Washington – Next year, The IDF and the US army will conduct the biggest and most significant joint military exercise in US-Israeli history.
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In his speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy this past Friday titled “Ensuring Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge”, Andrew Shapiro, who is the Assistant US Secretary of State Political-Military Affairs spoke about the 5,000 US and Israeli forces who will participate in the exercise to simulate Israel’s ballistic missile defense system.
Shapira also promised that despite “these budget constrained times” in the US, President Barack Obama’s administration would continue to provide Israel with $3 billion annual military assistance.
In his speech, which can be considered a warning to Iran and/or a call to US Jews to trust Obama, Shapiro said, “I am proud to say that this administration has taken steps to strengthen the US-Israel relationship and preserve it in a new century and era of dramatic change. As a result of the Obama Administration’s commitment, our security relationship with Israel is broader, deeper and more intense than ever before.
“Yet, with such significant change in the region, we must continue to forge an ever closer relationship. As Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, one of my primary responsibilities is to preserve Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge, or QME. This is not just a top priority for me, it is a top priority for the Secretary and for the President. To ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge, we are closely analyzing the changes in the region and assessing the impact on Israel’s security.
“But let me be clear on this point: the changes that are impacting the region are prompting us to redouble our commitment to Israel’s security. This is why this Administration is not only sustaining and building upon practices established by prior administrations, but we are also undertaking new initiatives to make our security relationship more intimate than ever before.”
Shapiro spoke at length about US military assistance to Israel. “For Fiscal Year 2012, the Administration requested more than $3 billion in security assistance funding specifically for Israel, the largest such request in US history. These requests fulfill the Obama Administration’s commitment to implement the 2007 memorandum of understanding with Israel to provide $30 billion in security assistance over 10 years.
I’m not impressed. Israel is the only true ally of US in the region, and the hostilities that can impact severely on United States are brewing. It is driven by self-interest – Israel is doing the work of the US. It is also driven by the fact that the legislative branch will do this with a majority that defies a presidential veto. The media makes it sound like Obama is such a friend of Israel. Too much has been done and said to convince me.
“Next year, The IDF and the US army will conduct the biggest and most significant joint military exercise in US-Israeli history.”
*gasp*
REALLY?!?! This is shocking news!
I thought President Obama was a terrorist-sympathizer, who was ALSO a communist\socialist\stalinist, who hated Jews & loved Muslims?!?!
Seriously though… Obama HAS been a friend to Israel! Stuff like this is proving it more & more each day: that he has not abandoned America’s friendship w\Israel, despite what people think!
When will people wake up??
How come Obama has never visited EY as President? Nixon visited once, Carter visited once, Clinton visited five times, and Bush (#43) visited twice. I think that Bo Obama would be more welcome in EY, than his master.