Should Israel continue to receive the current level of military and economic aid from the US? - 2008 Election - ProCon.org

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2008 Election

Last updated on: 3/10/2009 5:53:00 AM PST

Should Israel continue to receive the current level of military and economic aid from the US?

Candidates' positions are categorized as Pro (Yes), Con (No), Not Clearly Pro or Con, or None Found.

Candidates who have changed their positions are listed as Now their most recent position.

(Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by party; black & white photos indicate candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria.)

Democratic Party

Republican Party

3rd Parties / Independents

Pro

Not Clearly
Pro or Con

Obama, Barack

McCain, John

Baldwin, Chuck (Cst)

Barr, Bob (Lib)

Inactive Candidates

Additional Resources

Candidate Summary Chart

Con

McKinney, Cynthia (Grn)

Nader, Ralph (Ind)

_____________________________________________

Should Israel continue to receive the current level of military and economic aid from the US?

Pro (Yes)

Con (No)

Baldwin, Chuck (Cst) - Con

Chuck Baldwin, Founder and Minister of the Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL, issued the following statement through his Communications Director, Mary Starrett, in an Aug. 11, 2008 email to ProCon.org:

"No, nor would any other countries on the globe.

As President, I believe that foreign aid is unconstitutional. I would eliminate all foreign aid, period. Including to Israel. I think foreign aid is harmful to our overall peace and harmony in the world... I do believe that our policies towards Israel over the last several decades have been more harmful than helpful for Israel... How are we being a blessing to Israel by arming and quipping and sending four times more foreign aid to her enemies than we do to her? ... The best thing the United States could do to help for Israel is to simply butt out of her business and let her take care of her sovereign affairs."
Aug. 11, 2008 Chuck Baldwin

Barr, Bob (Lib) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

Bob Barr, former US House Representative (R-GA), stated in an article titled "Bob Barr on: Foreign Intervention & Foreign Bases" on his official candidate website (accessed Aug. 6, 2008):

"...[F]oreign aid has proved to be a drain on the U.S. economy while doing little good for the recipients. Aid is routinely used by corrupt foreign governments to oppress their people and enrich powerful elites. Foreign aid almost always discourages economic and political reform, while subsidizing nations which often work against U.S. interests."
Aug. 6, 2008 Bob Barr

McCain, John (R) - Pro

John McCain, US Senator (R-AZ), stated in a July 18, 2007 speech titled "John McCain Addresses the Christians United for Israel" on his official campaign website:

"And just as there will always be a proud, strong Israel, so too will there always be a close and enduring US-Israel relationship. When it comes to the defense of Israel, we simply cannot compromise. In view of the increased threats to Israeli security, American support for Israel should intensify - to include providing needed military equipment and technology and ensuring that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge. Israel's enemies are too numerous, its margin of error too small, and our shared interests and values too great for any other position."
July 18, 2007 John McCain

McKinney, Cynthia (Grn) - Con

Cynthia McKinney, former US House Representative (D-GA), issued the following statement through her Press Secretary, John Judge, in a Nov. 1, 2008 email to ProCon.org:

"No. [based on past statements and votes]"
Nov. 1, 2008 Cynthia McKinney

Nader, Ralph (Ind) - Con

Ralph Nader, attorney, author, and political activist, issued the following statement through his Communications Director and Policy Writer, Loralynne Krobetzky, in an Oct. 20, 2008 email to ProCon.org:

"Con. Nader favors a two-state solution and believes that the United States needs to highlight the broad and deep peace movement in Israel and its counterparts among Palestinians and among Americans of the Jewish faith."
Oct. 20, 2008 Ralph Nader

Obama, Barack (D) - Pro

Barack Obama, US Senator (D-IL), stated in an article titled "Issues: Foreign Policy" on his official campaign website (accessed Jan. 28, 2008):

"Support Foreign Assistance to Israel: Barack Obama has consistently supported foreign assistance to Israel. He defends and supports the annual foreign aid package that involves both military and economic assistance to Israel and has advocated increased foreign aid budgets to ensure that these funding priorities are met. He has called for continuing US cooperation with Israel in the development of missile defense systems."
Jan. 28, 2008 Barack Obama

INACTIVE CANDIDATES

(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear
below in black and white and in alphabetical order by party.)

Democratic Party				Republican Party				3rd Parties / Independents
	Biden, Joe (Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008)	None Found			Brownback, Sam (Withdrew on Oct. 19, 2007)	None Found			Gravel, Mike (Withdrew on May 27, 2008)	None Found
	Clinton, Hillary (Suspended campaign on June 7, 2008)	Not Clearly Pro or Con			Gilmore, Jim (Withdrew on July 14, 2007)	None Found			Imperato, Daniel (No longer met criteria on Mar. 21, 2008)	None Found
	Dodd, Chris (Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008)	None Found			Giuliani, Rudy (Withdrew on Jan. 30, 2008)	Not Clearly Pro or Con			Keyes, Alan (No longer met criteria on June 23, 2008)	Not Clearly Pro or Con
	Edwards, John (Withdrew on Jan. 30, 2008)	Not Clearly Pro or Con			Huckabee, Mike (Withdrew on Mar. 4, 2008)	Pro			Kubby, Steve (No longer met criteria on Mar. 21, 2008)	Con
	Kucinich, Dennis (Withdrew on Jan. 25, 2008)	None Found			Hunter, Duncan (Withdrew on Jan. 19, 2008)	None Found			McEnulty, Frank (No longer met criteria on Mar. 21, 2008)	Not Clearly Pro or Con
	Richardson, Bill (Withdrew on Jan. 10, 2008)	None Found			Paul, Ron (Withdrew on June 12, 2008)	Pro			Smith, Christine (No longer met criteria on Mar. 21, 2008)	Con
	Vilsack, Tom (Withdrew on, Feb. 23, 2007)	None Found			Romney, Mitt (Withdrew on Feb. 7, 2008)	None Found
					Tancredo, Tom (Withdrew on Dec. 20, 2007)	None Found
					Thompson, Fred (Withdrew on Jan. 22, 2008)	None Found
					Thompson, Tommy (Withdrew on Aug. 12, 2007)	None Found

Pro (Yes)

Con (No)

(D) - None Found

Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008; no position found as of that date.

