The New York Times reports: President Obama has proposed granting Israel the largest package of military aid ever provided by the United States to another nation, but he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain deeply at odds over a figure for the assistance despite months of negotiations.
American officials have balked as their Israeli counterparts insisted on more generous terms for a new 10-year military aid package that could top $40 billion. The divide, which could have broad national security implications for both the United States and Israel, is exacerbated by the pent-up animosity between Mr. Obama and Mr. Netanyahu, which has been stoked by their radically divergent views of the nuclear deal with Iran.
“There’s a unique place of pique for the Israelis in certain places in the administration, and I think that hovers around this negotiation,” said Robert Satloff, the executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “It’s one of the reasons it’s taken so long to reach a decision.” [Continue reading…]
The money quotes come late in the article.
(1)
“The Israelis are very eager to complete this deal precisely because he is a progressive president, and having a progressive president endorse this is important for the bipartisan nature of the relationship.”
This is exactly the real achievement of the Obama administration on numerous fronts, temporarily obscured by the ultra-vile right’s hold on the spotlight: to normalize and legitimize “centrist” policy, which runs from torture and surveillance to health care, finance, trade, and perpetual war.
(2)
“Some observers also believe that signing a generous military aid package would insulate Mr. Obama against accusations of being too tough on Israel should he decide later this year to pressure it to accept a peace deal with the Palestinians that embraces a two-state solution. The White House has debated whether Mr. Obama should do so, in an effort to preserve for a successor the possibility of a two-state solution.”
This is fantasy world stuff, of course, but does capture the required texture of the US side of the charade. On the other side, it’s all-important to appear tough, demanding, and intransigent, punking the gimp in the Whitehouse. Is there anything really new here? Even the pretense that it’s new isn’t new.
The Unite States is 20 TRILLION in debt. Israel is a wealthy country with many wealthy supporters around the world. They hold great power over our “elected” officials by donating money to their reelection. I understand that, but how about giving the american tax payer a little break by just holding the line at a mere 40 BILLION over a ten year period