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Vivek Ramaswamy, who has suggested that American military aid to Israel be ended by 2028, apparently does not realize just how important Israel’s successful use of American weapons on the battlefield has been as a selling point for those weapons in other countries. Nor is he aware of the extent of Israeli improvements to those American weapons that Israel is able to buy with that $3 billion in annual military aid, improvements that Israel of course shares with its American ally. Finally, Ramswamy does not know just how important is the flow of Israeli-made weapons to the U.S. military.
After Ramaswamy made his remark about phasing out military aid to Israel by 2028, Matthew Brooks, the CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, wrote a reply that is discussed here: “Republican Jewish Group Pushes Back on Ramaswamy’s Stance Against Israel Aid,” by Alana Goodman, Washington Free Beacon, August 22, 2023:
Brooks noted that Israel spends 85 percent of its aid on American-manufactured arms, is a partner with U.S. Central Command, cooperates closely with the U.S. defense industry, and has “battle-tested a number of important systems, testing that has benefited U.S. forces.”
In other words, 85% of the aid Israel receives to spend on its military must be spent on American weapons — Ramaswamy should know that this is money coming back to the U.S. Furthermore, Israel’s successful use of American weapons has greatly increased their attractiveness to other potential customers around the world. Having “battle-tested” American weapons, with spectacular results, Israel has become the best advertisement for the American defense industry. How many tens of billions of dollars worth of American weapons have been sold because Israel used them first on the battlefield? Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, Taiwan, and South Korea, among others, want what the Israelis have and so do many other countries. Furthermore, the Israelis are constantly improving the American weapons they use, and those improvements made or suggested by Israeli weapons engineers, are often incorporated into the weapons used by the American military and sold by America’s defense industry.
Israel has in the past been especially helpful with its improvements to the American TOW anti-tank missile. its modifications of M16 and CAR-15 arms, its improvements to what has been renamed the Machbet Self-Propelled Antiaircraft Gun, and with the extensive changes Israeli aeronautical engineers have made to the American F-15 fighter jets that have been the mainstay of the Israeli Air Force for three decades.
Israel’s enormous population of engineers, which was greatly increased by the arrival of first-rate engineers and scientists from the Soviet Union, has also made the country the most important foreign supplier of advanced weaponry to the American military — that is, its own weapons and not merely improved versions of American weapons. Some of them are discussed here. A few of those Israeli weapons that are now in the American arsenal are discussed here.
The U.S. Army has purchased an emerging Israeli technology for Abrams tanks, Bradleys and Strykers, designed to give combat vehicles an opportunity identify, track and destroy approaching enemy rocket-propelled grenades in a matter of milliseconds. Trophy is an Active Protection System (APS) that uses a 360-degree radar, processor and on-board computer to locate, track and destroy approaching fire coming from a range of weapons such as Anti-Tank-Guided-Missiles and Rocket Propelled Grenades.
The U.S. Army has also bought the IDF’s Iron Fist Light Configuration active protection system for its armored personnel carriers in June 2015, developed by Israel Military Industries. The system uses a complex network of radar and electro-optics to detect and neutralize a broad range of missiles and other objects. The Iron Fist Light Configuration can jam the GPS systems of incoming projectiles causing them to malfunction and fall to the ground, and can also deploy interceptors that destroy incoming objects with a shock wave.
Israel’s Elbit Systems was awarded a $73.4 million, 15-year contract from the US Marine Corps in March 2015 to supply them with new laser systems. The new systems will assist Marines in concealed positions with imaging, range-finding, and and navigation through combat areas. This will allow the soldiers to acquire and dispatch targets from their concealed positions, significantly lessening the potential impact of a mistake and keeping the soldiers safe….
Of course, I could provide many, many more examples of Israeli weapons that have been taken up by the U.S. military. But these are sufficient to make the point for Vivek Ramaswamy. American military aid to Israel is not a gift but an investment that pays enormous dividends, for it provides Israel with American weapons it uses successfully, and thus wins more customers for the American defense industry. That American military aid gives Israeli engineers weapons which they have in many cases improved upon, and Israel share those improvements with the Americans. That military aid frees up other funds in Israel that can be spent on Israel’s own defense industry, that has managed to come up with many advances in weaponry that, again, are promptly shared with the Americans. Finally, any sign of a lessened commitment to Israel — which is how ending American aid by 2028 would be interpreted, will only weaken Israel’s ability to deter its enemies, and encourage them to once again try to destroy the Jewish state, “from the river to the sea.”
American aid to Israel is a subsidy to Israel’s left wing and its moribund brand of economics which it imposes on Israel, keeping it at least 1/3 less wealthy than it would otherwise be.
US weapons need no help from Israel or anyone else to be sold. BTW, the technologically mighty Japanese and Koreans also use American weapons; don’t their “reports” work as well as Israel’s?
US aid to Israel is an albatross around Israel’s and American Jewry’s neck, keeping the Israeli deep state from making the necessary reforms that would make Israel wealthy, not borderline 2nd world and begging America for alms.
You’re an adult spewing the same garbage AIPAC talking points that I spewed 25+ years ago as an AIPAC activist. You’re wrong, I’m right, Caroline Glick is definitely right.
