Posted on 01/27/2011 6:32:30 PM PST by speciallybland
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- U.S. Sen. Rand Paul wants to end all foreign assistance, including aid to Israel.
Paul, a Republican newly elected in Kentucky, was on CNN Wednesday outlining where he would cut the $500 billion in government spending he says is critical to sustaining the U.S. economy. His focus was on the departments of energy, education and housing.
Interviewer Wolf Blitzer then asked about foreign assistance, asking if he wanted to end "all foreign aid." Paul said yes, and Blitzer asked him about aid to Israel.
"Well, I think what you have to do is you have to look," Paul said. "When you send foreign aid, you actually [send] quite a bit to Israel's enemies. Islamic nations around Israel get quite a bit of foreign aid, too.
"You have to ask yourself, are we funding an arms race on both sides? I have a lot of sympathy and respect for Israel as a democratic nation, as a, you know, a fountain of peace and a fountain of democracy within the Middle East."
Blitzer pressed, "End all foreign aid including the foreign aid to Israel as well. Is that right?" he asked.
Paul answered, "Yes."
(Excerpt) Read more at jta.org ...
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/141692
US Aid to Israel Not Worth the ’Real Cost,’ Researcher Says
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Israel is paying through the nose for US aid and would better off without it, says a researcher for the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies (JIMS).
American aid to Israel to the tune of $3 billion a year has been maligned by many U.S. conservatives and by the Arab world, but Israel actually loses more than it receives, according to JIMS analyst Yarden Gazit.
“U.S. aid is a net loss for Israel and Israel would be better off without it,” he concluded in his report, released on Wednesday.
Gazit explained that the conditions for the military assistance are designed to help the American military-industrial complex at the expense of the Israeli defense industry.
One condition of the American aid to Israel is that three-quarters of the grant be spent in the United States. “The ‘buy US’ requirement causes Israel to buy defense products at a high price, sometimes even products Israel may not need,” Gazit wrote. He calculated the loss to the Israeli defense industry at $600-750 million per year.
The use of American materials instead of those from Israel also hurts competitiveness in Israel and on the world market, according to JIMS. Not using domestic materials for the IDF “hurts Israeli industry’s reputation on the international market and may cause a loss of sales,” the report added.
JIMS forecasts that if Israel does not forfeit the American aid, it risks losing out on the growing Chinese and Indian market for Israeli products. Those countries will be under pressure to shop in the United States in light of American economic problems and its bloated federal budget.
Gazit also pointed out that Israel is forced spend more than $3 billion a year to retain a qualitative edge over Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, which also receives massive aid from the United States.
Every dollar granted to Egypt requires Israel to spend between $1.60 and $2.10 to maintain the balance of power, according to JIMS.
No what they seek is to upheave the American financial market while at the same time undermine our National Security.
To attack us on two fronts at once. Change the currency. Undermine the military. Two fronts at once.
Yes indeed. And don’t forget the UN too.
Move it out of the US, and let some other gentle people fund it.
The last I heard we supported camel lips for years, so what’s new.
Wrong on all accounts.
I like how Ron and Rand have similar ideas on some things, but differ in degree on others. Ron would want to close many bases, Rand fewer. Ron’s positions are too extreme for even many Conservatives, but Rand seems to be finding the spot that’s just right for the most conservatives.
I would get rid of all aid EXCEPT the funds that go to Israel. Netanyahu and the Israelis are the leaders of the free world.
I sure as hell hope you’re not calling this old Bircher and USAF vet a pinko?
Did you even READ my post???
I’d urge you to go back and study more history. Every nation that has attempted to control an empire has failed or perished. We’ll be no exception.
Do you REALLY think we can overlay our constitutional democratic system on, for example, Afghanistan or Iraq, a nation cobbled together from several tribal regions by the Brits? Both of them have been tearing themselves apart with tribal, secular and sectarian warfare for a thousand years?
If you do, tell your kids to immediately join the military to help with that “nation building.” Unless, of course, you’d rather someone else’s kids do that. I’d prefer my grandkids not be involved but have them devote their time and talent to solving the HUGE problems facing us HERE because if we don’t, there won’t be an America to defend.
The nut dont fall too far from the tree.
Ron has always had it in for Israel. He has wanted the United States to cut our ties with Israel more then he seems to want to cut ties with Islam.
Ron agrees with Iran that they have a ‘right’ to develop nuclear weapons. Ron suuports gays in the United States military too. Ron supports the Ground Zero Victory mosque.
This article about his son wanting to cut aid to Israel is no suprise at all.
No, but it should support the ONLY democracy in the Mid East.
Also, of all the middle easterners, they are the closest to our religious heritage and we as Christians have a responsibility to shore up our interests our holy land as well as Israels.
Keep in mind that should Israel fall to Islam, we are next in line.
I know this is entirely against the marxomuslim kendonesian’s objectives... but ....hey!
HE ain’t one of us!
The US financial market has been totally corrupted by Fed banks. Do some homework and find out what is really going on. Obama and Benake are making and will make the currency worthless. The military in being ground up in two wars now to amuse the Saudis. The wars make no sense when a muslim is in the white hut.
Geez, From what I have read anyway both pervert Pauls live together now while perverting Congress. I am sure they are real cozy.
Thanks pervert Paul for your vote to further attack our National Security too. AND VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF MILLIONS. I hope your views on homosexuality dont RUB off on your son.
If foreign aid is denied every country. I will personally send my small share to the IDF.
I’m sure other Americans would join me.
I didn’t call you anything. So give up pretending I did.
My posts address the Pauls. Rand and Ron.
A thousand years is a misunderestimation.
4 or 5 empires have ended in valleys of Afghanistan.
IslamoFacism should have been handled at the border before it happened. TV, media and hollywood gave us a muslim - 7 years after 9/11.
A thousand years is a misunderestimation.
Amen, we’re broke. there is no need to have troops in Japan, Germany, etc. Those folks can take care of themselves.
I dont care how long they have been fighting. That is no reason for us to give up and become isolationist.
Keep on the offensive and defend and protect freedom. Fight the good fight.
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