US Budget Cuts May Axe Funds for Israel’s Anti-Missile Systems
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The David’s Sling, a new mid- to long-range missile interceptor being developed by Israel.
Photo Credit: Ministry of Defence/Flash90
Pro-Israel sources report that the axe on the US budget may eliminate $479 million for joint US-Israel anti-missile programs, namely David’s Sling and Arrow systems, in addition to another $300 cut in military aid.
The slash in aid would come on the eve of President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel, which has been dubbed “Operation Unbreakable Alliance.”
Senior Israel officials are aware of the possible reductions and are trying to figure out to deal with them, according to Israel’s Globes business newspaper. Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s recent visit to Washington may have been, in part, an attempt to convince Congressmen to dull the axe on funding for the anti-missile programs.
The threat of Israel’s Middle East’s neighbors plunging into anarchy and leaving Al Qaeda and Hizbullah in charge underscores the government’s concerns.
The United States currently gives $3.15 billion in aid, although a large part of it actually is returned to American defense firms that Israel is required to use for much of the equipment and technology.
Congress and the White House have another week until the March 1 deadline, when either the federal deficit is reduced or automatic budget cuts come into effect, which could totally upset financial markets and America’s credit rating.
Republicans control the House of Representatives and are using their power to try to crack the whip on government spending, both at home and abroad.
“So far as is known at this stage, the fate of the aid for missiles is not the fate of the current military aid. We have to hope that won’t be the final situation,” a pro-Israel source told Globes.
Aid to Israel is bound to be reduced in light of massive cuts in domestic spending that, according to The New York Times, will put 14,000 teachers and 4,000 air traffic controllers out of work.
The March 1 deadline also is well before Obama flies to Israel, and he may have to depend only on his oratorical skills to convince Jews in Israel and in the United States of the “unbreakable alliance.”
tell a friendAbout the Author: Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu is a graduate in journalism and economics from The George Washington University. He has worked as a cub reporter in rural Virginia and as senior copy editor for major Canadian metropolitan dailies. Tzvi wrote for Arutz Sheva for several years before joining the Jewish Press.
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Except for cutting OBVIOUS pork projects, the USA should just cut everything 5% across the board (INCLUDING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PAY), and that should help balance things out for now and would help the notoriously wasteful government to learn how to use resources more efficiently.
Except for cutting OBVIOUS pork projects, the USA should just cut everything 5% across the board (INCLUDING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PAY), and that should help balance things out for now and would help the notoriously wasteful government to learn how to use resources more efficiently.
Shocked, SHOCKED I tell you.
So, obama "I got Israel's back " has helped overthrow all the arab governments that were at peace /lack of war with Israel and has done nothing but help put Israel in more jeopardy while continuing to fund the moslem brotherhood and the palestine /terrorist authority with no restrictions on how they use our money, this is the next logical step in obama's war against Israel! Thank you Jewish voters for obama!
Reducing funds to Israel is okay if they also eliminate sending new fighter jets to Egypt…tit for tat…Israel is now surrounded by unknown less stable Muslim gov 'ts…so far Morsi has proven to be a mouthpiece for the Islamic Brotherhood…who's history goes back to supporting Hitler…now is not the time to reduce Israel's defense research…as with all Israel's research it eventually benefits all…just look at the cell phone.
We need to let our Congressmen/women and Senators know that we want the Israel/ US anti-missile program to continue to be funded and forget about giving Egypt F-16 planes which will enable the Muslim Brotherhood to attack Israel.
while giving missiles to the terror group running Egypt.
In light of Obama sending those fighter jets and tanks to Egypt this burns me up! We need to stop this now! We need laws to protect our money and a say so as to how it is spent! Obama is a traitor!
This is a blessing in disguise. When Israel is required to buy arms, planes, etc from the USA, it is always with conditions of use whereby Israel can not move against our enemies without the green light from America. Now, if Israel funds and makes its own missiles, there will be no begging to America for a “green light”.
I said it before; and still convinced that he (Obama) is a Muslim to the core; the hatred of Jews is in his blood and an essential religious duty.