Senate Panel Votes For Defense Bill That Doubles Money For Israel's Iron Dome Missile Defense

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

By DONNA CASSATA | Associated Press | 5 hours, 14 minutes ago in Politics

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is showing tangible support for longtime ally Israel as Gaza militants fire rockets, backing a measure that would double the amount of money for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.

The Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee approved a defense spending bill on Tuesday that would provide $621.6 million for Israeli missile defense, including $351 million for the Iron Dome system that intercepts short-range rockets and mortars. In the latest hostilities between Israel and Hamas, Iron Dome has been successful in shooting down rockets and preventing Israeli deaths.

"It works," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., chairman of the subcommittee.

Since 1988 and the early days of U.S.-Israeli cooperation on missile defense, presidents have proposed a specific amount for the program knowing full well that members of Congress will increase the funds, especially after they hear from Israel.


Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/0696196748834978adf4a7666ad3bca7/senate-panel-votes-for-defense-bill-that-doubles-money-for-israels-iron-dome-missile-defense.html

[Fred Sanders]

1. Not to mention the tens of billions in planes, tanks, bombs and missiles....they need replenishment.

[RufusTFirefly]

2. Does it really work??

Why does this scenario sound oh so familiar?

... shortly after Operation Desert Storm, the first war against Iraq in 1991, the U.S. Army claimed that an earlier model of the Patriot had intercepted 45 out of 47 Iraqi Scuds—a 95 percent success rate. Over the following year, the Army lowered its estimate, stating that Patriots intercepted 79 percent of the Scuds launched over Saudi Arabia and 40 percent of those fired at Israel. These remain the official figures today.

However, even the revisions wildly overstate the Patriot's performance in Desert Storm. A later report by the General Accounting Office concluded that Patriot missiles destroyed only 9 percent of the Scuds they tried to engage. The Israeli Defense Force calculated they'd destroyed just 2 percent. William Cohen, Bill Clinton's secretary of defense, admitted upon leaving office in January 2001, "The Patriot didn't work."

Slate.com: How good are those Patriot missiles?

[former9thward]

22. The Iron Dome is in Israel not Iraq.

And it is 2014 not 1991. Yeah, to so many people's deep disappointment, it really works.

[Swede Atlanta]

3. Why?

I am tired of our Congress being owned by the corporations and then Israel.

Israel can well take care of themselves. I am so angry that we have people here that are malnourished, homeless, jobless, without health insurance or health care. Our highways, bridges and other essential infrastructure is crumbling but we are willing to spend $621 million dollars to protect Israel.

Let them protect themselves.

[RufusTFirefly]

8. And here's your answer:

Jerusalem Post: Most Iron Dome funding goes to US contractors

Frankly, I was pretty sure I knew what the answer would be even before I looked it up.

Here's more:

Raytheon’s Role

Raytheon Co. (RTN), based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is under contract with Iron Dome’s Israeli maker, Haifa-based Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., to find suitable U.S. suppliers, the Missile Defense Agency said in the report. Raytheon is the fourth-largest federal contractor and the world’s biggest missile maker.

The agreement “provides for significant United States co-production of Iron Dome components and interceptors in the United States,” according to the report.

Israel has fielded the first five batteries of launchers and interceptors costing as much as $90,000 apiece, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

Bloomberg News Service: Israel Agrees to Spend Half of Iron Dome Funds in U.S.

Here's one last piece of data, submitted for your approval, as Rod Serling would say:

When a still-wet-behind-the-ears politician faced a decorated war hero in the 2008 presidential race, do you know who received more contributions from defense contractors? You guessed it.

Obama Beats McCain in Defense Industry Contributions - TIME

Barack Obama's campaign has pocketed $870,165 from defense-contractor sources, 34% more than the $647,313 in contributions McCain's campaign received from the same sector.

[karynnj]

15. The contributions are from employees in the company

It does not surprise me at all that the employees of these companies - many in places like Massachusetts and Washington state contributed to Obama. It never fails that people - and the media - misuse the information to imply it was from the company.

[RufusTFirefly]

16. Oh sure.

So where were those progressive defense industry workers from Massachusetts in 2004 when contributions from PACs and individuals associated with the arms industry ran roughly 2 to 1 in favor of Bush, at $766,355 for Dubya and only $399,000 for Bay Stater John?

Nice try.

[modrepub]

4. Lots of money for something that doesn't work

If it works so good let those that think so sit and a field with this great system while we lob some missiles and mortars at them for a couple of hours.

[former9thward]

23. Hamas has been firing hundreds of rockets at Israel.

Where is the damage? Or do you think the whole story is made up?

[kelliekat44]

5. Why the hell can't Israel pay for it themselves? Their economy is doing just fine and always has

since they have squashed all competition from the Palestinians.

[former9thward]

24. Competition from the Palestinians?

Competition in what, pray tell?

[another_liberal]

6. We can't even afford to fix our own interstate highway bridges . . .

But we can give the Israeli government the best part of a billion dollars to finance its war crimes against Gaza.

The American people will remember who gave the last of our money away to support illegal, foreign wars.

[JI7]

25. of course we can afford it . Congress just has to pass a bill to fund it

it's not a matter of not being able to afford it but rather of whether one wants to pay for it.

[another_liberal]

26. No problem getting that Israeli war aid package passed though.

Makes one wonder whom exactly these guys in Washington think they work for?

[ffr]

7. Shutdown the government!

Tell the Republihadists that if they want this to pass, we want some things too, like some bills passed by this do-nothing Republihadist controlled House of Representatives, to keep our country moving forward.

That seems to work for the Replublis base. Maybe if we start doing it for everything little POS line item, maybe people will recognize how paralyzed they've made this country.

NO
MORE
REPUBLIS!

[tjl148]

18. I think the Democrats also want this to pass.

So I'm not sure who the "we" are.

[bigwillq]

9. Stop giving all this money away.

It's absurd. Let Israeli pay for it.

[RufusTFirefly]

11. We're giving the money away. But not just to Israel. Read Post #8

And here's your answer.

[bigwillq]

12. Again, stop giving all of this money away (nt)

[Comrade Grumpy]

10. If it's good for Israel, it would be even better for Gaza and the West Bank.

Iron Domes for everybody! Or nobody.

[Owl]

13. When it comes to blowing things up, money grows on trees.

[blkmusclmachine]

14. No. Just no.

Israel, the welfare state???

[geek tragedy]

17. welfare for warfare nt

[burrowowl]

19. Damn them!

[kickysnana]

20. +1

[TwilightGardener]

21. I believe this money is being diverted away from our soldiers, and our defense.

Last edited Wed Jul 16, 2014, 01:45 PM - Edit history (1)

More money for Israel's defense, less money for ours. Thanks, Congress--we see who you work for, Dick Durbin. It ain't America, let's put it that way. (Edit to add: I don't have a problem with aiding Israel or its defense--I have a problem with DOUBLING the money when the defense budget pie stays the same size. It can only come at the expense of OUR defense).