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Home Front: Politix
US Senate blocks Iron Dome funding to Israel
2014-08-01
A United States Senate bid to deliver aid to Israel during Operation Protective Edge was blocked by Republicans "over concerns that it would increase the debt," Politico reported.

The Democrats proposed a $2.7 billion border aid package that included $255 for the Iron Dome missile defense system.
Wonder if Chinese would be interested in Iron Dome tech?
Posted by:g(r)omgoru

#19  As g(r)om alluded, the Senate passed a separate bill authorizing the money.

From the JPost article (not included in this post:)

GOP leaders who had promised to pass an Israel aid bill in recent days were disappointed, as they had been pushing Reid to separate Israel funding from the border bill, which also included $615 million to fight Western wildfires.

IMNSHO and to be charitable, there appears to be a severe lack of understanding of US domestic politics in this instance.
Posted by: Pappy   2014-08-01 20:56  

#18  Don't be surprised if Russia/Israel start engaging in overtures. Israel can't afford to f..k around.
Posted by: irishrageboy   2014-08-01 16:04  

#17  bigjim-CA, you really want to pay a USA defense contractor 10 billion $ (to start with) to develop the same thing 10 years from now?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2014-08-01 15:45  

#16  It is a campaign ploy...ask the Jewish voter, do you want a buzzillion illegals in your neighborhood or do you want more money for Iron Dome...

It is no accident, this is a set up to try and either get the Border legislation through or make the Republicans look bad to the Jewish vote...


And Christian vote/Jacksonian vote*. As I said an end run around the tea party. However, it appears that these guys and girls are not "made with a finger", as we say in Hebrew.

*I wouldn't bet on US Jews objecting to illegals---I know Israelis who still believe in Peace with Paleos
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2014-08-01 15:41  

#15  Christmas tree bill derivative.

imho, this is what happens when statesmen are replaced by politicians.
Posted by: Uncle Phester   2014-08-01 14:56  

#14  Indiegogo has a crowdsourcing thingie going on, posted by a Canadian:

Let's stop a rocket and help Israel buy more Iron Dome anti-missiles!

So many people around the world are concerned about the terrorist attacks on Israel, especially through rockets fired by Hamas terrorists based in Gaza.

We are shocked at Hamas's Nazi-like hatred for Jews; we feel sorrow for the victims of this violence, including innocent civilians in Gaza that Hamas uses as human shields. But most of all, we feel helpless -- what can we personally do about this?

Is there something positive that people of goodwill around the world can do, both as a symbolic gesture, and that might actually save a life? We think there is.

One of the bright spots in the news has been the deployment of a defensive technology called Iron Dome. It's a high-tech system developed jointly by Israel and the United States, and it shoots down incoming terrorist rockets -- and it has had a 90% success rate.

Air raid sirens still go off every day in Israel, and civilians still run to the bomb shelters. But Iron Dome has really lived up to its name, protecting innocent Israelis from those who would murder them. You can see some videos of Iron Dome in action by clicking on the YouTube links on this page.

According to one CNN report, each Iron Dome anti-missile costs about US$62,000. What would happen if hundreds -- maybe even thousands -- of people around the world chipped in a few dollars here and there, and then we sent a cheque to the Government of Israel to buy more Iron Dome anti-missiles? Of course, we couldn't actually buy an Iron Dome anti-missile. But we could donate the exact amount of money to the Israeli government, and ask them to put it towards that defensive system, or any other civilian defence project in affected parts of Israel.

It wouldn't be for an offensive weapon. You can't use the Iron Dome to attack anyone. It's 100% defensive -- like a bulletproof vest. It only saves lives. And it doesn't discriminate -- it protects Jewish, Muslim and Christian Israelis all the same.

Let's do it -- let's crowd fund this project, to save lives!

If together Israel's friends around the world bought just one Iron Dome anti-missile, and it stopped just one rocket from hitting just one school or apartment, that could be the best thing we ever do in our lives.

