"American weapons being used by Israel". To what extent?

[JackNewtown]

Often people point out that Israel gets most of its weapons from the US. My question is regarding the extent of this. For instance, does Israel have any aircraft or tanks of its own or from a country other than the US?

[Rex]

1. I know of something far worse, here listen to this.

American weapons are being used ALL OVER THE PLANET and all for the same purpose, to kill people.

America sells more weapons on the planet Earth than any other nation. Singling Israel out, because they can afford more than others is wrong IMO. Let's shutdown the MIC and give soldiers around the world a break. Please.

[Philosoraptor]

2. Being the #1 Arms dealer in the world, that IS the problem.

How can we claim to be brokering peace when we'll sell arms to any nation? And the amount we sell to Israel is bizarre.

[Rex]

7. If another nation would have endorsed the formation of Israel

let us say, not us, maybe Poland or Spain. A country that just can't afford to supply Israel with near endless supplies. Now let us say America backed Iran and Syria and has been for over 50 years with trillions going to military support for Hezbollah and Hamas. Say Hezbollah had huge numbers of main battle tanks and advanced fighter jets. Do you think they would march into Tel-Aviv and dominate the region? I do.

America has no allegiance to anyone, Israel gets subsidized because it would not exist without all the arms and tanks and planes and bombs. We don't do it to help Israel, we do it to make money for the MIC fatcats. They play warmonger and score huge amounts of money.

Both sides are guilty of killing each other and have two huge groups (Iran/US) willing to support both sides, even if it means WWIII. My question is, is it to late to realize money is the root of all evil?

[JackNewtown]

12. Israel has nuclear weapons

No outside force will invade Israel due to that.

[Rex]

14. I'm sure at one time, no one would have thought to use a weapon

like nukes, but we did and inadvertently opened pandora's box.

I never thought people would fly planes into the WTC, but someone did with military precision. The days of deterrents died in the Cold War. As much as the BFEE would like the 'war on terror' to be another Cold War, it will never be. Times have changed.

[JackNewtown]

15. Nukes can deter states IMO

No other state has launched a military attack against Israel after it acquired nukes; India and Pakistan initiated a peace process largely due to fear of a nuclear war. The fact remains that two nuclear nations have yet to go to war with each other.

[rman]

4. Not to mention that US taxpayers pay for Israel's weapons

(3 billion/year financial aid from US to Israel)

[JackNewtown]

5. Right

We sell more weapons than the rest of the world combined!

The reason Israel is singled out is the big donation it gets from US taxpayers to buy US weapons on our dime to boost the MIC. Egypt is a close #2 in this corporate welfare scheme. Saudi Arabia buys a lot of weapons too, I believe more than Israel, but it pays for everything itself, unlike Israel and Egypt.

I posted this out of curiosity. Sure, Israel gets most of its weapons from the US. I am wondering what the extent of this, is, i.e. does it get, say, 55% of its weapons from us or 90%?

[Rex]

8. Israel makes their own weapons now, some of the best

in the world. What the US taxpayers pay for are the parts and transportation. They've had to adapt to having enemies on all sides and so their weapons would naturally be the most advanced. I just can't understand what they were thinking in the UN, well I know but putting a group of people into and area and surrounded on all sides by traditional enemies. Sounds like a way to sell weapons and make trillions to me. And who suffers the most? The people who live there and just want peace. On both sides. :(

[rucky]

10. That and Baywatch are some of our top exports. n/t

[theHandpuppet]

11. They can only afford them because...

... we loan them the money to buy them!

Please review my posts, #25 & 61, in this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1724335#1724397
I think you might find some of the links a real eye-opener.

[rman]

3. U.S. Arming of Israel: How U.S. Weapons Manufacturers Profit

Democracy Now
U.S. Arming of Israel: How U.S. Weapons Manufacturers Profit From Middle East Conflict
Friday, July 21st, 2006
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/21/1432202

...

"Almost all of the weapons used by Israel are from the United States. There might be a couple French fighter planes that they’re using, but its F-16s made in Fort Worth, Texas; its Apache helicopters; its Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles; it’s all from the United States. So you have this real disconnect between an overemphasis on the supply by Iran and Syria of Hezbollah's weapons and no discussion of the fact that all of the Israeli arsenal is from the United States, and that that is in contravention to U.S. law. to the Arms Export Control Act, which says that U.S.-origin weapons are only to be used for self-defense and for internal security."

...

[Wonk]

6. Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Got a few minutes?

http://www.defensenews.com/content/features/2005chart1.html

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FL21Ak01.html

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. Chart

How Windows sees it....

[JackNewtown]

13. Thanks for the replies, links, very informative! nt