Having influence over something doesn’t mean that you control it. The US has exerted heavy influence to attempt to curb the worst of the Israeli impulses (full scale ground operations being one of the successful ones). But that does not mean that the US controls Israel.
Israel is hell bent on repeating every mistake that the US made post 9/11. The latest is the equivalent of the “mission accomplished” banner.
The next mistake(if they make it) is going to be expanding the scope of what they intend to do.
The argument is that we’re not using our strongest influence by virtue of not threatening to withhold arms (even though it would be in US interest to do so to preserve influence in the region). I am not arguing that the US controls Israel like some vassal state.
Those arms you are talking about have already been appropriated by Congress, UNTIL 2028!!!
But I’m guessing that you didn’t know that because it’s a lot easier to sit on social media and wax eloquent about how foreign policy should mirror morality.
Even if we could stop the arms shit, it wouldn’t matter. Israel has it’s own military industrial complex and there are several other countries that would happily trade with Israel to give the US influence over the region a black eye.
Do you understand? Israel does not NEED our stuff. Sure it helps, but you seem to be under the delusion that if we didn’t supply weapons they wouldn’t have any. That is woefully naive and incorrect.
“But why do we give it???”
To which I repeat:
Foreign policy is about power and power coupons, not morality. This is the way it is, not the way it should be. Kissinger was a soulless ghoul, but he understood exactly what foreign policy is all about (which is the main reason why most of us hated him with a fiery passion). Nixon should have ensured that he took a long stroll on the deck of a submerged submarine, but alas, missed opportunities.
Maybe one day foreign policy will resemble morality, but that day will not come for a very, very, long time. If ever.
If we have no influence over Israel than that undermines your argument that we’re getting “power coupons” in return. I’m not even debating you on the morality of Kissinger, I’m meeting you where you stand: if we don’t exercise our influence then we are going to lose it (and Kissinger agrees with me on that at least)
Say it with me. Foreign policy is about POWER, not morality. It is about power, influence, and power coupons.
Jesus, it’s like talking to literal children.
If you don’t see how Israel is undermining America’s soft power then idk what to say.
Having influence over something doesn’t mean that you control it. The US has exerted heavy influence to attempt to curb the worst of the Israeli impulses (full scale ground operations being one of the successful ones). But that does not mean that the US controls Israel.
Israel is hell bent on repeating every mistake that the US made post 9/11. The latest is the equivalent of the “mission accomplished” banner.
The next mistake(if they make it) is going to be expanding the scope of what they intend to do.
The argument is that we’re not using our strongest influence by virtue of not threatening to withhold arms (even though it would be in US interest to do so to preserve influence in the region). I am not arguing that the US controls Israel like some vassal state.
Those arms you are talking about have already been appropriated by Congress, UNTIL 2028!!!
But I’m guessing that you didn’t know that because it’s a lot easier to sit on social media and wax eloquent about how foreign policy should mirror morality.
Even if we could stop the arms shit, it wouldn’t matter. Israel has it’s own military industrial complex and there are several other countries that would happily trade with Israel to give the US influence over the region a black eye.
Do you understand? Israel does not NEED our stuff. Sure it helps, but you seem to be under the delusion that if we didn’t supply weapons they wouldn’t have any. That is woefully naive and incorrect.
“But why do we give it???”
To which I repeat: Foreign policy is about power and power coupons, not morality. This is the way it is, not the way it should be. Kissinger was a soulless ghoul, but he understood exactly what foreign policy is all about (which is the main reason why most of us hated him with a fiery passion). Nixon should have ensured that he took a long stroll on the deck of a submerged submarine, but alas, missed opportunities.
Maybe one day foreign policy will resemble morality, but that day will not come for a very, very, long time. If ever.
If we have no influence over Israel than that undermines your argument that we’re getting “power coupons” in return. I’m not even debating you on the morality of Kissinger, I’m meeting you where you stand: if we don’t exercise our influence then we are going to lose it (and Kissinger agrees with me on that at least)