Israel asked U.S. to increase weapons supply, Haaretz learns
Air force seeking more JDAM bombs, and larger emergency stores held by American army.
By Amos HarelIsrael recently approached the United States with new requests for security-related purchases, Haaretz has learned. The requests included Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM ) bombs for the Israel Air Force, as well as a significant expansion of the emergency stores held by the U.S. army in Israel.
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Defense Minister Ehud Barak and U.S. President Barack Obama at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, July 2008 |
| Photo by: Daniel Bar-On / Jini |
The Israeli requests were brought up during recent visits to Washington by Defense Minister Ehud Barak and director-general of the Defense Ministry, Udi Shani, and in conversations with senior administration and Congress officials.
The priority list reflects the security threats the defense establishment believes Israel will face in the next few years, i.e. the eventuality of a prolonged war, which would necessitate using the IAF widely to attack many targets, along with ensuring enough spare parts and supplies.
Israel also requested JDAM bombs, seeking to significantly increase the number of such munitions already in its arsenal. The JDAM bombs have been used increasingly in recent operations, including in the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and Operation Cast Lead in 2008.
Israel is also seeking to increase the amount of gear held by the American army in their emergency stores in Israel by 50% - from $800 million to $1.2 billion. The Obama administration placed the stores in Israel in December, as part of a number of steps to improve U.S. assistance to Israeli security. To date, $600 million worth of American emergency equipment has been placed in Israel.
The American stores hold rockets, bombs, aircraft ammunition and armored vehicles, along with other weapons. The gear fully matches equipment already used by the Israel Defense Forces and is cataloged upon arrival to ensure quick and easy access at a time of need, pending permission from the United States. The American move has a dual purpose: bringing military equipment closer to areas in which Americans might need to fight, and assisting the U.S. ally should the need arise.
Senior military sources told Haaretz that the IDF attaches great importance to the stores; in the event of an extensive conflict, considerable time will pass before an airlift of ammunition and spare parts - similar to the one operated during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war - gets under way.
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But due to the offensive nature of those countries Israel found itself struggling for its existence right from the beginning. For further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab%E2%80%93Israeli_conflict
israel is surrounded by hostiles, outnumbered 100 to 1 by fanatics that want to wipe them out... further they are the only true democracy in the middle east, and that enhances global energy security. .... or want to see another holocaust or want muslim extremist manipulating the global economy with oil, abandon them.... else quit whining your anti-semite rhetoric. please!
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Very good and highly jJustified. Israel must get Iran out of the way, and then hit straight to Iranian territory.
Bombs don't sound like somethink you could use for defense. The IDF is a 'defensive' force, right?
But it is not right for others around israel to be armed! They face sanctions if they are supplied with arms! what a crock!
UNARM Israel and ME is peaceful!!!!!
It is hard to imagine the US so irresponsible as to add to its arsenal in Israel under present circumstances. It will be encouraging war between two of its most important allies. It must be remembered that Turkey is a founding member of the United Nations, the OECD, the OIC, the OSCE, the ECO, the BSEC, a founding member of the Council of Europe, and associate member of the EEC, the Western European Union. It has had longstanding relations with the USA and is a member of NATO which must come to the defense of its members if attacked. It is of great geostrategic importance to NATO and Europe because of its proximity to the Middle East, the Caucasus and the Balkans. It also has strong economic and political relations in Central Asia, providing the critically important Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and gas pipeline from the Russian steppes to Europe. The Turkish Armed Forces is the second largest standing armed force in NATO, after the US Armed Forces, with a combined strength of 1,043,550 uniformed personnel serving in its five branches. It is presently spending $160 billion on the latest tanks, fighter jets, helicopters, submarines, warships and assault rifles. As a result, it is an important Level 3 contributor to the Joint Strike Fighter program. It is one of five NATO member states that are part of the nuclear sharing policy of the alliance, together with Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. A total of 90 B61 nuclear bombs are hosted in Turkey, 40 of which are allocated for use by the Turkish Air force. It contributes military aid to several United Nations and NATO missions, including Afghanistan and Lebanon. And the world is watching. The US would lose the moral right to influence world affairs by adding to an already deplorable situation.
It's about Syria.
For each activist 30 bullet ;multiplied by 9 = 270 bullets to kill in each ship ...if Israel is expecting more flotilla then fur sure you need ammunition (I did not calculate ammunition to injure and miss)
US needs to be a responsible country with regards to supplying arms around the world. Obviously this amunition will be used to maintain the open air prison in Gaza, to kill innocent palestinians, to enforce blaockade and to kill people who wants to deliver aid to palestinians. Since Israel doesnt buy these amunitions but provided as miltary aid, indirectly US is responsible for all these deeds. Hope US takes note of what Israel is doing with the arms they supply.
