Unlike people clicking on this blog in search of pictures of certain regal fancy dress outfits, this chap at least has the merit of looking in the right place for his info:
From the letters page of Socialist Worker:
Why does US back Israel?
I was in an argument lately and wondered if you could help on the following points. The people I was arguing with said that it is not the case that the US needs Israel as an ally. The US army does not use Israel as a base. There is no oil in Israel. The Israeli army does not play a part in US adventures in region.
Their argument was that Bush has to support Israel for fear that money owned by Jewish capital would be withdrawn. But the US doesn’t have to be told to support oppressive regimes in Chile, Africa, Saudi Arabia etc by rich sections of those countries. So I don’t think this is the cause of its support for Israel.
Please could someone write, in simple line-by-line points, on what determines US policy towards Israel?
A Richards