Iran Missile Test

[R13]

The "HATE" has and would happen whether we are allied with Israel or not. Its the western way of life that those people hate. Not because we are allied with Israel. Don't misconstrue the word "aid" though. Most of that is actually sales of military equipment to Israel, where it is most definitely beneficial for us to be allied with us if they are going to purchase 2 billion dollars worth of equipment from us and for us to make sales to these other countries, we need to be able to trust them.

I disagree, there would be some hate, but as much without a doubt. Before LBJ and the Six Day War, we weren't all that unpopular, we were at least a fair nation. We actually worried about favoritism in that region, how many problems with them had we had really before then? Even during the Eisenhower admin. we were seen as fair and not hated nearly as much.

Without our strong backing Israel would be left to defend herself against certain attack. You worry about actions leading to nuclear "options" in the middle east? There is a sure fire way to set it off and I wouldn't blame them. Israel has a very large and diverse stockpile of nuclear weapons (by nearly all accounts) and would use them to defend herself, and rightfully so.

No, there is really never a justified time to use a nuclear weapon. Whether provoked or not, it will only lead to a much more larger problem and much more higher death toll - mostly innocent civilians.

I really question your reasoning here? I mean I really do. It's not just a matter of not agreeing with you. You suggest we "cut Israel loose" and try to form allegiances with nations who strongly desire our destruction. Not just Arab nations but also China? I prefer to keep rabid dogs at a distance, not snuggle with them. Some of your points seem to make sense in a black and white world but we don't live in a black and white world.

I never said cut the loose to form anything with anyone. I say cut them loose because they have done anything to deserve the aid and because it would help relations in that area, not form an alliance really. And I didn't say forming anything with China, I said we need them a whole lot more than Israel, their business and just being on good terms with a nation with that kind of manpower is a good thing. Keep your friends close and enemies closer isn't something I came up with.

At risk of sounding like I'm falling back on an appeal to authority, I would have to say that no real foreign policy expert would agree with your thinking. It actually seems, bizarre at it's core.

Well you've misunderstood a lot of it, but then again, I'm not going to be pleading this to the gov...it's pure opinion.

[Gotch]

Israel would be completely justified in using a nuclear option to prevent having their entire population slaughtered, which would be the certain result of them being overtaken by their enemies in the area.

Turning your back on a friend in hopes of improving a relationship with someone that already hates you is both foolish and deceitful.

We only need China because we have put ourselves in a position to need China and it has already done enormous damage to our economy and could end up being catastrophic.