“Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.” Jimmy Carter, state of the union address, January 23rd, 1980. (Jones) Any major world news today is likely to cover the tumultuous affairs of the Middle East. The United States has a large presence in this area. It is necessary to understand the importance of the U.S.’s affairs because it affects not only U.S. citizens but most of the human race. There are some aspects of the relationship between …show more content…
These disagreements have shaped multiple conflicts and wars throughout history and continue to this day. Politicians and analysts recognize the Israel ties as the most special US relationship. Daniel Pipes describes the connection as, “...a thick forest of diplomatic and military links, but also into a unique range of economic, academic, religious, and personal bonds.” The relations are positive and negative; therefore, the topic of the relationship is controversial. (Pipes) The negative aspects are usually more mainstream and talked about. Some of these events include the Suez operation of 1956, the Lebanese massacre in 1982, and the intifadas. The defining conflict of the area is the battle between Palestine and Israel. Zionists, an extreme minority of the Jewish population, wanted to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine. At the beginning, the steady immigration was not considered a problem. Once the Hitler regime grew to power, the immigration to the area and the amount of conflict grew proportionally. The solution to the problem should have been left to the Palestines and the Jewish people; however, the UN intervened in …show more content…
Many of the opponents that fought against Israel are still in opposition today. The primary issue facing the area today is the cruel treatment of the Palestinian refugees. Israel’s oppressive military is mistreating families who are trying to return to their home. Surprisingly, this is not an everyday topic for the United States. Many Americans do not know the severity of the situation or realize how much it affects them. A total of eight million dollars per day of taxes is given to Israel. It can be said that once Americans realize how Israel is spending their tax dollars, support is no longer maintained. In an interview with Ms. Kim Britton, a high school history teacher, one question posed was “How do you feel about [U.S. relationship with Israel]?” Britton responded, “I think honesty is the best policy. In other words, if you could just communicate what you’re really there for, why you’re really there and why you have the relationship that you really have, I think it would be easier.” Whether honesty is present or not, the fact that Israel dominates American foreign policy is very important to the perpetual controversy with the Middle East.
The large amount of economic support is unavoidable. “The US government provided Israel with a total of $3.2 billion in aid during the 25 years between 1949 and 1973; in the 23 years since 1974, Israel has received nearly $75 billion…” Aid is no longer based on