1.2b isn't enough once every country in the world realizes how much of a softie of Obama is. Impeach obama.
israe got every right to arm itself with all the destructive weapons with american aid. no wonder countries like iran might seeking nuclear weapon for thier owen defence to counter balance the power in middle east. the way israel behave would be the cause of starting ww3. you can not blame others but yourself
well, I wonder this news has any connection with recent incidents? If Israel asking those extra munitions to use against Phalestinians than it is way too much. If they are for a possible conflict with Turkey than they are not enough.
said to be on their war to Gaza, this week.
prick!
Is Israel preparing to bomb iran ? At least it is preparing to a big war , a war not like cast lead.
The opposite. If they really were, you wouldn't have heard of the request.
Israel is and always has been defending itself. Even if it seems now that it is offensive - if you look at the big picture you'll understand that as an isolated Jewish state in the middle of the ME, surrounded with enemies, it must prevent them from getting
from getting armed. Because they all seek to destroy Israel. And as opposed to them Israel is not seeking to conquer any of these states, its only wish is to be a safe home for the Jewish people.
This is prime opportunity to talk about how Obama isn't your friend. How even though he covers Israel's weak-end, it's all for naught. Now's the time to be defiant. "Friend."
understand that he's trying to stay loyal to Israel without being an enemy of the Muslims. He's walking the fine line and he is doing his best. He dreamed of a peaceful middle east, but when it comes down to it he knows Islam declared war on 9/11.
And of course they'll get it - THAT'S the really screwed up part!
All I can say to the my government is DON'T GIVE THEM ANY MORE WEAPONS.
Or do they just want to be able to respond more forcefully to the next flotilla?
Ah, Israel, my Israel. Can't you do anything for yourself.? Must you drag the US into your murders? Obama will do as you ask, of course, he's done everything except what he promised he'd do as President. What a deep sadness he is.
Unless, of course, it's a lie, and the gear is placed there for the benefit not of the USA, but of Israel.
Man, I want the US to stop this idiotic arming of Israel.
Here is a better idea than preparing for the next war, how about sincere negotiations with the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon for a durable peace, how about an end to the fraud of the “Peace Process.” The people of Israel are deluding themselves if they think they can live as a garrison state forever; history teaches that every one of them has fallen eventually.
we give these morons billions per year, yet our own economy (and army!) is in chaos. i do not get it at all. israel isn't a third world nation. they can take care of themselves. can we focus on our own problems please?!
The hands of the US are already bloody by the deaths of innocent civilians killed by the israeli government using US weapons, I hope Mr. Obama WILL be a bit smarter that his predecessors and not allow anymore US weapons into the hands of Israel. If anything, he should provide them to Iran and Syria to even out the fight.
What's with Obama? Is he a friend of Israel, or not?
To be honest Israel does make it rather difficult. And so do the infidels. He's smart enough to know already who he will side with if a war breaks out. While the U.S. won't want to directly fight in the war, in one scenario, this is an action of assisting Israel's defence rather than just words. Words are different than actions. Here we have action.
Ever get tired of begging for more?
...or do we WANT one? If it's option number two, we have some serious thinking to do.
Maybe if Israel had to provide its own weapons, it would improve its diplomacy skills.
Israel dismisses the US peace process in the Middle East at the same time as asking for arms and resources to bail it out of any fight it picks with other nations. If you want to constantly make your neighbors angry, stop looking for US to guard you. Try a diplomatic solution for once; we're tired of helping you fight dirty.
President Obama was only elected in Novemeber 2008...get your facts straight. The picture is misleading, isn't it?
That's the president and that picture was taken in July 2008. what is misleading
This is unfortunate as there is enough violance in the M.E. mostly due to our presence and our support to Israel. When would this madness stop?
as soon as they know they have a chance to win - and winning means in their own word: "Erasing the Jewish state". Is that what you want?
It would be nice if the IDF carried out their executions and killings with ammo that they bought and paid for instead of begging it from America.
When will tell the Israelis 'Kishem mein tuchis ahrai." Enough is enough. They are dragging us into a clash of civilizations with the Islamic world. Let Israel fight its own battles. They are an albatross around our necks.
And the American taxpayer ends up paying the bill!
And of course they'll get it - THAT'S the really screwed up part!
That's what the U.S. does best. Hire Israeli flunkies to keep on eye on our stuff. How much are the Israelis getting paid for serving as our flunkies? Or, is that included in the 3 billion bucks we hand to Israel every year? Just asking...
The reason why Israel wants to position those stores close at hand is because it is obviously easier for AIPAC to pressure Congress into letting Barak get his hand on that doorknob than it is to pressure them into organizing a Big Expensive Airlift. Don't do it, because you know you are going to need that leverage, and pretty soon.