What are the necessary reforms that would make Israel wealthy?
You’re just looking to pick a fight. No, thanks.
God said he would bless those who bless Israel. Seems like that is what’s happening in this case. We help Israel with cash they buy our weapons and make them better which then other countries see and buy our improved weapons.
Thanks Hugh, excellent coverage.
One point is that it took Israeli genius to get over the hump, to solve the missile defense problem with Iron Dome, which never could have been solved by USA alone, despite tons of moola, in part due to political opposition.
Ditto for numerous other systems.
I’ve read that work on the joint US-Israel Arrow project was fed in the early Thaad ABM project. Iron Dome was, in contrast, a strictly Israeli development – the folks at Israel’s Technion boast that almost all the engineers are “our graduates” – though the US came in later with funding (and walked away with coproduction rights). The US F-35 project was still troubled when Israel ordered its first squadron (some say they earlier wanted, but were denied the F-22), but Israeli technicians got to work and resolved many of its issues.
Thanks Raymond!
You, as many others, unfortunately miss the point. What Ramaswamy said is that ending aid is predicated on the conditions on the ground on the Middle East fundamentally changing for the better once he if elected can ramp up the Abraham Accords and make those conditions a reality or near-reality by 2028.
He never proposed ending them outright.
While I am not sanguine about what he hopes for occurring in that timeframe, his position is sound. And as a Jew and full throated supporter of the State of Israel, I find nothing wrong in his proposal.
Be nice if people on our side – assuming they are on our side – stop blindly sliming good people.
It’s high time to end global war mongering, Israel is now capable of defending itself, the Arabs surrounding Israel cannot do anything for themselves, decades after discovering oil they still couldn’t extract a single barrel for themselves.
Yeah China and Russia might use Israel’s enemies for their own ends but the global military industrial complex is deliberately creating tensions.
Ukraine?
Ramaswamy is not running for president of Israel.
Obama did everything to undermine Israel too.
I interpret V R’s glib statement as…..wait for it…..a dog whistle….to anti-Semites! He needs to speak about some other countries the US pours money into and not target Israel. Why does he have to discuss the one nation smeared by the corrupt UN and by European haters for centuries?
Whatever aid the US provides to israel, and its military merits or not, that aid is also symbolic of the bond shared with Israel. It respects the truth not the smears about Israel. It also respects the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our own society. Jumping on the bandwagon of those who focus too much and always negatively on Israel is actually an attack on America. .
This shows V R is faking it. He doesn’t really “get” the American people.
Thanks Cat, well said.
Here’s your Hebrew word of the day: shtooyot.
We must jeep non Judio-Christians out of office at all costs
The main point here is that Israel needs to develop its own defense industry. The US uses Israel’s dependence on military aid to control its defense policy. This has resulted in the Iranian existential nuclear threat to Israel which could have been prevented had Israel not been under the thumb of the US. This is why Vivek’s suggestion is Pro Israel, who should also seek strong economic ties with China,, who is the new hegemon in the Middle East, has no history of anti-Semitism and is the only power that can deter Iran from destroying Israel
Israel is to the American Arms Industry as Michael Jordan is to Nike
If you’re going to vote for candidates who are anti-Israel then prepare to have God abandon you. Many nations have fallen because of their treatment of Israel. How many more Obama like candidates will try to fool the public? America’s success is directly related to how we treat Israel. God blesses those who bless Israel and curses those who try to destroy her. Let it sink in.
Gee, its proposed that Israel should go back to 1967 borders. Unreasonable and suicidal. This only destroys their border and puts their enemies closer to be able to fire missiles into their towns and cities.
The better answer to this anti Semite? Ask him do you know how much taxes Jews pay in this country? They dwarf the expenditures allotted to Israel. In fact we should give them more.
You wonder why this newcomer is getting so much attention? His hatred of Israel.
He’s getting attention because he’s Soros’s new boy. This phony bragged to his fellow narcissists that he was entering the presidential race just to screw things up for DeSantis.
Of course it falls short. He’s the WEF’s new Obama, a global Communist. Like all at the WEF, he hates Jews and can’ wait for them to be devoured by the Muslim hoards of the Middle East. No one should give this little Nazi any more publicity.
Israel’s wars, tank battles, ‘iron dome’ defenses etc. Have been a priceless testing ground of new weaponry and war strategy for U.S. equipment. Israeli intelligence has been vital to the U.S. against terrorism and much more.
Israel has a weapon that no other country has. They have their God who isn’t going to abandon them. God’s top ten list is in Ezekiel 38:1-7. These are the invaders of Israel, their enemies. Ezekiel 38;16. “It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against my land.” Emphasis added. God considers Israel HIS land.’
Ezekiel 38:8 says when the Jews from many nations are gathered together.
The Scripture predicts that the great Russian bear will rise in the last days to mount a furious invasion of Israel, from remote parts of the north. Ezekiel 38;6. The nation that is most distantly north from Israel is Rusia. One can see thats entirely possible since Russia invades other lands to take what isn’t theirs, and destroy infrastructure.
As I recall the money/aid provided to Israel forms part of the Israel-Egypt Peace Accords.
So the additional benefit the USA gains is a
Egypt gets money and aid as well.