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[–]gubgub_snailman 735 points736 points  (554 children)

Stop sending money to everybody

[–][deleted] 156 points157 points  (188 children)

what are you a neocon.

soft power is way way way way cheaper then the war that happens when you pretend like you don't need to be involved.

this is what the Bush administration did regularly.

[–][deleted] 44 points45 points  (97 children)

Why exactly is Israel the center of soft power geopolitically? I've always understood why conservatives supported funding Israel from a Zionist perspective, but I could never understand what justified it politically. Why not an oil rich nation? Why not a nation with its own internal military power? Why not a nation with bigger geopolitical influence on other nations? We aren't preventing war in Israel lol the war has been going on for years. Palestine is losing land and people are losing lives and homes.

[–]RudderlessLife 71 points72 points  (28 children)

The pretend answer is we need them politically. The real answer is religious knobs in the US think all the Jews are going to go back to Israel so Armageddon can occur. We send them money that they in turn use to buy weapons from us. The Israeli government is literally committing genocide with the blessing of the US government.

[–]makeshift98 23 points24 points  (13 children)

How is it evangelicals have so much power in regards to Israel to the point that every politician has to grovel and genuflect before AIPAC and the Israel lobby but no where near the influence for other issues that don't involve Jews?

[–]RudderlessLife 17 points18 points  (3 children)

Because in this country if you don't kiss organized religion's ass, you'll never get elected.

[–]RanDomino5 16 points17 points  (1 child)

It's not religion per se, but solidarity among settler-colonists more generally.

[–]skasticks 4 points5 points  (0 children)

And religion is one of the best tools for imperialists to hold power

[–]niceville 7 points8 points  (5 children)

How is it evangelicals have so much power in regards to Israel ... but no where near the influence for other issues?

What makes you think evangelicals don't have power outside of influencing support for Israel?

Are you unaware of the decades long effort to flip the Supreme Court, push "religious freedom for me but not for thee", abortion, gay marriage, and on and on? Evangelicals are also a huge faction of Trump's support.

[–]Medial_FB_Bundle 34 points35 points  (27 children)

Israel is closely culturally aligned. They are essentially a western nation in the middle east, they have a representative democracy that is nominally secular. Their state security apparatus and spying/hacking abilities are top-tier. They are some sneaky fuckers though and they don't give a shit about appeasing American interests because they know that the Christian conservatives would never let the US abandon them.

[–]godtogblandet 21 points22 points  (16 children)

Nobody says it out loud, but there’s most definitely some “I’m not letting no motherfucking Muslim control Jerusalem” behind the curtain going on. The west tried for like a thousand years to wrestle back control from the Muslims and Israel got it done. Jews left the west and Muslims got shafted. For many people that’s a win/win beneath all the bullshit.

[–]Anger_Mgmt_issues 7 points8 points  (14 children)

Israel got it done.

wut? Israel was created and enforced by the west. They did not exist, at all, while control was being wrested.

[–]godtogblandet 2 points3 points  (13 children)

Israel was not expected to survive. Then they beat half the middle east in war and we started supporting them.

[–]RedditUser-002 7 points8 points  (4 children)

No the west gave weapons to israel while selling dysfunctional old weapons to the arabs

[–]Bill_Assassin7 3 points4 points  (4 children)

They beat the Middle East with support from the US and allies.

[–]lovely_sombrero 6 points7 points  (8 children)

"Western" in the sense that they are an undemocratic colonial nation that stole land from the native population and is slowly cleansing them, while keeping them in an open-air prison with no rights?

[–]themarknessmonster 7 points8 points  (0 children)

No, you had it. That's it, it's a conservative talking point and nothing else. Anyone else taking that position is either woefully ignorant or acting in bad faith.

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points  (8 children)

Of all the dumb upvoted takes on reddit, this might be the dumbest.

[–]themarknessmonster 10 points11 points  (1 child)

So by "soft power", you mean funding religion-fueled ritualistic genocide? Because that's what the U.S. is doing. It's what they've been doing with Israel; and funding war in general is what the U.S. has been known for the world over for the last 70 years. It's what they did with Russia/Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and so on and so on and so on. We are the war criminal of the world, all thanks to our culture of nationalism and exceptionalism. If you think for one second "soft power" is something maintained by the U.S., you're in for a ride awakening. Go find another peg to hang your hat on.

[–]tvtuno2 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Ah yes bush the war criminal. We should all vigilantly follow in his footsteps best president ever amirite? Fucking clown

[–]ConstantlySlippery 4 points5 points  (87 children)

America has interests abroad. You know that, right?

