Looking for history lesson re: Us support of Israel

I know there are some people who are pretty sharp on history in this group, so I'm hoping somebody has the answer.

When and why did the US start supporting/ protecting Israel? What is in it for us?
3,714 views 6 replies
Reply #2 Top
That's a delicate question, I predict it will raise a heated debate. Unless people do like me and refrain from posting their thoughts.
Reply #3 Top
Actually, I think it might be simpler than you'd imagine. Unless I'm mistaken, Isreal has the only democratically-elected government in the immediate region. And I believe the US was supporting the country since its inception.
Reply #4 Top
The US supported Israel before it was a state, so that is not the historical reason...

OK, I'll get wet.
The jewish lobby in the US is the strongest lobby group after the NRA. Economically, the Jewish Americans are extremely strong and their electorial weight is also very important.
The US greatly contributed in the creation of the State of Israel and has always been an allied since then.
That is also the main reason why a lot of the Arab countries have been angry at the US since 1948, when a chunk of Palestine was taken away to create Israel.

Ok, there, you have it. Bring on the flames.
Reply #5 Top
Actually, I just found this web page, it just very well might answer all your questions:
http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/0591/9105017.htm

Note that the Washigton Report on Middle East Affairs is a magazine published by the American Educational Trust, a non-profit non-partisan foundation. As a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, it endorses U.N. Security Council Resolution 242´s land-for-peace formula, supported by seven successive U.S. presidents.
Reply #6 Top
You would greatly benefit by reading a book called "The Haj" by Leon Uris (yeah, the same guy who wrote "Trinity").

Quite an immersive red, goes whey back in to the history of the region, well researched by Mr. Uris over a period of years, and has some really deep insight into teh Q'aran, too.

Well worth your time, and it will answer many of yoru questions.
Check it out now at your local library.