I AM A SUPPORTER OF ISRAEL, BUT THEIR BILLION DEAL ON JETS FROM ITALY CRANKS ME . WHY NOT BUY AMERICAN.

Obama works for the pope in Rome. Israel was told to transfer the cash to Romeland.

sorry to say this but you guys are throwing aid money at them plus you`ll send thousands of US troops to back them up when the shit it the fan with iran and god knows how many wont return home.....guess you have`nt learn your lesson yet......supporting israel COST YOU......wake the fuck up

Am an Indian Muslim and oppose Israel's atrocities against palestines..,but at the same Israel like any other nation is got the right to exist.

now coming back to point i guess this deal was a marketing strategy by Italians to push their product by giving for such low price,most of the countries normally follow Israel in buying defense equips..as they are known to buy the best in the market and Alenia Aermacchi got much publicity with this deal and are sure to attract bidders.

As u said Op,outrageous union wages is giving hard time to American products to compete in global market,only thing that stand out these days is Innovative.Anything that is different and reliable will make it big. Just take the example of 1970s and 1980s US automobile surge.

these italian junk planes will be used as a first wave into iran.

on the 20th of march!

...Italy will reciprocate the Israeli purchase by buying $1 billion in Israeli defense equipment, Israel's Defense Ministry said.

The ministry's director general, Udi Shani, said the offset deal enabled Israel to make the large purchase...

Read more: [link to www.foxnews.com]

Someone remind me why Israel requires foreign aid?

Yep. I think you will find that its simply because America doesn't produce a good training jet. Sure, you produce great fighters and strike aircraft, and Israel buys them, but if you don't have the goods available what do you expect.

Historically Europe has dominated the jet trainer market (Hawk, MB339, Alpha Jet etc) and have a raft of new advanced trainers available now. Its an area that the US has always lagged in. Even the US Navy had to buy British and you guys license produced the Hawk as the Goshawk.

WINNER, WINNER - CHICKEN DINNER.

Because it is a parasitic relationship.

And as an aside, Judethz, must you post that propaganda picture of an IDF soldier all the time?

To many strings attached you get better tech but you have play buy the American rules.

I don't think they like anyone much.

Did any of you stop and think that perhaps the Italian jet was just a better buy?

[link to defense-update.com]

No thought not.

It's modern training fighter jets, no US company made an equivalent jet. Why does anyone should buy old crap when there are better alternatives out there ???

Would you buy an old all star pair of shoes from the 70's just because the company's CEO is sending you donations ?

FYI, AFAIK you don't return gifts.

This is just another irrational hate Israel thread...

I don't get it either, he/she is doing it for more then a year now.

It's annoying.
This kid in the picture was 18 and I'm certain she doesn't want her picture used this way.

Interesting business relationship.

When times are tough, drop and run.

Reinvest?

And why should the CEO send you donations if all you do is use them to beat up on people?

The way I see it it's supposed to make people think better about the IDF by constantly showing pictures of hot chicks in uniforms. Cunning, but cold.

The rabbit hole is much deeper then you think you know.

Bottom line I'd rather Israel be independent

But this is just another drop in the river of shit that flows in this country and government.

I know different amounts of different things then you think I do, seeing as you do not know me at all.

I don't mean to sound harsh, it's just that I only recently realised what a grotesque amount of money countries send to yours.

It would be antisemitic if they didn't!

Why do you "support" Israel?

Do you have Stockholm syndrome?

FYI, the law abiding good citizen doesn't see much of this money, it mostly go to greedy corrupt politicians, war tools and welfare parasites.

Well put, sir

I wouldn't want to indict a people for its government's actions, but at the same time your country is run on some things pretty far removed from sunshine and lollipops. Not that Canada is much better, of course, but still.

I can't count the number of times i've been sliced diced and wedged and called everything but a white ma---er let's just say called plenty of things, defending Israel in numerous forums, as do many Americans, and this is the thanks we get??? They know our economy is in the crapper and could have really used that contract. How many enemies do they want anyway?!?

I'm a big supporter of Tahiti.

The Tahitians are God's chosen people.

And they have some really nice diving reefs.