The United States has spent a record of at least $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel since the war in Gaza began and led to escalating conflict around the Middle East.

The United States has spent a record of at least $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel since the war in Gaza began and led to escalating conflict around the Middle East, according to a report for Brown University’s Costs of War project, released on the anniversary of Hamas’ attacks on Israel.

An additional $4.86 billion has gone into stepped-up U.S. military operations in the region since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, researchers said in findings first provided to The Associated Press. That includes the costs of a Navy-led campaign to quell strikes on commercial shipping by Yemen’s Houthis, who are carrying them out in solidarity with the fellow Iranian-backed group Hamas.

The report — completed before Israel opened a second front, this one against Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, in late September — is one of the first tallies of estimated U.S. costs as the Biden administration backs Israel in its conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon and seeks to contain hostilities by Iran-allied armed groups in the region.

  • makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml
    302·
    2 months ago

    Sorry I read that as the US spent nearly 18 billion of tax payers money on health and education for the US.

    Alas, my mistake. Looks like business as usual.

  • TheMightyCanuck
    241·
    2 months ago

    18 billion dollars on a country that

    • has a developed arms industry
    • isn’t fighting a superior enemy
    • isn’t fighting defensively
    • isn’t adhering to international law
    • has killed multiple US citizens in cold blood
    • has invaded neighboring countries
    • not to mention the whole genocide thing
    • did I mention it’s mainly a genocide of children?

    Fuck Israel. I fucking hate nazis and they look an awful lot like nazis to me

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
    242·
    2 months ago

    This right here is why the presidential election is still close in spite of one side being a couple of mentally unwell and personally repulsive habitual liars.

    I don’t condone being a single issue (non)voter, but millions of people are and insisting on a simultaneously morally repugnant and electorally ruinous course of action could very well cost the election and end American democracy.

    • Kecessa
      310·
      2 months ago

      The problem is that the people who are single issue voters in this situation are in the age bracket that doesn’t vote no matter how much politicians cater to their wants and needs, and that’s proven by other countries as well (where there’s more parties to vote for).

      As well, there’s a higher % of Israel supporters in the 65+ group (that votes) than Palestine supporters in the 18-35 group (that doesn’t vote), so let’s say Harris comes out and says “We’ll stop sending weapons to Israel”, she very well could be handing the keys to the White House to Trump, which will send even more weapons to them AND will stop helping Ukraine AND will directly and indirectly lead to thousands of deaths locally (migrants, LGBTQ+, minorities…)

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
        112·
        2 months ago

        The problem is that the people who are single issue voters in this situation are in the age bracket that doesn’t vote no matter how much politicians cater to their wants and needs

        That’s a popular myth but it’s just not true.

        First of all, young people DO vote when they have something to vote FOR in stead of only something to vote against.

        For example, the Kansas ballot measure that failed to make abortion illegal in the state had more young women voting than men of all ages combined.

        It’s very convenient for center right to right wing establishment Democrats and their friends in the media to say “they don’t vote, so we might as well ignore them” (quiet part: “in favor of our rich donors”), but in reality some of them don’t vote because all of them are ignored.

        Second, it’s not only 18 to 20-something Gen Z voters that are overwhelmingly and vehemently opposed to the genocide and US participation in it. It’s also millennials. Combined, those two groups are every voter from 18 to 40-something. Do you REALLY think the Dems can afford to ignore everyone under 50?

        and that’s proven by other countries as well (where there’s more parties to vote for).

        Nope. In countries with fewer barriers to voting and enough choices that they don’t have to vote for the lesser evil every time, young voters vote as much as any age group except 60/65+

        As well, there’s a higher % of Israel supporters in the 65+ group (…) than Palestine supporters in the 18-35 group

        Yeah, I highly doubt it… Also, as I previously pointed out, the eldest millennials are in their 40s and overwhelmingly anti genocide and anti apartheid.

        so let’s say Harris comes out and says “We’ll stop sending weapons to Israel”, she very well could be handing the keys to the White House to Trump,

        On the contrary. NOT doing that or anything in that direction is what could hand it to Trump.

        which will send even more weapons to them AND will stop helping Ukraine AND will directly and indirectly lead to thousands of deaths locally (migrants, LGBTQ+, minorities…)

        You don’t have to sell me on Trump being much worse. I was clear about knowing that in my first comment.

        Which is, apart from the fact that it’s morally repugnant, why I’m protesting the disastrous pro-Israel stance of the white house and the Harris campaign.

      • Deceptichum@quokk.auEnglish
        113·
        2 months ago

        so let’s say Harris comes out and says “We’ll stop sending weapons to Israel”, she very well could be handing the keys to the White House to Trump

        And she very well could be handing the keys to the White House to Trump by not saying it.

        The question she needs to ask herself, is it worth risking America to enable genocide?