majority of the proposed spending is for Foreign Military Financing to provide Israel advanced and upgraded jet fighters, to continue developing Israel’s missile defense systems and to purchase other U.S. weapons. Although the White House has released a Memorandum of Understanding fact sheet, the actual MOU has not been made publicly available.

An IRmep poll fielded by Google Consumer Surveys reveals 80.8 percent of the US adult Internet user population says they would redirect the proposed spending toward other priorities. Caring for veterans (20.7 percent) was their top priority, followed by education spending (20.1 percent) and paying down the national debt (19.3 percent). Rebuilding US infrastructure was favored by 14.9 percent, while funding a Middle East peace plan received 5.8 percent of support.

Only 16.8 percent said the $38 billion of pledged foreign aid should be spent on Israel."  Grant Smith

http://original.antiwar.com/smith-grant/2016/09/19/81-americans-oppose-38-billion-pledge-israel/

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A change of pace from the Borg Wars and the political circus.  pl

Comments

[Nancy K]

Senator Graham thinks we should give more. I don't think either Trump or Clinton will listen to us on this, too many of their big dinners are Israel foresters.

[Lemur]

i really hope if Trump gets in he'll follow his initial instinct which was even-handedness in the Palestinian Question, and reign in the open line of credit for Israel in diplomatic, military, and financial matters.

Vox Day picked up on an article from the Jpost that argued one way or another the relationship between Jews and the GOP was ending:

https://voxday.blogspot.co.nz/2016/09/the-twilight-of-us-jewry.html

If Trump does get in, the very fact he's not willing to commit endless resources to wars for Israel or show the slightest pullback from unreservedly supporting Israel's moves in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank; he will be attacked by the regime media. This will have the effect of creating an incentive for conservatives to reassess the benefits that accrue to them and America from the 'special relationship' with 'our greatest ally'.

There's a phenomenon known as 'error push', where a position is adopted for the purpose of signalling against perceived hostility against your group. Since Trump will have redefined the GOP if he wins into America First, attacks from Jews and their media allies will result in instinctive hostility from the formerly pro-Zionist conservative base (the defeat of Ted Cruz shows the political power of hardcore evangelicals - the core of GOP's pro-Zionist base - is in decline). In this case, the 'error' will be a happy one, and the Jews will be relegated to the DNC from whence they will have to make their case to the American people instead of relying upon the Washington Consensus.

And I know all Jews aren't Zionist but the vast majority oppose America First, Zionist or no.

[rjj]

A bid for attention from Mister Clippy's secret lovechild ????

[morongobill]

Obviously, the masses need a little more of that edumacation thing.

[ex-PFC Chuck]

Fore once I'm in the majority.

[Nancy K]

Wrote this on my kindle and words get changed. I meant donors not dinners and firsters not foresters.

[Jay]

Well it's up to the pitch forks and torches to vote in mass come Nov 8th. Otherwise our grandkids and their grandkids are going to pay a heavy price.

[Hood Canal Gardner]

Sorry., same ole same ole. Gift my ass.

Most folks here, and I mean most folks this side of the ocean, have zero concern for Israel//what goes on there.. okay, after the Sunday message some-places. 81% is just the beginning. Does it matter what the rank and file here thinks/has zero to do re WDC's on rent costs, come-on.

[CS]

Or have you always been in the majority?

[Sam Peralta]

In the contemporary USA, the views of the people are not important. The only thing that matters is what the Masters of the Universe want. In this case the defense contractors, DC think tanks, the Likudniks & AIPAC crowd and the establishment of the duopoly are on the same side.

Anyone expecting any kind of change in US policy vis–à–vis Israel is smoking something real strong!

[PVP]

Perhaps the public can do with educational trips to Israel??

[Haralambos]

I read this today. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-military-helicopters/ This announcement of aid to Israel indicates how skewed our priorities are.

