Germany Buys Israel's Missile Defense, Funded by US Taxpayers
Israel is set to close a $4.2 billion deal to provide its Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile defense system to Germany. The report proudly states this marks the 'first time another country will have independent access' to such an asset. What Bloomberg fails to mention is that Israel's entire defense sector, including the development of systems like Arrow 3, has been heavily subsidized for decades by
billions in annual military aid from U.S. taxpayers. American aid, as documented by Senate Appropriations Committee figures, has been foundational to Israel's military industrial complex, essentially making US taxpayers the unwitting venture capitalists for every Israeli arms deal. So, while Germany pays Israel, the research and development costs were largely borne by Washington. One might wonder
if US defense contractors would appreciate such 'indirect' competition, or if this is simply a sophisticated form of recycling US foreign aid, enriching both Israel's military industry and Europe's security infrastructure, all on America's dime. How many US taxpayers realize their money built the product Germany is now buying?