Be rational when you are speaking, Hezbullah is a very weak terrorist organisation compared to the Taliban which is very strong as it has defeated a superpower once before and is seriously challenging the only superpower left on the planet.
Hezbullah maybe strong for Israel but it sure is not a taliban like militant organisation that can seriously affect a region. We would love to exchange any day, only then you would realise ho weak the Taliban really are.
The Taliban is ambigious. It is a collection of foreign fighters not under a supreme leader or command center.
Similar to Al-Qaeda.
Hezbollah on the other hand is more comparable to an actual conventional military. Israel could destroy Hezbollah in 6 seconds, but at what cost?
5,000 dead Lebanese?
Same with USA. USAF killed over 9,000 in operation crescent wind in a matter of weeks....that's what it takes.
US Aid to Israel and the Palestinians
US Aid to Israel
Did you know that by law the US guarantees israel's oil supply - no matter what? | Wake Up From Your Slumber
Enjoy your american tax payers money!
Israel doesn't receive tax payers money.
"Aid" to Israel is in the form of load-based guarantees.
Let's compare Israel to other allies:
Under the 2010 U.S. budget, about $75 billion, $65 billion and $3.25 billion will be spent on military operations and aid in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan during this fiscal year, respectively. Israel will receive $3 billion, in military aid only. There is no economic aid to Israel, other than loan guarantees that continue to be repaid in full and on time.
*70% of all "aid" to Israel is used to purchase American-equipment. In other words, it provides Americans with jobs.
Whereas other nations, such as Pakistan and Iraq, receive essentially brief-cases of money.
Pakistan has wasted over 2/3 of the money it has received from USA:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/world/asia/24military.html
The aid to Israel enables many companies to work with US military industry to re-design and develop even better weapons, which are used by the USA on a regular basis.
A sample of equipment Israel made used by the US:
ADM-141 TALD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
AGM-142 Have Nap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Used by Turkey and India also)
Hermes UAV and the predecessor to the modern predator UAV, which is used extensively by the USA in Afghanistan
M120 mortar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Used by Iraq and the US)
Python (missile) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cardom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Used by NATO)
The US/Israeli manufacture pact has provided the United States with over 80 billion in technology, including 60+ billion in captured soviet tech that proved vital in the Gulf War.
Israel's strategy in the destruction of Syria's AA systems in Lebanon
was adopted by the USA and completely annihilated Saddam's defensive positions in 1991 and 2003.
And you probably know by now that Israel is the most pro-American, pro-Western country on the planet? It is the largest forward moving base for Americans.
Considering the Middle East is such a vital region for US foreign policy, having a loyal state like Israel in the pocket is crucial. Soviet Union saw Israel as a potential ally against the West which is why it recognized the country in 1948.
Israel also stores stockpiles of fuel and arms for US army that the Arab "allies" won't.
And do I really need to tell you about the real-time, minute-to-minute intelligence Israel provides to the US military?
And then there's the fact that no US soldiers are stationed in Israel. US soldiers have never gone to war on behalf of Israel, unlike the thousands that have died for the Muslim tribes.
In addition, aid to Israel is used for extortion. Obama and Bush have used the aid to force unilateral concessions to appease the Arab states.
Whereas aid to Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, etc...do not have preconditions.
Egypt used US-gifted cargo planes to ship foodstuffs to Al-shabaab in Somalia. It supports and protects the Arab islamists in Darfur that have killed 150,000+ since 2004. Saudi Arabia is the premier sponsor of terrorism. 45% of all foreign fighters in Iraq are Saudi. Pakistan's ISI was complicit in 9/11 and continues to play a double-game with the CIA and the Taliban by working with both.
Plus, Americans support Israel by a wide-margin. It reflects the constituent consensus.
Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with Israel told the USA to go **** itself. Then at least we could go after and destroy our enemies without worrying about forces cease-fires or anything.
You have any idea what would happen to Lebanon and Gaza if the USA had no authority over Israel?
What happens when 300 F-16s meet thousands of Hezbollah and hamas militants?