The strings attached to the large aid package the Obama Administration has offered the State of Israel is more like a noose designed to strangle Israel's military industries.
That's it in a nutshell.
And the really bad news is that Prime Minister Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is rumored to be ready to sign.
IMHO it's time for Israel to quit-- detox cold turkey!
Not only had the so-called aid been no more than "Buy American Only" shopping coupons, but the American military industry has benefited greatly from the "tweaking,"suggested/requested "improvements" by Israeli experts/engineers.
We in Israel have the knowhow to make top of the line equipment, and if we no longer have to get American permission, frequently denied, to sell our military products with time we will have one of the strongest military industries in the world. That is probably why Obama's people have devised and insisted on the new stricter restrictions.
The time has come to just SAY NO!!
That's it in a nutshell.
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| PHOTO: US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC, USA, on May 20, 2011. (Michael Reynolds/EPA) |
And the really bad news is that Prime Minister Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is rumored to be ready to sign.
Washington sees Netanyahu accepting aid packageIsrael is like a drug addict when it comes to American aid, claiming that on one hand the country is independent and sovereign, but on the other hand, it can't manage without. This new package seems like a sure-fire OD overdose very tempting but powerful enough to close down vital industries in Israel.
According to various reports, Israel had begun the negotiations with a request to increase aid to $50 billion in 10 years, about 5$ billion annually, from the current annual $3.1 billion aid. This would have constituted a 60% rise (separate from the missile defense program aid). Gradually, Israel decreased its demand to $40 billion in ten years - that is annual aid of $4 billion.
The Obama administration currently proposes slightly less ($3.8 billion annually, according to some estimates), but subject to two conditions: 1. Merging the separate aid for Israel's missile defense program into the general aid package, forfeiting the various additions the congress used to provide for these programs annually. 2. Plus-ups Israel will have to spend all aid funds on procurement from US companies. In the current MoU, Israel was permitted to spend about 25% of the aid on procurement from Israeli companies and several hundreds of millions of dollars on aircraft fuel a significant boost accelerating defense industry growth. (Globes)
IMHO it's time for Israel to quit-- detox cold turkey!
Not only had the so-called aid been no more than "Buy American Only" shopping coupons, but the American military industry has benefited greatly from the "tweaking,"suggested/requested "improvements" by Israeli experts/engineers.
We in Israel have the knowhow to make top of the line equipment, and if we no longer have to get American permission, frequently denied, to sell our military products with time we will have one of the strongest military industries in the world. That is probably why Obama's people have devised and insisted on the new stricter restrictions.
The time has come to just SAY NO!!
 |
| JUST SAY NO! |