Will you help? It's not just a tangible way to support Israel in its hour of need. It's an important symbol, a statement to the world that Israel will live -- the Jewish people will live -- and that its light will never go out!

Spread the word: tell your friends to visit StopARocket.com,


At this point they are 12% toward their CAN$62,000 goal. If someone could check to make sure it's legitimate, I'd happily donate to such a worthy cause. Otherwise it 's the Jewish National Fund's mobile bomb shelters for southern Israel and the Bedouin villages for me. (see here)
Posted by: trailing wife   2014-08-01 13:30  

#13  But do let the Indians who also codevelop missile defense stuff with Israel that you plan to share all the details of the stuff they helped pay for with their primary national ecurity threat... to get back at Zero, who doesn't care about US or Indian security anyway....
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2014-08-01 12:53  

#12  I thought the Iron Dome was sourced in Israel and that their economy was doing quite well?
Yes? Well then....
Buy your own rockets.
Posted by: bigjim-CA   2014-08-01 11:57  

#11  The headline should read,"Democrats playing politics with the security of Israel by putting their defense authorization into a dead bill."
Posted by: 49 Pan   2014-08-01 11:49  

#10  I saw two television ads yesterday from Israeli support groups. They are taking the message to the American people. I've never in my life seen our government as anti-Israel and pro- terrorist. Not until 2009.
Posted by: Sgt. D.T.   2014-08-01 11:36  

#9  Typical political gambit, put out a horrible piece of legislation and put a big crap sandwich in it to dare the opposition to vote against.

"Never let a crisis go to waste", eh? Even the headline gives it away. A $2.7 billion bill is characterized by a $0.225 billion subsection. Well played, you bastiges.
Posted by: SteveS   2014-08-01 11:36  

#8  Typical political gambit, put out a horrible piece of legislation and put a big crap sandwich in it to dare the opposition to vote against.

It is a campaign ploy...ask the Jewish voter, do you want a buzzillion illegals in your neighborhood or do you want more money for Iron Dome...

It is no accident, this is a set up to try and either get the Border legislation through or make the Republicans look bad to the Jewish vote...
Posted by: Bill Clinton   2014-08-01 10:57  

#7  Can you read Big Thromoth3646?

Hemingway don't read. He writes, so you can read.

Wonder if Chinese would be interested in Iron Dome tech?

They already hacked a lot of data on Iron Dome. Sure - sell them the rest. What's another 'Lavi' right now?

In all seriousness, the funding being tacked onto a domestic spending bill (and a somewhat controversial one) was semi-lame and a political move. If one wants it passed, put it in its own bill, or tack it onto a bill related to foreign aid.

Posted by: Pappy   2014-08-01 10:00  

#6  John Boehner is Speaker of the House, g(r)omgoru. This happened in the Senate, Harry Reid's personal fiefdom.
Posted by: trailing wife   2014-08-01 09:43  

#5  So it wasn't Obama trying a run around tea party it was Boehner---BFD, P2k
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2014-08-01 08:48  

#4  Now that would be one big Kickstarter if they appealed directly to the American public. It's a self tax that a lot of people would pay.

BTW g(r)om, it was part of the 'Border Aid Package'. Stuff tacked on to legislation, a very bad habit of Congress. That was going to die anyway in the House (along with the political career of any pol not in a gerrymandered safe district). It's dead, Jim*.

* colloquialism reference to a repeated line in the old Star Trek series.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2014-08-01 08:30  

#3  Can you read Big Thromoth3646?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2014-08-01 07:58  

#2  The Dems resent Israel's treatment of deeply insulted and humiliated John Kerry who was "just trying to help."
Posted by: Big Thromoth3646   2014-08-01 06:56  

#1  Pretty obvious what is going on here. Jewish Dem voters in the U.S., what do you think of your party now ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-08-01 05:15  

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