[Nancy K]

I think you are totally wrong. Don't you get it that Trumps daughter and grandchildren are Jewish and many of his backers are Israel firsters. You are also wrong about American Jews. My husband is an American citizen with dual citizenship with Israel. He fought with the IDF in 67. Our son is in the US Navy and it sickens my husband how Israel is behaving. His parents had close family die in the holocaust and Trumps rhetoric reminds him of the rhetoric in Germany in the 30's.

[Vic]

This amount is outrageous. This is money that needs to be spent on US forces. According to Congressional testimony America would take "high risk" in any current war. We need to fix our own house first. It is critical.

For this to be going on I suspect that this is not just the usual military industrial complex drumming up oversea business. Total speculation but maybe this is a pay off to Israel for America not conducting the preemptive strike on Iranian nuclear facilities that Israel all but demanded, as well as the diplomatic agreement on Iranian nuclear developments.

That is a lot of cash for a "make up kiss and forgive". If it is, it was not worth it.

Vic

[Paul Escobar]

Lemur,

Does this give you second-thoughts?
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.744233

I look back fondly at the Donald Trump of the primaries. He was above both parties. He quietly presented an eclectic mix of heterodox & nationalist proposals.

IMO, the later months of August & this September have seen Trump hand THE BORG far too much control in the areas of economic & foreign policy.

The debates would be a good venue to re-state & re-claim some of his independence. If not, Hillary comes to look like the more attractive choice...

Best,
Paul

[lally]

According to this military times survey, the majority of respondents have problems with the issues of foreign aid and nation building:

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/after-15-years-of-war-americas-military-has-about-had-it-with-nation-building

[turcopolier]

Nancy K

I think you cannot simultaneously say that Trump is in thrall to Ziocon interests, has Jewish family and is simultaneously a neo-Nazi. That is cognitive dissonance with a vengeance. I agree with you that there are far too many Ziocons around him; Woolsey, Flynn/Ledeen, Gaffney, etc., How much influence these people would have on him as president or for how long is an open question to me. OTOH, she, IMO, is a compulsively controlling cold blooded super-grandma type with dictatorial instincts who is still now, so long after her speech at graduation from Wellesley planning to change us all "for the better" whether we want it or not. pl

[doug]

I worked with a colleague that also was in the '67 war. He immigrated and naturalized in the 70's and has gone, over 30 years, from being very pro-Israel to a combination of disgusted with Israeli policies and worried about its future. However, he's not an activist.

[BraveNewWorld]

Trumps spokesman said that Trump would allow the Jews to annex the rest of Palestine. No word on whether the Palestinians would be pushed into the sea or ovens. Then again pick any topic and I can find Trumps talking out of both sides of his mouth.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/top-trump-aid-hed-back-israeli-annexations-in-west-bank/

Ether candidate is going to make the humanitarian disasters we have now look like kids play. The upside is 5 years ago that poll would have said 100% of Americans support giving Israel any thing it wants. Maybe some day the politicians will catch up with the people.

[Nancy K]

My husband is also very saddened and worried about its future. He says this is not the country that he fought for. He blames the ultra religious and the settlements.

[Nancy K]

You would be surprised about how gung go for Israel the Christians such as Ted Cruz are. I don't think they care at all about Israelis but they do look forward to Armageddon when they will be raptured before Jesus returns. Christians and the like of Adelson make for very strange bedfellows.

[Nancy K]

I agree that this is cognitive dissonance with a vengeance and think it would be impossible for anyone but Trump to succeed at. However I do not think he is a neo-Nazi, but I think he attracts those who are. I am not saying that Clinton is not also in the pocket of Israel, I'm just saying it is naïve for people to think that Trump is above the fray. I truly wish we had another choice for president besides the two we have, but we don't not really.

[mike]

There are Israeli neo-Nazis according to Haaretz.

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.605234

[turcopolier]

Nancy K

I was head of DoD liaison with IDF general staff intelligence for seven years. I would not be surprised. What does your son do in the navy? pl

[Nancy K]

He is a 1st class Petty Officer, involved in security. He plans on making the navy his career.