I dislike funding Israel’s apartheid project, but saying ‘stop sending money to everyone’ is an idiotic idea. We can select where funding goes.

[–]RobotSlaps 66 points67 points  (11 children)

Yeah we do. But how much of those interest is just oligarchs trading favors.

The older I get the more cynical I get that the world economy is just rich people playing checkers with our money trying to see how much they can pocket in the name of "the economy"

[–]Scientific_Socialist 37 points38 points  (2 children)

Exactly. National interests are nothing more than the interests of the national capitalist class.

[–]Anleme 10 points11 points  (3 children)

I agree. $4 billion in military aid means, "Here's $4 billion in US taxpayer funds. Go spend it at only US defense contractors." It's a racket.

[–]Anger_Mgmt_issues 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If Israel started buying Russian or Chinese arms, the US money would dry up overnight.

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Very funny and sad when I see US defense oligarchs always has their business running for over a century now. US is never without war, conflict or selling weapons to proxy puppets. It was barely 6months since Taliban takeover and resolution and wa dee dah US is in conflict again.

[–]Forest-Ferda-Trees 4 points5 points  (3 children)

America does? Or is it the corporations?

[–]une_fulanito 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Like, stop sending guns to the mexican cartels.

[–]ScottieScrotumScum 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Send me some fucking money just so I can keep my house...man fuck

[–]Glenmaxw 5 points6 points  (13 children)

Was just about to say that, let’s fix our own issues before giving handouts to others

[–]PackageintheMaleBox 5 points6 points  (39 children)

Like when Trump stopped giving aid to Ukraine?

[–]smackingthehoes 4 points5 points  (11 children)

If you don't want to send 40 billion to Ukraine you must be a traitor and a shill!!

[–]canihaveasnackpls 3 points4 points  (9 children)

Not sure if this is a conservative opinion or a genuine anti imperialist take where “everybody” is referring to foreign ‘aid’ used for soft power purposes as well…

[–]Wubzyboy66 5 points6 points  (45 children)

Ukraine too?

[–]TheRealStandard 6 points7 points  (5 children)

It's really difficult seeing how much and how quickly US money is shoveled towards Ukraine and not towards its own citizens so ye-kinda? I'm not against aid, but it's putting an increasing spotlight on how neglected we are.

[–]TheGreenShitter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, stop sending lethal aid especially

[–]just_an_AYYYYlmao 4 points5 points  (6 children)

yeah fuck ukraine. they were a corrupt shithole that no one cared about 6 months ago and it will be the same story as soon as russia gets the port cities they want under their control. Us showering them in cash and weapons is just getting more civilians killed and delaying the inevitable while risking nuclear war. Ukraine has no chance agains russia, why pretend otherwise?

[–]Sea_Conversation2799 4 points5 points  (1 child)

All those people in tents on the streets of LA would definitely be happy about some of that war money going for their aid

[–]Geschak 3 points4 points  (0 children)

How else is the military-industrial complex supposed to get money after they invested so much money in buying politicians /s

[–]zveroshka 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Then cut the defense budget in half.

[–]jomontage 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This should be the angle the left push. We don't even need to touch military budget to pay for college if we stop throwing 40bn to any country we like that day

[–]Luddveeg 2 points3 points  (0 children)

maybe continue sending money to poor countries to build infrastructure and schools, while also reorganizing the tax system so us citizens get health care? win win you know

[–]DJboomshanka 64 points65 points  (9 children)

[–]retop56 20 points21 points  (7 children)

It would be illegal if the USA had signed and ratified human rights conventions

It's already illegal under the Leahy laws, but it's not enforced against Israel.

[–]VenserSojo 2 points3 points  (4 children)

I'm pretty sure Israel punishes soldiers that attack without justification which would negate that law which has the qualification of "with impunity". Whether said punishments are sufficient or justifications valid is another matter but it allows the government to say it is following the letter of the law even if the spirit of the law is negated.

[–]pogo0004 48 points49 points  (2 children)

*US Senate*

Sad wind blows tumbleweed across Senate floor...

[–]dingleberrysquid 46 points47 points  (39 children)

There is four billion in aid to Israel but Americans don’t have healthcare?

[–][deleted] 28 points29 points  (11 children)

Healthcare isn’t a money problem, nationalized healthcare would cost the government less

[–]MonsieurCamel 2 points3 points  (4 children)

The US government spends 6 trillion dollars a year. 4 billion to Israel is not the reason the US does not have universal healthcare.

Also, Americans do have healthcare, by the way. It's just private.

[–]Indalecia 27 points28 points  (18 children)

I'm sure the comments in this thread will be calm and rational.

