US to sell Israel 5000 smart bombs

[leftchick]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8C117F99-C20E-4738-A15B-0BF683A1B21B.htm

<snip>
The deal is worth $319 million and was revealed in a Pentagon report made to the US Congress a few weeks ago, Israeli daily Haaretz said on Tuesday.

Funding for the sale will come from US military aid to Israel.

The bombs include airborne versions, guidance units, training bombs and detonators. These bombs are guided by an existing Israeli satellite used by the military.

As part of the deal, Israel will receive 500 one-tonne "bunker-buster" bombs that can destroy 2-m thick concrete walls, 2500 "regular" one-tonne bombs, 1000 half-tonne bombs and 500 quarter-tonne bombs, the daily said

[LiberalVoice]

1. Good. They'll need every single one of them...

to help * & Co. take out crucial targets in the M.E. when WW3 breaks out.

[cthrumatrix]

26. military industrial complex loves war.....

[Julien Sorel]

2. Holy Toledo.

Funding for the sale will come from US military aid to Israel.

That's "giving," not "selling." But we should thank the Israelis for allowing us to give them smart bombs, I suppose.

[UpInArms]

14. so what does Israel do with its money?

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6290740

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's main labor unions launched a nationwide general strike on Tuesday, grounding all international air traffic, paralyzing most public services and even preventing burial of the dead.

The strike by 400,000 public-sector employees over a pay dispute was the latest in a battle between a right- wing government determined to push forward with free-market reforms and unions trying to prevent job losses due to spending cuts.

<snip>

The Histadrut, up against hard-nosed Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is demanding the government pay salaries to municipal workers who have not been paid in many months because of a lack of funding and large debts.

...more...

[mbperrin]

15. Yes, the headline does seem a bit disingenuous, don't it?

Why so few? Why not 20,000? Just like Cheetos - "use all you want, we'll make more."

I am really beginning to wonder if things can hold at even the current fucked-up level until the election.

[ogradda]

3. holy shit

gee we'll be even more popular now! <sarcasm>

[teryang]

4. Gift "smart?" bombs

Who will they be dropped on? A precision weapon for residential neighborhoods?

[leftchick]

5. One guess.....

<snip>
The deal could face political controversy since Israel has used such bombs against the Palestinians.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. If I was betting I would say Iranian nuclear facilities.

Cluster bombs work better in urban areas.

[Scurrilous]

18. Eyeing Iran Reactors, Israel Seeks U.S. Bunker Bombs

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20040921_78.html?INTERNATIONALad=true

<snip>

"The United States plans to sell Israel $319 million worth of air-launched bombs, including 500 "bunker busters" able to penetrate Iran's underground nuclear facilities, Israeli security sources said on Tuesday.

The Haaretz newspaper quoted a Pentagon report as saying the planned procurement sought "to maintain Israel's qualitative advantage and advance U.S. strategic and tactical interests."

<snip>

"But a senior Israeli security source who confirmed the Haaretz story told Reuters: "This is not the sort of ordnance needed for the Palestinian front. Bunker busters could serve Israel against Iran, or possibly Syria."

Haaretz quoted Israeli government sources as saying the sale, including 4,500 other guided munitions, was not expected to go through until after the U.S. elections in November. Earlier this month, Haaretz said Israel sought to obtain the U.S.-made, one-ton "bunker buster" bombs for a possible future strike against arch-foe Iran's atomic development program, which the Jewish state considers a strategic threat."

[Aidoneus]

10. machine hiccuped..

dupe removed.

[Aidoneus]

11. probably various cities in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria

I would assume, if past tendencies are any judge..

[HysteryDiagnosis]

27. Who will they be dropped on?<<

A precision weapon for residential neighborhoods?<<

They will be dropped on and around people who may not hate us enough now to strap on a C-4 belt... will surely hate us enough afterwards to do just that. Ironic isn't it?

Why do they hate us? Perhaps cuz we prime the world for destruction and untold human suffering.... AND we reserve the right to ignore this fact..... how sick is that?

[Gore1FL]

6. We should keep the smart bombs

and send them a stupid chimp -- He'll do far more damage than any bombs.

[saigon68]

9. AN IGNORANT CHIMPANZEE tripping around

I'll bet the rest of the simians would disown him if they had a chance.

[0007]

8. If 'ya don't like someone 'ya give his neighbor a gun and some

brass knuckles, huh?

