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243
The Biden administration once again bypasses Congress on an emergency weapons sale to Israel (www.pbs.org)
submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
45 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

For the second time this month the Biden administration is bypassing Congress to approve an emergency weapons sale to Israel as Israel continues to prosecute its war against Hamas in Gaza under increasing international criticism.

all 47 comments
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[–] [email protected] 66 points 8 months ago (4 children)

I feel like I once again have to ask why? Why does Israel need these weapons so badly that you have to bypass even Congressional approval? Republicans wouldn't exactly oppose such an approval, they haven't shown any lack of support for supporting Israel, just Ukraine. And Israel certainly doesn't need the weapons for defense, as claimed by the State Department in the article.

Israel is very handedly and with minimal resistance killing thousands of Palestinians. They don't really need any additional arsenals.

Unless this is in preparation for Netanyahu's claimed invasion of Lebanon and beyond? Is Biden openly supporting the expansion of the conflict?

[–] [email protected] 34 points 8 months ago (4 children)

I think there are two main reasons

One, support for Israel is a huge part of wasp-end-of-the-world-prophecy and has been a life-time project for many boomers that are now very elderly. They will go all in on this last push before they die

Two, Israel is an American military base located in the middle of three continents. Congress will print infinite money to maintain it and Israel knows it

The whole thing is fucked

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Two, Israel is an American military base located in the middle of three continents.

Is it actually though? It seems like all our invasions in that region have been supported by bases in allied Arab countries. I can’t remember a time when the Israeli military or Israeli territory has been used for an American military effort. I’m really at a loss for what they actually provide to the United States.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

Israel routinely attacks US enemies like Syria and Iran, a thing that the US could not do. Israel is the attack dog of the United States.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Israel and the US have a long history fighting "communism". If America ever goes to war with Russia, Israel will almost definitely remain an ally and allow the US to conduct military action from inside their territory. The same goes for America vs China. Other allies in the region are less likely to. Especially if its US vs China.

Personally I think its dumb, but its going to take a long time to shake almost a century of red-scare propaganda. The west still views Russia (and China) as the Soviets - godless commie atheists. ie Israel is ostensibly on the side of capitalism and the christian god. Russia and China are not.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

There are plenty of countries far more useful. Such as Turkey, who for all of Erdogan's posturing, hate Russia with a burning passion

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You're not wrong. Turkey would support the US vs Russia. idk about US vs China though. Still, I'd say its a "dont put all your eggs in one basket" mentality from the defense dept. Then again, Im just some dumb guy on the internet so take it with a grain of salt lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

We have multiple other countries in the region that would support us against either as well though. Keeping a bunch of war criminals around "just in case" only makes us guilty too in the eyes of the rest of the world.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

This right here. Also, many people don't even consider the end times, but still want us to support Israel simply because we've been heavily propagandized in their favor. It wasn't until adulthood that I learned how atrocious the state of Israel is.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

We have like 400 people there. Iraq is a far more strategic country for us now.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 8 months ago

I feel like I once again have to ask why?

Biden has spent literal decades telling Israel he'll support them no matter what and he'll never stop supporting them.

It's right up there with "nothing will fundementally change" on the short list of campaign promises he's never broken

[–] [email protected] 21 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Ukraine needs it more then fascist genocidal isreal

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Republicans wouldn't exactly oppose such an approval

But they did oppose it.

Republicans oppose Israel military aid unless Democrats support new anti-immigration laws. For now it's an impasse, so Israel isn't getting military aid. Thus Biden has to sell Israel military equipment instead of donating it.

And it's a relatively small spend, about $100 million. That's roughly one day's worth of funding for the IDF (the Israeli military budget is $24 billion a year). The US says Israelis are mostly buying spare parts.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Ukraine needs immediate aide. This focus on sending aide to Israel is frankly infuriating. Ukraine is fighting for its existence. Israel is committing genocide (not the Jewish people, but the Israeli government under the leadership of Netanyahu). Can we please at least see the difference in terms of where resources should be allocated? This should not be political, but practical.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

This focus on sending aide to Israel is frankly infuriating.

It's important to distinguish aid from sale.

Biden didn't approve aid to Israel, he only allowed them to purchase weapons with cash.

If Ukraine showed up tomorrow with a billion dollar check, they too could buy whatever they wanted immediately.

That said, it is treasonous that Republicans blocked aid to Ukraine. Ukrainians are dying protecting America from Russian aggression.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

You're really not getting it, are you? With the assault in Ukraine, the US MIL got the opportunity to clear out some old stock and potentially divert world war 3 into a stalemate. It was great for a bit. The gaza conflict gives the US a greater opportunity to really play to its strengths and pursue a thread of great historic national interest... Bombing brown people.

There's potentially oil there that needs freedom, and nobody exports more freedom for oil than the US

/S ...I think? I'm having a bit of an Idiocracy moment right now.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You're not wrong. There's nothing more American than killing brown people. Nothing. Just ask the Native Americans.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

... And Tulsa, OK, Iraq, Afghanistan, standing Rock SD, Vietnam, Korea.... Palestine...

It kind of just goes on, doesn't it?

[–] [email protected] -5 points 8 months ago

Any of Israeli Jews are cheering on the genocide

[–] [email protected] 48 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

Wait, you can do that? Why not bypass Congress to sell arms to Ukraine then?

