US aid to Israel to remain intact in 2012

[azurnoir]

Despite severe financial crisis, US officials say foreign aid to Israel to remain unaffected in 2012; budget funds 'commitment to ensure our ally Israel maintains its qualitative military edge,' Rep. Nita Lowey says

Our American friend: American aid to Israel will not be reduced in 2012 despite budgetary cutbacks, senior US officials said Wednesday.


The $3.075 billion in aid granted to Israel would remain intact under the 2012 State and Foreign Operations Act, Chairman of the House of Representatives' Appropriations Committee, Rep. Hal Rogers said in a joint statement with Rep. Kay Granger, chairwoman of the foreign operations subcommittee of Appropriations.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4101134,00.html

[Morizovich]

1. God Bless the Grass!

(Stole that from The Lawnmower Man.)

[azurnoir]

5. you mean this passage?

The man waved an arm benignly at the lawn. 'This? Well, it's a new thing the boss has been trying. It works out real good. Real good, buddy. We're killing two birds with one stone. We keep getting along towards the final stage, and we're making money to support our other operations to boot. See what I mean? Of course every now and then we run into a customer who doesn't understand - some people got no respect for efficiency, right? - but the boss is always agreeable to a sacrifice. Sort of keeps the wheels greased, if you catch me.'

Harold said nothing. One word knelled over and over in his mind, and that word was 'sacrifice'. In his mind's eye he saw the mole spewing out from under the battered red mower.

He got up slowly, like a palsied old man. 'Of course,' he said, and could only come up with a line from one of Alicia's folk-rock records. 'God bless the grass.'

The lawnmower man slapped one summer-apple-coloured thigh. 'That's pretty good, buddy. In fact, that's damned good. I can see you got the right spirit. Okay if I write that down when I get back to the office? Might mean a promotion.'

'Certainly,' Harold said, retreating towards the back door and striving to keep his melting smile in place. 'You go right ahead and finish. I think I'll take a little nap -'Sure, buddy,' the lawnmower man said, getting ponderously to his feet. Harold noticed the unusually deep split between the first and second toes, almost as if the feet were well, cloven.

'It hits everybody kinda hard at first,' the lawnmower man said. 'You'll get used to it.' He eyed Harold's portly figure shrewdly. 'In fact, you might even want to give it a whirl yourself. The boss has always got an eye out for new talent.'

'The boss,' Harold repeated faintly.

The lawnmower man paused at the bottom of the steps and gazed tolerantly up at Harold Parkette. 'Well, say, buddy. I figured you must have guessed. . . God bless the grass and all.'

ttp://krypta-smierci.neostrada.pl/ebooks/Stephen King - Night Shift - The Lawnmower Man.html

[physioex]

2. Come on Teabaggers.....

Don't you see some possibilities for spending cuts.....

[Scurrilous]

3. They cut money for starving people in Africa.

House panel approves $47.2 billion foreign aid bill, slashes money for State Department

<snip>

"Among the many reductions are cuts to programs that could aid the millions in Africa. The United Nations has said two regions of Somalia are suffering from famine and 11 million people are in need of aid. As of Aug. 1, the U.N. is preparing to declare all of southern Somalia a famine zone.

Among the cuts are an 11 percent reduction in the funds for the Migration and Refugee Assistance program to $190 million, and a 12 percent cut in the Disaster Assistance program to $105 million. The Emergency Migration and Refugee Assistance program would be reduced by 36 percent, to $18 million.

Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, said it was a mistake “to cripple the agencies” trying to provide relief in Africa.

“This legislation would be a step back from U.S. leadership and substantially weaken the United States’ efforts overseas by decreasing economic opportunity, stability and access to critical services for millions of the world’s poorest people,” Lowey said."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/house-panel-approves-472-billion-foreign-aid-bill-slashes-money-for-state-department/2011/07/27/gIQADXzFdI_story.html

[Jefferson23]

4. Shameful, to say the least. n/t