Question re: Israel and US relationship

[sadmin]

First of all I'm Christian so this is from a purely political stance I ask this. What do they provide or have, that we have vested interest in? I don't know historically or politically so I'm asking - but it seems we are tighter with them and outside of religious implications, which I doubt the office care about, what is our need to protect, reconcile, be allies? The Leviathan gas fields?


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[Doc Safari]

I think at a fundamental level they represent our only real ally in the region. They have shared intelligence with us in the past. They also have done our "dirty work" on occasion like when they attacked Iraq's nuclear facilities back in the day.

[WickedWillis]

First of all I'm Christian so this is from a purely political stance I ask this. What do they provide or have, that we have vested interest in? I don't know historically or politically so I'm asking - but it seems we are tighter with them and outside of religious implications, which I doubt the office care about, what is our need to protect, reconcile, be allies? The Leviathan gas fields?


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They are the only democracy in the region.

[sadmin]

Does Namibia garner our attention ever?


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[GunBugBit]

Genesis 12:3 is a good start "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" -- though you did say "from a purely political stance."

So theology aside, yes, they are the only democracy in the region.

If one rejects, as many now do, that the USA was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, then it is hard to convincingly argue for alignment with Israel.

[MountainRaven]

When the Soviets got involved in the region, they did so by supplying Israel's enemies in Syria, Iraq, and Egypt (which together were supposed to form the United Arab Republic - the reason for the similar flags flown by all three countries). Domino theory required the US to intervene in the region to prevent the spread of Soviet influence and communism. The US already had a bit of a history supporting Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. But Israel wasn't noted for being particularly fond of communism, making them a natural US ally in checking Soviet influence in the region.

The rest, as they say, is history. (With few exceptions we still support many of the countries that we supported during the Cold War and who we primarily supported as a result of our desire to check Soviet global influence. And the Russians and Chinese do much the same.)

Which is not to say that there wasn't a natural inclination for the US to support Israel based off of non-semitic guilt over the holocaust or among rabid American Christians who want to support the state of Israel for religious reasons. They were just things that helped push the US into it.

[Eurodriver]

Preface: I am a Christian. I like Israel. I have many Israeli friends. I support their efforts to rid themselves of terrorism and rocket attacks 100%

But let's not pretend that modern day Israel is the same Israel of the Bible, guys. It was Europe's way of expelling all of the Jews out of there post-WWII partly out of guilt, and partly because no one really likes them.

We are friends simply because the enemy of my enemy is our friend.

"Only democracy in the region"? Put the pipe down. Jordan, Lebanon, Iran (with some caveats), and now Iraq and Egypt all hold elections.

[WickedWillis]

Preface: I am a Christian. I like Israel. I have many Israeli friends. I support their efforts to rid themselves of terrorism and rocket attacks 100%

But let's not pretend that modern day Israel is the same Israel of the Bible, guys. It was Europe's way of expelling all of the Jews out of there post-WWII partly out of guilt, and partly because no one really likes them.

We are friends simply because the enemy of my enemy is our friend.

"Only democrat in the region"? Put the pipe down. Jordan, Lebanon, Iran (with some caveats), and now Iraq and Egypt all hold elections.

Okay, so in putting this pipe down, the only western stylized democracy in the region.

[HD1911]

Genesis 12:3 is a good start "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" -- though you did say "from a purely political stance."

So theology aside, yes, they are the only democracy in the region.

If one rejects, as many now do, that the USA was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, then it is hard to convincingly argue for alignment with Israel.

This.

[jpmuscle]

Well POTUS did say Islam was a fundamental thread in the birth of America essentially.