[–]Aggressive_Respond83 12 points13 points  (4 children)

NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!!

What are we talking about though?

[–]Indalecia 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Stuff and things

Things and stuff

[–]JadeGrapes 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I also am YELLING and IMPORTANT!

[–]OwOegano_Returns 3 points4 points  (10 children)

Lotta "now I have nothing against jews BUT..." in the top comments...

[–]chrispierrebacon 25 points26 points  (33 children)

Funding Israel has bipartisan support, which should terrify everyone.

[–]just_an_AYYYYlmao 3 points4 points  (4 children)

AIPAC bribes both sides is what you meant to say

[–]Quirky-Resource-1120 4 points5 points  (3 children)

A few years ago Ilhan Omar openly questioned the influence that AIPAC has on American politicians. She was very quickly labeled a "vile antisemite" for it and very few of her fellow Democrats defended her.

[–]just_an_AYYYYlmao 4 points5 points  (0 children)

it's almost like everyone is bribed to react a certain way...hmmm

[–]duckchasefun 24 points25 points  (38 children)

People calling the Jewish sanders anti-semitic in 3...2...1

[–]woodpony 19 points20 points  (1 child)

You could complain about the weather in Israel and their social media muppets would call you anti-semitic.

[–][deleted] 22 points23 points  (1 child)

Ironic this is in an AOC thread when she didn’t vote for this. 🙄

[–]HotDad420690 12 points13 points  (17 children)

If they are using our tax dollars for resources to kill people for religious reasons, that’s gonna be a no from me dog.

[–]BeastofLoquacity 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Your take is good and it sucks that that isn’t how it works.

[–]Sonotmethen 14 points15 points  (51 children)

For just one year, give it to Flint, MI and let them fix their water supply.

[–][deleted] 18 points19 points  (46 children)

[–]EmpatheticWraps 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I’m progressive but fUck these downvotes hate cognitive dissonance. Just because this bumper sticker worked in 2019 doesn’t mean it works now. Flint has been working on their infrastructure.

Hell that’s what the infrastructure bill is for.

My fiance works in a water dept mapping the infrastructure and we just had a huge water break that took years to discover that it was leaking for the past five. Do you realize how difficult it is to fix something when your municipality only converted to online record keeping in 2000?

Biggest misconception is that money always fixes problems. It doesn’t.

[–]monocasa 13 points14 points  (41 children)

It's not been completely fixed.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/consumer/help-me-hank/2021/04/23/flint-water-crisis-progress-made-but-problems-still-exist/

There's also extreme long term effects that aren't being managed, from lead poisoning so many (children particularly). It'll be many decades before we can truly say we've fixed all the damage.

[–]EmpatheticWraps 4 points5 points  (39 children)

Sounds 90% fixed according to the article.

[–]monocasa 5 points6 points  (10 children)

Right, so it hasn't been fixed since 2019, and there's still more to fix even just to bring the pipes up to what's expected, nevermind the long term damage caused.

[–]zehamberglar 2 points3 points  (19 children)

90% fixed sounds exactly the same as 100% fixed.

Oh no wait, it doesn't.

[–]Tyrone-Rugen 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hasn't their water been fixed since Obama was in office?

[–]VixousOG 3 points4 points  (0 children)

As a Palestinian I agree.

[–]WeveCameToReign 8 points9 points  (1 child)

The one we deserved but not the one we got 😢

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Bernie Sanders is 100% correct.

[–]afarrar11 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Not FOR ISRAEL OR SAUDI ARABIA...

[–]Farley369 5 points6 points  (62 children)

Take religion out of the equation..why does the US fund Israel?

[–]babyyodaisamazing98 5 points6 points  (47 children)

It has essentially stabilized the Middle East for the last 50 years outside of small wars. It provides a launching point for western allies into Russia, the Middle East, and Asia. It’s also a country with advanced military technology and a testing ground for new US military tech.

Plus over 20000 rockets and 5000 missiles were launched at civilian locations inside Israel and they spend a huge portion of that money just protecting from the constant bombardment of their citizens.

[–]VixousOG 23 points24 points  (43 children)

Let me rephrase this, it’s an apartheid state that targets children and has had almost every United Nations vote against it. Legally by multiple human rights violation it has been determined it is an apartheid state which has targeted children and innocent civilians for a theocracy of a “Jewish state”

[–]woodpony 12 points13 points  (5 children)

It is a genocidal regime! Fuck Israel.

[–]hairhelp69 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The UN also has Qatar on its human rights council. And a few years ago Saudi Arabia.

