Israel Wants US to Front Them Future Military Aid for More Weapons

Either Way Israel Won't Be Paying for the Weapons

The Israeli Defense Ministry is calling it a “bridge loan,” but in reality it is tantamount to when a child wants a couple of weeks advance on their allowance to buy something.

The Defense Ministry is seeking to buy $5 billion worth of weapons and wants the US government to “guarantee” the amount so that US commercial banks will front them the additional cash on the assumption it will eventually be covered by future US aid.

The Obama Administration has been shoveling $3.1 billion of military aid at Israel annually, but when you’re buying $5 billion worth of arms in one shot, it’s going to take more than a full year’s aid.

The Obama Administration had already announced the “sales” to Israel previously and is almost certain to approve anything to get the transaction completed. Make no mistake, though, there is no “sale” here: it is the US giving Israel those weapons and Israel is paying for it with promised future US aid.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.