[–] [email protected] 19 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That's been my question this whole time.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Because Ukraine needs a weapon donor, not a weapon vendor.

That said, Ukraine just received $250 million in weapon donations, approved by the previous Congress.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

Because then he doesn't have a cover to institute immigration policies that would make Bush blush.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It’s a fucking embarrassment that he’s doing this for Israel.

It’s also a fucking embarrassment that he’s not doing this for Ukraine.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Ans he just can't understand why his approval ratings are low. I wouldn't give one solitary fuck if he bypassed Congress to help Ukrainian but get outta here with this Israeli genocide.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's neat how congress goes from an insurmountable obstacle to an insubstantial suggestion.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

That only works when Congress intentionally leaves a loophole, in this case allowing weapon sales but not donations.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

What sale? We fund Israel. They do not pay us anything and never will. At least Ukraine is promising repayment for the weapons we supply and are backed by the World Bank. Israel, on the other hand, recieves billions from us annually and will continue to be our welfare recipients long after the Gazan genocide is complete.

Also, sale or no sale, we are openly participating in genocide now. We should not be supplying jack shit to Israel under any financial circumstances.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The OP is about Biden selling weapons to Israel, which they had to pay for.

Originally they were supposed to receive billions in emergency funding instead. That funding is stalled in Congress, partly due to Israel's conduct in this war.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

They are "paying" for these weapons with the billions we give them every year. They can call it a "sale" all they want, but it's still very obviously a gift.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Our annual military aid is in the form of free equipment, not free cash. So if they want more equipment, as in this case, then they have to spend their own money.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

I disagree. I believe it is given as liquid currency and Israel is free to spend it as it sees fit. While it is intended to aid their military and is usually spent on U.S. arms, purchasing exclusively from the U.S. is not a requirement of the current agreement.

Here is a BBC article from 2021 that breaks down some of the ways Israel chooses to spend the funds we send them.

Notable from the article:

Over the years, US aid has helped Israel develop one of the most advanced militaries in the world, with the funds allowing them to purchase sophisticated military equipment from the US.

For example, Israel has purchased 50 F-35 combat aircraft, which can be used for missile attacks - 27 of the aircraft have so far been delivered, costing around $100m (£70.4m) each.

Last year Israel also bought eight KC-46A Boeing 'Pegasus' aircrafts for an estimated $2.4bn (£1.7bn).

[–] [email protected] 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

No, it's not liquid currency.

Military aid to Israel funds two programs. The smaller part buys parts for their Iron Dome system, as sort of an ongoing field test. The larger part goes through the Foreign Military Financing program.

You can find the details of the FMF here, but basically Israel orders equipment and the US pays for it (up to a certain dollar limit of course). The equipment must be purchased from US contractors (though some exceptions apply):

Section 42 of the AECA requires the U.S. Government to emphasize procurement in the United States when carrying out provisions under the Act. Accordingly, in order for a DCC to be approved for FMF funding, the defense articles purchased must be (i) manufactured and assembled in the United States, or the defense services purchased must be performed by U.S. manufacturers/suppliers and (ii) purchased from U.S. manufacturers/suppliers

It's kind of like health insurance. They don't send you money, but they pay your bill (or maybe not if it's out-of-network).

The goal is twofold: support US defense contractors and support American allies. And there is a potential ulterior motive: recipient countries are more likely to buy additional equipment from US contractors.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Excellent data. Thank you.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

So neat watching the mountains of excuses evaporate into nothingness when there's a genocide to fund.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

It only seems extraordinary because you just tuned in.

Presidents have recently used loopholes in the past to ban Muslim immigrants, build a Southern wall, require masks in airports, require hospital employees to get covid vaccines, halt evictions, cancel student debt, and now sell weapons to Israel. All without an act of Congress.

But not everything has a loophole. There is an equally long list of things that they thought they could do without Congressional approval, but actually couldn't. For example require other employees to get covid vaccines, stop oil drilling, forgive farm loans, and cancel even more student debt.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It only seems extraordinary because you just tuned in.

No. It seems like the most mundane shit ever, honestly. When centrist Democrats don't want to raise the minimum wage, they let the parliamentarian get in their way. When centrist Democrats don't want to codify Roe or pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, they let the filibuster get in their way.

When centrist Democrats want to fund a genocide, all their mindless devotion to procedure and decorum is nowhere to be found.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

If it were that simple, then the $14 billion aid bill to Israel would have already passed.

Instead it's going nowhere, Israel has to actually pay the US for weapons, and they are getting less than 1% of what everyone expected.

How do you explain that outcome in your black-and-white worldview?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Instead it’s going nowhere, Israel has to actually pay the US for weapons, and they are getting less than 1% of what everyone expected.

You seem so disappointed.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 8 months ago

You interpret emotions as poorly as you interpret politics.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Helping Americans:

I'm just a president, I can't do anything! Unless something good happens, then it was all me!

Helping a foreign religious ethnostate to commit a genocide:

Oh wait, I can just do it....

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

You didn't read this article did ya

[–] [email protected] 16 points 8 months ago

God damn it Biden.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

Can’t imagine Congress would stop this. Congress overwhelmingly approved aide for Israel just weeks ago. It was more popular to give money to Israel than Ukraine in the GOP.