In first visit to Israel, Republican Senator Rand Paul calls for gradual reduction of aid

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"In his first visit to Israel, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is calling for a gradual reduction of American foreign aid.

It’s an unlikely place to deliver the message, since Israel is among the largest recipients of American assistance. But Paul said in a Monday meeting with reporters that the U.S. can’t afford to keep sending money overseas, even to allies like Israel. He says it would be “harder to be a friend of Israel if we are out of money.”

The Kentucky Republican, a longtime opponent of foreign aid, acknowledges he’s expressing a “minority opinion” and doubts Congress will cut aid. He insists Washington should first cut aid to countries with strained ties to America, such as Pakistan and Egypt.

Israel gets about $3 billion a year in military aid."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/in-first-visit-to-israel-republican-senator-rand-paul-calls-for-gradual-reduction-of-aid/2013/01/07/819d4332-58bb-11e2-b8b2-0d18a64c8dfa_story.html

[Scootaloo]

1. Any way we can persuade Israel to keep him?

[graham4anything]

2. Yeah, well,it goes without saying that Rand (and Ron) Paul would love to get rid of Israel.

what utter gall of him
He and his father are the poster boys for neo-nazi's and the KKK and the old John Birch society.

Israel should not have even let him get off the plane.

btw, google the late Jord Haider and side by side put Rand v. Haider.
They look alike, they sound alike, they act alike, their views are exactly alike
like clones

[bemildred]

3. Oh good.

[aranthus]

4. Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

We essentially give Israel aid so that they will buy our military products (mostly aircraft and some advanced missles). If we don't, then the Israelis are going to be tempted to build their own, and to help pay for it buy selling to other countries in competition with us. So our defense industries lose business, gain competition, and have to charge the US government more. Plus, if we stop giving aid to Israel, then there is going to be powerful political pressure to stop sending aid to Egypt as well (we should do that anyway). However, if we stop sending aid to Egypt, we lose what little influence we have there now, and again our domestic defense industries lose business.

[shaayecanaan]

5. Maybe the US should give $3 billion dollars worth of free cars to Japan

in the hope that they will stop making Toyotas. It sounds like a foolproof plan.

The largest single customer for US military aircraft is Saudi Arabia, and after that, Kuwait, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Spain, Finland, and Korea and Japan (although generally Korea and Japan manufacture their own planes under licence).

I can't see an Israeli company landing the account for Saudi Arabia, or indeed many of those other countries.

[LeftishBrit]

6. This would have to be the first time...

that a member of the Paul family suggested that a reduction of aid to anybody or anything should be GRADUAL.

[azurnoir]

7. Well I'm sure he'll leave an impression

wonder if he'll get invited back?