Ships to Gaza incident

[Dinner]

http://wrmea.org/component/content/article/245-2008-november/3845-congress-watch-a-conservative-estimate-of-total-direct-us-aid-to-israel-almost-114-billion.html

We only give them about $2.4 billion per year which given that their 2009 GDP was ~$207 billion would mean it is significant aid but not enough to be totally dependent on the US.

[Al B. Sure!]

Hey HC,

No it's not. Israel is #1 in US foreign aid. Egypt is #2 interestingly enough. The two countries combined account for 1/3rd of US foreign aid.

[Gibsie]

There is never a moral right to kill innocent people - and you're calling me a monster...!?

I think what he is alluding to is that if Israel had committed the killings in their own international waters, would that have made them okay in your mind? No, I shouldn't think so. They were right/wrong regardless of whose territory the boats were in when they were killed.

[Hauldren Collider]

Hey HC,

No it's not. Israel is #1 in US foreign aid. Egypt is #2 interestingly enough. The two countries combined account for 1/3rd of US foreign aid.

That doesn't mean it isn't toilet paper in relation to other federal expenditures. Maybe foreign expenditures.

[Al B. Sure!]

Oerdin:

Yeah now, I looked at the stats, there's been a decline over the last few years. In 2000, it $4.13 billion. In 2003, it was $3.75 billion. Fortunately, it's been declining the last few years.

[MrFun]

http://wrmea.org/component/content/a...4-billion.html

We only give them about $2.4 billion per year which given that their 2009 GDP was ~$207 billion would mean it is significant aid but not enough to be totally dependent on the US.

And I was not being totally serious - I exaggerated to see if I could twist some people's panties.

[Dinner]

You would think that would buy some cooperation.

He's over stating the amount of aid given by at least 50%. Real amount of aid $2.4 billion, $10 million a day = $3.65 billion.

[Hauldren Collider]

http://wrmea.org/component/content/a...4-billion.html

We only give them about $2.4 billion per year which given that their 2009 GDP was ~$207 billion would mean it is significant aid but not enough to be totally dependent on the US.

Yep. The most significant aid we've ever given them was cockblocking an Arab embargo, which wasn't strictly speaking an expenditure.

[Al B. Sure!]

And actually, my (half) mistake. Israel and Egypt are technically #2 and #3 respectively. Iraq receives more than either country but it's a special case because it has been under our occupation.

[rah]

Then the true question is, if they don't really need it and they don't normally pay attention to what we ask........why do we keep giving it to them.

[Al B. Sure!]

He's over stating the amount of aid given by at least 50%. Real amount of aid $2.4 billion, $10 million a day = $3.65 billion.

Oerdin:

1997: 3132
1998: 3080
1999: 3010
2000: 4131
2001: 2876
2002: 2850
2003: 3745
2004: 2687
2005: 2612
2006: 2534
2007: 2500
2008: 2423

It was a simplification to say $10 million a day but it has reached that much (and more) a twice in the past 13 years and has gone close several times.

[MrFun]

Then the true question is, if they don't really need it and they don't normally pay attention to what we ask........why do we keep giving it to them.

Because we're stupid.

[Dinner]

Oerdin:

1997: 3132
1998: 3080
1999: 3010
2000: 4131
2001: 2876
2002: 2850
2003: 3745
2004: 2687
2005: 2612
2006: 2534
2007: 2500
2008: 2423

It was a simplification to say $10 million a day but it has reached that much (and more) a twice in the past 13 years and has gone close several times.

Yeah, but notice how it has been trending downwards for most of a decade?

[Al B. Sure!]

Oh yeah HC, I'm not sure exactly where you got South Korea from. Yes, we have a strong military presence there but from looking at the government's website with regards to foreign aid, South Korea is not even on the list! The list may not be exhaustive but the country to receive the least amount of aid on it is Serbia/Montenegro at $4 million in 2006. If South Korea receives less than that, well, our aid to S. Korea is very insignificant.

[Al B. Sure!]

Yeah, but notice how it has been trending downwards for most of a decade?

That trending is good. I mentioned the downtrend several posts ago. But what is your point? Israel is still our #1 aid recipient (that we are not currently nation-building in) by a long shot.

By the way, anyone know why Egypt receives so much aid from us? I find that kind of strange since we're not particularly close to Egypt and Egypt is not really a 'developing' country that particularly needs our aid.