> It's intellectual garbage, immediately dismissible as a distraction.

Absolutely false. This is standard antisemitic MO. The "Jews" control the media, the "Jews" control the US, The "Jews" control money. This is yet another permutation of the age old antisemitism just s/jews/zionists/ and s/jews/israel/ it's used by the same people and with the same intent belief. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck. The intellectual garbage is coming from people who claim this is not antisemitic.

US relationship with Israel makes perfect sense. It started during the cold war when Israel was aligned with the US against the Arab countries aligned with the USSR. The US gets to test its weapons systems and benefit from Israel defense technology know-how. Post 9/11 and with the rise of organizations like ISIS it also benefited the US greatly to have a partner in this unstable region called the middle east.

I'm not aware of any US congress member that has declared their allegiance to Israel trumps their being American. But hey, any single member of any parliament can always be off the rails and the US has no shortage of those. But give me a specific example? What is understandable is that Americans consider Israel and Israelis their friends and allies and at challenging times friends support their friends and not stab them in the back like some have done.

▲ llm_nerd 3 hours ago | parent [-]

>This is standard antisemitic MO ... The intellectual garbage is coming from people who claim this is not antisemitic.

This is that fun catch-22 where Israel-defenders use Jewishness as a pathetic human shield over any criticism of Israel, or relations with the same.

It's worn out its effectiveness. At this point it just looks pathetic.

>Post 9/11 and with the rise of organizations like ISIS it also benefited the US greatly to have a partner in this unstable region called the middle east.

Jordan, Qatar, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and on and on. Boy, if only the US had partners in the region. Bases all over the place. What they really need is to coddle the primary antagonist of the region and that should really help!

>friends support their friends

Lets recap all the things Israel has done for the US. I will summarize the entire list below-

...

-fin

This is an entirely one-way relationship. And it's a bizarre, supplicant relationship that just boggles. Try-hard patriots will literally declare "We only fly the American flag"...and then fly an Israeli flag.

▲ YZF 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Obviously you prefer to coddle with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Iraq, UAE and such. Good for you. It's somewhat amusing Iraq made the list.

Since you're too lazy to look this up I compiled a list for you with the help of AI:

1. Military & Intelligence Benefits

The US military benefits from battle-tested Israeli technology and intelligence in a volatile region.

    Missile Defense Architecture: The most prominent example is the Iron Dome. The US invested heavily in its development, and in return, gained access to its technology. The US Army and Marine Corps have purchased Iron Dome batteries and components (such as the Tamir interceptor) for their own air defense needs. Furthermore, the Arrow 3 system (co-developed by Boeing and Israel Aerospace Industries) provides the US with critical data on high-altitude missile interception.

    Counter-Terrorism & Urban Warfare: Israel’s experience in urban combat and counter-terrorism has shaped US military doctrine. After 9/11 and during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US military studied Israeli tactics for detecting IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), tunnel warfare, and minimizing civilian casualties in dense urban environments.

    Drone Technology: Israel was a pioneer in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In the 1980s, the US Navy procured Israeli "Pioneer" drones, which were used effectively in the 1991 Gulf War. This technology helped jumpstart the modern US drone program.

    Intelligence Sharing: Israel provides the US with high-level human and signals intelligence (HUMINT and SIGINT) regarding the Middle East, Iran’s nuclear program, and terrorist networks, often serving as the "eyes and ears" for the West in areas where the US has limited footprint.

2. Technology & Science Benefits

Many technologies ubiquitous in the US economy were developed or significantly advanced by Israeli R&D, often by US companies operating there.

    Computing & Semiconductors: Major American tech giants like Intel, Microsoft, Apple, and Google have massive R&D centers in Israel.

        Intel Israel was responsible for designing some of the most critical computer processors in history, including the 8088 (the brain of the first IBM PC) and the architecture for modern laptop processors (Centrino/Core) that prioritize power efficiency.

    Cybersecurity: Israel is a global hub for cybersecurity. US companies and government agencies frequently rely on Israeli software and expertise to protect critical infrastructure, banking systems, and corporate data from cyberattacks.

    Medical Innovation:

        PillCam: The swallowable camera for gastrointestinal diagnostics was developed in Israel.

        Cancer Treatment: Doxil, the first FDA-approved nano-drug (used for treating various cancers), was developed at Hebrew University.

        Multiple Sclerosis: Copaxone, a leading drug for treating MS, was developed by Teva Pharmaceuticals in Israel.

3. Environmental & Agricultural Solutions

As the US (particularly California and the Southwest) faces water scarcity, it has increasingly adopted Israeli methods.

    Water Desalination: Israel is a world leader in desalination and wastewater recycling. The largest desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere, located in Carlsbad, California, was designed and built by an Israeli company (IDE Technologies) to provide drinking water to San Diego County.

    Drip Irrigation: The modern concept of drip irrigation—which saves massive amounts of water by delivering it directly to plant roots—was invented in Israel (by Netafim). This technology is now standard practice in American agriculture, helping US farmers increase yields while reducing water usage.

4. Economic Benefits

    Return on Aid: A significant portion of the military aid the US provides to Israel (currently under a Memorandum of Understanding) must be spent on purchasing US-manufactured military equipment. This effectively acts as a subsidy for the US defense industrial base, supporting American jobs at companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.

    Corporate Acquisitions: US companies frequently acquire Israeli startups to integrate their technology. For example, Google bought Waze (navigation) for nearly $1 billion, and Intel bought Mobileye (autonomous driving) for $15 billion, bringing that intellectual property and market dominance to US parent companies.

▲

llm_nerd 3 hours ago | parent [-]

"Obviously you prefer to coddle with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Iraq, UAE and such"

Uh...do you think that's the dichotomy? Do you think it's one or the other?

The US has relationships with lots of countries. Give and take relationships.

No other relationships has the sort of pathetic supplicant behaviour that we see with Israel. American politicians are not hoisting Qatar or Saudi Arabia flags. They aren't giving pathetic fawning four minute standing ovations for random criminal leaders of those countries. They aren't saying "Qatar First" or telling their voters that their first order of business is visiting Qatar to show deference. That would be bizarre behaviour that would immediately raise enormous red flags.

What a bizarre take.

	▲	YZF 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-formal... I mean it's just a gift. No favors expected in return? There are absolutely US politicians who are advocating for those other countries. We already covered the not a criminal until proven guilty angle. But yes, the US has considered Israel a close ally and friend and its leaders are well received in the US as are US leaders in Israel. And yes, the not criminal leader of Saudi Arabia who had a journalist chopped up and violates the rights of his people is also received with great honors in the USA.