Israel’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that it signed a $5.2 billion contract with Boeing to purchase 25 F-15 fighter jets using US military aid amid global calls for an arms embargo on Israel over the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.
The contract is part of an arms sale the Biden administration approved for Israel back in August that’s worth $18.8 billion. The deal gives Israel the option for another 25 F-15 fighter jets and includes upgrades for its existing fleet of F-15s and other related equipment.
Under the contract for the first batch of 25 jets, Israel will start taking deliveries of Boeing’s new F-15IA in 2031, and it’s expected to receive four to six of the aircraft annually.
Earlier this year, Israel signed a $3 billion contract to acquire 25 Lockheed Martin-made F-35 jets, which was also financed by US military aid.
Brown University’s Costs of War project said in a report last month that US support for Israel over the past year had cost US taxpayers at least $22.76. The total includes $17.9 billion in direct military aid and $4.8 billion in spending on US military operations in support of Israel, including the bombing campaign against the Houthis in Yemen.
The new contract for the F-15 fighter jets brings total US spending on Israel since October 7, 2023, to about $27.96 billion.
The Biden administration continues to provide weapons to Israel despite foreign assistance laws that prohibit military aid to countries that purposely block humanitarian aid. The administration has also received around 500 reports of US weapons being used by Israel to kill civilians unnecessarily, but no action has been taken.
Since this week we have the annual Veteran’s Day celebrations and remembrances, here are some thoughts from Major-General Smedley Butler:
“I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”
“Beautiful ideals were painted for our boys who were sent out to die. This was the ‘war to end all wars.’ This was the ‘war to make the world safe for democracy.’ No one mentioned to them, as they marched away, that their going and their dying would mean huge war profits. No one told these American soldiers that they might be shot down by bullets made by their own brothers here. No one told them that the ships on which they were going to cross might be torpedoed by submarines built with United States patents. They were just told it was to be a ‘glorious adventure.'”
“Only those who would be called upon to risk their lives for their country should have the privilege of voting to determine whether the nation should go to war.”
“There are only two reasons why you should ever be asked to give your youngsters. One is defense of our homes. The other is the defense of our Bill of Rights…”
.