Pentagon Seeks $220 Million for Israel’s Iron Dome System

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

By Tony Capaccio - Apr 16, 2013

The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency for the first time in its regular annual budget contains funds to buy additional Iron Dome missile defense systems for Israel, according to documents and an agency spokesman.

The budget requests $220 million for missile batteries in fiscal 2014, which begins Oct. 1, and an additional $175.9 million in fiscal 2015, according to budget documents the Missile Defense Agency posted online last week.

The money, if approved during the annual defense budget process, would be on top of $486 million the White House and Congress have requested or added for the system in recent years after formal budgets were submitted. This includes $211 million added in the defense appropriations bill for this year, which President Barack Obama signed into law last month.

The $220 million request for fiscal 2014 “is new money, and it is the first time funding specifically for Iron Dome procurement has been requested in our budget submission,” Missile Defense Agency spokesman Richard Lehner said in an e- mail.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-16/pentagon-seeks-220-million-for-israel-s-iron-dome-system.html

[mopinko]

1. fuck that.

[gordianot]

2. Yes and Chained CPI will add to the endless American cesspool of money for such projects.

[geek tragedy]

3. Can't pay full benefits for Social Security or Medicare, but never

a shortage of money to shovel over to Israel.

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. Um? Why don't we let them buy their own

fricking missiles.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. Why can't Israel pay for their own iron dome system?

So we're giving millions to Israel while also contemplating cutting Social Security for vulnerable American seniors.

This should make your blood boil.

[Blue_Tires]

16. We're not allowed to ask that

[Ghost Dog]

25. Running an occupation is expensive.

I understand the social security system for israelis is quite good. http://www.ilo.org/dyn/ilossi/ssimain.home?p_lang=en&p_geoaid=376

[Owl]

6. Just say NO. HELL NO!

[Historic NY]

7. Sell it to them....they have a checkbook for all sorts of stuff.

[caraher]

22. We can't - they build it!

Iron Dome is an Israeli product. So we're basically just giving money to Israel to pay their own defense industry.

From the link in the OP:

Iron Dome, made in Israel by Haifa-based Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., is designed to intercept and destroy rockets capable of flying as far as 70 kilometers (44 miles). Israel has fielded its first five batteries of launchers and interceptors costing as much as $90,000 apiece, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

[Historic NY]

24. Okay so then give them a loan with interest due...

[caraher]

26. Sure

I agree, it makes no sense just to give away money...

[earthside]

8. Israel needs an inheritance tax.

That could pay for the 'Iron Dome'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Israel

Hey, if they want to leave anything to inherit, then maybe an inheritance/estate tax could fund the system they claim they need to protect themselves.

We can't afford it, that's for sure ... as the Repuglicans are always telling us "we have a spending problem."
Well, here is something not to spend our money on.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. How about Israel pays for its own stuff. We're so broke we have to cut old age pensions, right?

[Plucketeer]

10. Ah fer CHIRSSAKES!

We're not even safe here at HOME! I got a president who wants to cut my living allowances - this after I voluntarily went to Vietnam to protect HIM when he was a mere toddler!

Now - without EVER asking me (or any of us, for that matter!!!) we're gonna slather MORE of our freshly borrowed bucks on protecting our coal mine canarys!

Makes me wanna !

[City Lights]

11. Sorry, we're broke!

You want more funding, try a bake sale!

[Purveyor]

29. This is only a drop in the bucket compared to the trillion(s) will we go into debt to comply

with israels wish to neutralize Iran.

See Iraq for reference.

[valerief]

12. What about the deficit?????????????? nt

[Purveyor]

30. Doesn't matter when it comes to our 'bastard step-child'... eom

[Wolf Frankula]

13. Don't send them 220 cents

Not one more cent for Israel, not one. Cut them off. I'm tired of being their colony and Santa Claus.

Wolf

[allinthegame]

14. Too bad

We don't see the need to use this money for something like school lunch programs.

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. Israel is a rich country with a technologically advanced economy.

Israeli defence spending, as a percentage of GDP, is the fifth-highest in the world. Surely they can afford to pay for their own missile-defence systems.

[GeoWilliam750]

19. Like your HL Mencken quote

[Chakaconcarne]

17. Fuck that Bullshit!

They can pay for their own shit... motherfuckers! WTFF!!!

[irisblue]

18. Can someone explain to me

without snark, why is the United States is paying for another nations defense? I am curious as to why this is in the Pentagon budget.

[Earth_First]

21. Religion and PsyOps... n/t

[John2]

23. It has been my premise,

the U.S. has not been only supporting Allies but an Empire. I've also come to the conclusion that Empire does not benefit ordinary Americans but the wealthy in this country and the countries the U.S. has influence in.

One example that led me to this conclusion is Israel. Even though Israel may dispute it, they will have a hard time existing with out the backing of the U.S. Government. Lets look at this logically. Israel has a population of only 8 million persons or more. One quarter of that population are not Israeli Jews. Most of Israel's population was imported from other countries with displaced Jews. They entered the country with little or no wealth.

We have states in this country with more population and a tax base than Israel. North KOrea has a larger population than Israel. How do they sustain such a powerful military with modern expensive weapon systems without going bankrupt? I look no further than the United States and other Western Nations. The United States cannot look like they are the benefactors of this small country in international affairs but when has the U.S. ever approved sanctions against Israel? The U.S. government will not do it.

You can apply the same cases to Japan and South Korea after the U.S. occupied both countries after World War II. Regardless of what both countries governments claim, the U.S. is responsible for defending, proactive after the U.S. military gained control of them after defeating Japan. Both were under U.S. military authority. The U.S. influenced the writings of both Constitutions. We also gained access to territory in Germany after World War II. T^he U.S. military has never left any of these countries they gained access to after fighting a War.

Iraq if any would be the first. That was because public opinion turned against troops in Iraq. Public opinion is also turning against troops in Afghanistan but you can bet the military industrial complex is looking for other territories to occupy. And when those countries are occupied, it means influence over that nation's affairs and resources. That is a huge windfall for the very wealthy to invest money. Imagine the wind fall they get from the mineral resources of Iran or North Korea. Both countries have valuable resources that they can't sell on the market because of sanctions. You lift those sanctions, both countries will have plenty of money to feed their people and profit the very top. All Americans have to do is question the motives of their Congress, and ask the question, do you trust them? The richest Government bought and paid for.

[GeoWilliam750]

20. Explain this to all of the people who have had necessities cut

[kickysnana]

27. Only if they do the humane thing about the Palestine situation

We cannot support any government that incubates terrorists by terrorizing a whole population, cutting them off and not giving them any representation for generations.

[Sunlei]

28. maybe America is buying a system from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd ?

In its first year as a limited company, Rafael earned a $37 million profit on $830 million in sales.[7]

On October 14, 2007 the company changed its name from Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd. to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.