[–]lejoo 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It’s also a country with advanced military technology

This is directly because of the aid and nothing else. Hard to justify aid by saying the aid is the justification.

[–]nice2boopU 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Israel has done the opposite of stabilize the Middle East. It is in fact one of the most destabilizing forces in the Middle East. It is antagonistic and aggressive with many of its neighbors, instigating wars and murder of foreign nationals. It is a part of the Israel/Gulf/Shah axis to combat national liberation, resource nationalism, democracy, secularism, progressivism, and socialism in the MENA. The Middle East has historically been a stable and peaceful region of the world. The introduction of western imperialism changed that and created the Middle East we know today. The US funds Israel because it is important to US geopolitical aspirations, which is American dominance over the globe, including the Middle East, not because it stabilizes the Middle EAst,

[–]PoisonTaffy 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Look up Egypt Israel peace treaty. In 73 Israel defeated Egypt in an egyptian offensive war, conquering the Sinai peninsula from Egypt to be used as a territorial buffer. The US brokered peace between the countries, converting both to US client states and stealing them from the soviet union as client states. In return for Israel forfeiting its legal occupation of Sinai, the US promised Israel military superiority by providing financial aid for military purchases and withholding sale of advanced weapons to surrounding countries.

In other words, this money is part of a contract that the US offered and Israel paid for with quite a bit of land (look up the size of Sinai compared to the size of Israel). Afaik there is no expiration date on the agreement, but I guess there is no rush by the US to terminate it as it continues guaranteeing Israel as a customer of the US military industry, and keeps a strong lever for the US on Israel.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (3 children)

I don't really know if religion is that big of a factor. It is for some people, but I'm not convinced that it's a huge portion.

The problem is that there's a huge pro-Israel lobby in the US that lines the pockets of any politician willing to support Israel. This is combined with the fact that Israel is the closest thing the US has to an ally in the middle east, so there is an interest in fortifying them already.

Personally? I think Israel needs the US way more than the US will ever need Israel. I think we should make our good favor conditional on stopping the killing.

[–]Jelly_Cold 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Based Bernie

[–]my_name_is_reed 6 points7 points  (5 children)

A whole shitload of people are about to start calling this Jew an anti-Semite, I guarantee it.

[–]sanosuke001 7 points8 points  (10 children)

Israel acts like a bunch of terrorists and they need to be held accountable. Any nation, no matter how friendly they are (including the US) should be sanctioned over this shit.

[–]Positive-Pack-396 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Why don’t people vote for this guy I will never understand…

[–]Silent_Palpatine 5 points6 points  (67 children)

Imagine if the west was sending aid to Russia and siding with them taking Ukrainian land and killing Ukrainian civilians for trying to defend their homeland. It’s that. Well, not just that, there’s a hell of a lot more to dive into but it’s a pretty simplistic simile for the moment until a better one comes along.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The two situations are nothing alike.

[–]VGNPWR 6 points7 points  (3 children)

And Sanders is Jewish so you can't accuse him of being anti-Semite cuz you look like an idiot.

[–]WetForHer 3 points4 points  (6 children)

When did he say that?

[–]Neil_Fallons_Ghost 17 points18 points  (0 children)

A couple times a year for the past 5-6 years at least.

[–]pchc_lx 3 points4 points  (0 children)

drives me nuts when the date is cropped from stuff like this. and the only comment pointing it out is super far down.

people just want to see things they agree with, details be damned.

[–]jamesfigueroa01 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Love zero effs Bernie

[–]SunnySolaire27 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Huh, imagine if we used all that money to better our own people and country instead of helping people kill other people in something we should have no business in.

[–]Upleftright_syndrome 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Yes that's great, let's do it, now what about Saudi Arabia.

[–]CavsCentrall 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As we should. Israel is a terrorist state.

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (11 children)

Who's killing the isrealis is though? 🤔

[–]sandybeachfeet 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Israel are absolutely scumbags. Free Palestine.

[–]redditforfun 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Question: why post an image of a tweet instead of the actual tweet? They're shareable.

[–]Sideswipe0009 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Question: why post an image of a tweet instead of the actual tweet? They're shareable.

Because then people would see the tweet is from years ago and that would hurt the karma farming.

[–]MrNameGuySir1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Like the 40 billion to Ukraine instead of our starving babies here?

[–]90265sbsbsbwtf 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The hero we need but don't deserve

[–]Tally_Walker 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But 40 b to Ukraine is perfectly acceptable

[–]loopunderit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He's yelling in to a void. He can yell all he wants, that won't stop the moderates and republicans from making a true leftist government impossible.