[izzie]

12. Good move. Bush friends make money making them and ---------

A few more million people will hate our guts. Nice to have a cheerleader as President and always working for us the people.

[wurzel]

13. US to "sell" bombs to Israel. Using US funds to pay for them?

[Charles19]

16. How do they get away with using our tax dollars for this?

[leftchick]

17. silly....

Israel is the US's 51st state that is why!

[Owlet]

20. Israel's seen in the arab world as a US colony NT

[leftchick]

22. In my world as well....

:grr:

[Wright Patman]

19. AIPAC

is a very powerful lobby. Note that you only heard about the Israeli spy story for one weekend before Ashcroft stepped in to squelch the investigation.

It is fascinating the way global finance works. First China and Japan lend us hundreds of billions of dollars so we can keep consuming their products. There is no way they will ever be paid back in dollars worth what they are now. At least with Israel, we make no pretense that anything will ever be paid back.

Everyone realizes invading Iran after what happened in Iraq would be an incredibly stupid move. But there is a good chance of military action occurring anyhow and it is because of the influence of AIPAC as well as the Rapture Cult of fundies down South who are frothing at the mouth to bring on Armageddon.

[Algomas]

30. Terror level-red!

Since reading about Israeli operatives in the US government shaping our foreign policy to suit Israel's agenda, I have been waiting for the cry of outrage to no avail. This to me is the biggest story in my lifetime and no one seems to care. WTF???
Launching us down the road of endless war, economic ruin and destruction of our so called democracy should be cause for concern. I for one, am more than alarmed by this. To say so might be considered anti-Semitic though. I guess I should shut up about it for fear of retaliation.

[Huckebein the Raven]

28. Could this be a reason why

http://www.wrmea.com/archives/July_Aug_2004/0407027.html

[leesa]

21. But, of course Israel won't pay for her new toys. We will.

Israel is armed to the teeth and threatening her neighbors every chance she gets. Payback will be ugly for them.

[sam sarrha]

23. They will need the really big ones, those mud huts are a Bitch to blow up

:nuke:

[Magleetis]

24. Israel must like

what they see in Iraq. A new terror tool for the neighborhoods of the Palestinians.

[Gregorian]

25. 20 min. of each hour, you work for the government.

Next time you are at work, just remember that you are paying for this shit. You are funding it. You enable it. And for fifteen to thirty minutes of each hour, you are giving your time up to your government, to do this unproductive stuff, this destructive stuff. Not only are you doing something for someone else, during this time, but you are doing it to make the world a worse place. To kill, to maime, to destroy. Those are Bush family values. Too bad we don't have much of a choice. Because if we made parks, or libraries, or schools, or just about anything rather than war related things, the world would be better.
If we just dropped refrigerators, or stoves on these counties, maybe they wouldn't need to be so pissed off at us. Give them stuff. Hell, it would even be less expensive. Bombs are milspec. What a joke. I say we stop paying taxes, if Bush gets back in.

[UpInArms]

29. related information buried in an economic/oil article

http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6293960

excerpt:

"Potential for expanded Middle East tension is likely to provide fundamental support for prices following reports of Iran's refusal to comply with the IAEA's demand that it halts all uranium enrichment activities," said Standard Bank in a report.

This week, Iran rejected international calls to comply with a U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency demand that it stop uranium enrichment. Tehran denies hostile designs, saying its nuclear program has only peaceful aims.

On Tuesday, Israeli security sources said the United States planned to sell Israel $139 million worth of air- launched bombs, including 500 "bunker busters" able to penetrate Iran's underground nuclear facilities.

[Robbien]

31. An Australian paper said we give $3 Billon to Israel in Aid each year

So this "sale" will come out of that sum. Just a drop in the bucket. Wonder what else we pay for out of the remaining $2.7 Billon.

[Copperred]

32. Time is not on our side.... Say goodbye....

Sadly...it seems the prophesized events will come true... that Israeli firsters, both U.S. citizens and foreigners, will destroy America and all it was ever meant to be.... America is unable to be a moral light by supporting an expansionist Israel...eos.

When will WASP Americans put these people and all religious nutz in their place...

Time is no longer on our side....and sadly those who are benefiting from all of this...are on a diminishing return route that eventually will sink their own principal too..... Ruling over wreckage...but in power.....

........take action....