The new deal with Israel is a prudent bargain
Sep 20, 2016, 3:46 PM
The United States and Israel recently agreed on a foreign-aid package providing $3.8 billion in military aid for each of the next 10 years.
This marks a sharp increase in the level of aid, but that’s still less than one-tenth of 1 percent — less than one-one-thousandth — of the money Uncle Sam spends each year. And this assistance goes only to our military cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces — none of it can be used for social or economic programs. Moreover, 100 percent of the weapons and equipment bought with U.S. aid must be spent with U.S. companies, providing a major boost to American business. In the past, only 74 percent of the aid had to be spent in the US.
The long-term commitment to a nation that co-develops some of the world’s most advanced weapons systems with America and battles at the front lines against terrorism in the Middle East makes for a prudent bargain for U.S. policy makers.