US, in debt, sends billions to well-off Israel

It's no news that the United States is heavily in debt. Not only does the Treasury owe trillions but citizens are also in near record levels of debt.

Did you know that Israel is doing quite well? In a list of countries by external debt per capita, the US is #14 and Israel is #27 and that was in 2007.

It's no news to Americans that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost hundreds of billions of dollars and are continuing to cost billions. The removal of Saddam Hussein was a tremendous service to Israel. Are they helping to defray U.S. military costs? No.

And what's more, we supply Israel with the means to make things even worse for the United States by exposing our hypocrisy and enabling Israel to use the arms we supply it to oppress the non-Jewish civilians over which it has total control. Since both the Palestinians and the Jews have equal claims to the land, how can it be seen as anything but unjust for the US to uphold only one side politically and financially?

In 2007, the Unites States increased the amount of funding for Israeli military power to a record $30 billion over 10 years. Remember Israel has a population about that of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. This money we send for weapons goes to a country that strikes at civilians with the weapons it buys, that unilaterally strikes at neighbor countries when it thinks they may be building a threat, that keeps its army in occupied territories enforcing unequal rights for Israelis over Palestinians. Bellicose is the word. Now the talk is of a unilateral attack on Iran.

Does Congress debate the wisdom of this tremendous weapons funding? No.

Does Congress ask any questions on how U.S. supplied weapons are used when civilians are attacked? No, instead it speaks of Israel having a "right to defend itself", then accepts without question any action Israel declares as defensive. No other country on the planet is treated this way by the United States.

In the article linked above, it states that Israeli worries must be put to rest by giving it far more military aid than the US gives to any other country in the region.

Does Congress debate this concept? No.

My fellow Americans, this is done in your name with your money. Why do you put up with it? As long as you remain silent, the Israel lobby and the weapons manufacturers lobby will have their way with Congress. As will every lobby, they know exactly what they want - to pick your pocket - and it depends on you and me not caring enough to oppose them.