In Defense of Military Aid

When it comes to the seemingly large sum of $3 Billion, it seems like a fortune to give away, and it is. But the United States healthcare bill (H.R. 3962) grants $4 Billion to provide the entire nations of; Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Mariana Islands with entirely free healthcare. On page 266 of the 1,990 page bill, $3.7 Billion is granted to Puerto Rico, with the rest going to the other countries, along with a provision that this sum can be increased if necessary.

Although these territories are technically a commonwealths, they are only eligible to receive fundamental constitution rights according to 48 U.S.C. § 737. Therefore unless you consider healthcare a fundamental constitutional right, they are not entitled to it. Also, in 48 U.S.C. § 734, you will find that they are exempt from federal income taxes, thereby granting them privileges of the bill, while not incurring any iota of the cost of the multi-billion dollar bill on these beneficiaries.

On the other hand, the United States grants Israel $3 Billion in annual military aid to maintain a democratic island's qualitative edge in a volatile middle east. While this aid appears to be a transparent bequest to the Israelis, keep in mind that a whopping 74% of this funding never actually leaves the United States, and is pumped straight back into American defense companies through Israeli purchases.

Unlike the healthcare money, which affords no actual benefit to the private American taxpayer, the remaining 26% of this grant goes to fund scores of joint American-Israeli ventures in weapon development. These developments are in the realm of armor development for vehicles in Iraq (The V-hulled APC), development of anti-ballistic missile defenses (The Arrow missile battery, and the Patriot 3), along with multiple classified programs contributing to the mutual defense of democracy around the world.

This grant also fosters a thriving intelligence-sharing program that has assisted the United States in avoiding terrorist threats in America, and against our troops and embassies worldwide. In addition, the most high tech anti-terror training facility in Israel, a full size Arab village, built with this grant money, is often used to train United States marines in anti-terror operations before their deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But as history (and the United Nations) has/have shown us, it's easier to pick on Israel. So let the Puerto Ricans have their healthcare at my expense, but its okay to pick on an ally. Sudanese are being massacred by the thousands (By Muslims. Who would have guessed???) but the U.N. condemns Israel for defending the residents of Sderot from the deluge of terrorist missiles. All too typical.