Israel seeks to buy US military equipment in Iraq

Israel's Defense Ministry is negotiating with the Pentagon to buy U.S. military equipment in Iraq that's due to be shelved as surplus or sold as the last contingent of U.S. forces prepared to withdraw.



The Jerusalem Post reported that the Israeli military "is looking to renew its aging fleet of Humvee combat vehicles with ones that the United States will be phasing out as it reduces its troops numbers in Iraq and Afghanistan.



“Israel is also interested in acquiring surplus weapons and ammunition the U.S. will no longer require following the withdrawal.”



With the U.S. Defense Department facing hefty funding reductions under U.S. President Barack Obama's budgetary cutbacks, the Pentagon may decide it makes more sense to auction off some equipment than go the expense of shipping it stateside.



The Israeli plan seems to be that if the U.S. military does sell or auction off Humvees and other equipment at bargain prices the surplus gear can be trucked west across the desert through Jordan, the Jewish state's eastern neighbor with which it has a peace treaty, to Israel.



It's not clear whether the Israelis expect to pay cash for whatever U.S. gear they can acquire in Iraq, or whether this would fall under the $3 billion a year in military aid the Jewish state receives from the United States. UPI



FACTS & FIGURES


Israel receives about $3 billion from the U.S. in direct foreign assistance each year, which is roughly one-fifth of America's foreign aid budget. ifamericansknew.org



The United States additionally provided Israel $415 million for procurement, research and development of joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense projects, including $205 million to fund Israel's newly-deployed Iron Dome system. Counterpunch



U.S. funding of Iron Dome is one example of how U.S. weapons transfers to Israel privilege Israeli military dominance over Palestinian freedom. Counterpunch



The United States gives Israel access to intelligence that it denies its NATO allies, turning a blind eye towards Israel's acquisition of nuclear weapons. The Guardian



AIPAC lobbies hard to ensure that Israel is kept on the U.S. dole, with billions of U.S. taxpayers' dollars a year going to the Israeli military. Alternet