Israel to launch one of the most advanced missile defense systems in the world

"The Israeli missile defense system is being built in partnership with U.S. defense contractors, including Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin."

Much of that money comes back to us, and we get the benefit of all that research too.

I have to imagine the system is completely useless for bombs strapped to drones.

Looking at the top chart, can one honestly read from that the foreign aid has a significant impact on U.S well being or welfare.

If anything, the U.S. can spend even more on aid, I would personally support that.

Cheap energy is a big boost though. Transportation costs are an obvious example. But oil is used in everything. Fertilizer and plastics are big consumers. Keeping those costs down, makes everything cheaper. Theoretically, that's better for everyone. Cheap energy was important enough for the us to go to war at least once, Desert Storm. Good arguments can be made for the second Iraq invasion, and the possibility of oil off the coast of Vietnam.

This of course glosses over all of the secondary effects, like CO2 emissions, health consequences of fast food and all the problems that go along with war. (And i'm sure a million other things!)

But, yeah, the reason is access to cheap energy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_David_Accords#Framework_P...

"The agreement also resulted in the United States committing to several billion dollars worth of annual subsidies to the governments of both Israel and Egypt, subsidies which continue to this day, and are given as a mixture of grants and aid packages committed to purchasing U.S. materiel."

Of course, some people only complain when the recipient in question is Israel.

1. Israel may preemptively strike Iran believing "now or never". Has done so before in many other situations.

2. Israel will increase its growing ties with China and Russia. Hillary Clinton's email dump suggests there is concern about this at State.

3. Israel'a adversaries (eg. Iran, Hezbollah, etc.) will renew and increase attacks. There will be instability and loss of life. 1948, 1973, 1982, etc.

4. Increasing conflict and instability will cause great economic pain globally. We know this because almost every recession since 1948 has been proceeded by conflict in the middle east, most of the time Israel.

Any of these outcomes cost much more than $3b USD, and for the expense US taxpayers get these added benefits:

1. Jobs, jobs, jobs. US defense contractors are one of America's few remaining manufacturing hotspots.

2. Slightly less interest by Saudi Arabia, etc. in pursuing WMD to counter Iran. And under-the-table deals between some Arab states and Israel, which have Israel maintaining a tenuous balance of power in the Middle East, countering Iran.

3. Democracy. You elected your representatives, senators and president. Don't like their position on Israel? Organize, donate and vote. Sitting on HN and complaining unless you're doing the other three things feels good but accomplishes nothing.

4. Peace of mind. Organize, donate, vote and win -- and you can credit yourself among the winners who saved $3b, and plunged an entire region into further chaos, resulting in the deaths of likely millions. Major dark side points for you.

Want $3b back? The government can find $3b with ease and allocate it to the small business administration to create jobs at home. Betcha they won't, because people love to complain about things like foreign aid, but fail to complain about the lack of hard dollars to small businesses, entrepreneurs and small business employees.

EDIT: If you're going to cherry pick individual points to dispute you might point out that you're unable to dispute the general thesis.

Japan & US develop and test of new version of SM-3 missile together. The seeker for next version of the "Patriot" missile is from this Israeli system. US gets technology of both these systems at a slightly lower cost than if she did it herself.

Regarding billions though, the US has all the wealth it could ever want. It simply wastes most of it. Everyone could easily have a 15 hour workweek or whatever. The phenomenon of unemployment could be considered a decadent joke (where idle hands can't find work though they're looking for it, and there's much to do).

Also keep in mind that much of that money flows back to the US.

Overall this is a small investment in ensuring that Israel is so incredibly well defended that nobody in the surrounding area could ever come close to believing they have a chance against them.

Because the war mongers are a huge industry and there is no department of peace.

One would think after thousands of years of war to "bring about peace" one would try something new. I can't be the only one on the globe to know what the definition of insanity is.

Further one might want to keep in mind that Gaza is currently being ruled by an organization, that has the destruction of Israel as one of it's core goals.

Arguably Israel is surprisingly calm given that they could eliminate this problem easily should they wish to.

Ah yes, disagreeing with Israeli government practices is anti-Semitic now.

You make solid points other than that.