Brownback, Sam (R) - None Found

Withdrew on Oct. 19, 2007; no position found as of that date.

Clinton, Hillary (D) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

Hillary Clinton, US Senator (D-NY), stated in a Feb. 1, 2007 article titled "Senator Clinton's Remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)" on her US Senate website:

"There are no quick solutions for the difficulties we face today, but we know that we have to stand with democracies and free peoples against the threat of nihilism and extremism. That is why we stand with Israel because it is a beacon of democracy in the region; that is why we stand with Israel because its very existence is a defiant affront to anti-Semitism; that is why we stand with Israel because in defeating terror because Israel's cause is our cause. And that is why we stand with Israel because of our shared values and our shared belief in the dignity of men and women and the right to live without fear or oppression. And what we must do is to think rationally and strategically about how our values, our beliefs can be translated into effective action. It is not enough for us to say the right things; we've got to be smart and tough enough to do the right things that will protect American and Israeli interests now and forever."
Feb. 1, 2007 Hillary Clinton

Dodd, Chris (D) - None Found

Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008; no position found as of that date.

Edwards, John (D) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

John Edwards, former US Senator (D-NC), stated in an article titled "Reengaging with the World" on his official campaign website (accessed Jan. 29, 2008):

"...[W]e must stand by our ally and partner Israel, ensuring its security while doing everything in our power to bring peace and stability to the region."
Jan. 29, 2008 John Edwards

Gilmore, Jim (R) - None Found

Withdrew on Aug. 14, 2007; no position found as of that date.

Giuliani, Rudy (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, stated in an article titled "Toward a Realistic Peace: Defending Civilization and Defeating Terrorists by Making the International System Work" in the Sep./Oct. 2007 issue of Foreign Affairs:

"America's commitment to Israel's security is a permanent feature of our foreign policy."
Sep./Oct. 2007 Rudy Giuliani

Gravel, Mike (Lib) - None Found

ProCon.org emailed the Gravel campaign on Mar. 11, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Mar. 21, 2008.

Huckabee, Mike (R) - Pro

Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, stated in an article titled "Issues: Foreign Policy: Israel" on his official campaign website (accessed Jan. 24, 2008):

"The United States must remain true to its long-standing, bipartisan commitment to the Israelis. I will always ensure that Israel has access to the state-of-the-art weapons and technology she needs to defend herself from those who seek her annihilation."
Jan. 24, 2008 Mike Huckabee

Hunter, Duncan (R) - None Found

Withdrew on Jan. 19, 2008; no position found as of that date.

Imperato, Daniel (Ind) - None Found

ProCon.org emailed the Imperato campaign on Jan. 21, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Jan. 31, 2008.

Keyes, Alan (Ind) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

Alan Keyes, former Assistant US Secretary of State, stated in an Apr. 29, 2002 article titled "Standing Firm for Israel" on the Renew America website:

"America's support for Israel is an ongoing demonstration that America will stand with those who champion liberty and representative government, anywhere in the world, especially if they have the courage and integrity of Israel. Such commitments are not for sale at any price, and certainly not for the price of oil.
Today more than ever, America must stand with Israel particularly on the ground of our common opposition to the terrorist menace which threatens the independence, the morality, and the decent conscience not just of Israelis, but of every human being on the globe."
Apr. 29, 2002 Alan Keyes

Kubby, Steve (Lib) - Con

Steve Kubby, a Libertarian candidate and founder of the American Medical Marijuana Association, stated in a Jan. 31, 2008 email to ProCon.org:

"No. Israel claims to be a sovereign nation, and as such should take responsibility for its own defense and economic situation. The same goes for every other foreign government receiving US aid."
Jan. 31, 2008 Steve Kubby

Kucinich, Dennis (D) - None Found

Withdrew on Jan. 25, 2008; no position found as of that date.

McEnulty, Frank (Ind) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

Frank McEnulty, an Independent candidate and President of Our Castle Homes, in a Jan. 24, 2008 email to ProCon.org, stated:

"Military aid, yes; economic aid, no. Israel has an extremely strong and vibrant economy and should be able to stand on their own economically without economic aid from us. The economic aid being provided to Israel can be put too much better uses in other parts of the world where it is more desperately needed."
Jan. 24, 2008 Frank McEnulty

Paul, Ron (R) - Con

Ron Paul, US Representative (R-TX), stated in a Dec. 18, 2007 episode of Glenn Beck titled "Honest Questions with Ron Paul" on the Cable News Network (CNN):

"[Glenn] Beck: So you're saying that we actually hurt Israel by being their friend? We should have no foreign aid to Israel at all? If Israel asked for our help, should we be involved?
[Ron] Paul: Not unless the Congress authorizes, you know, for war or something. But when you say no foreign aid, you say no foreign aid to Israel. And I say, oh, we give foreign aid to the Arabs three times greater than Israel...

So, we are not only neutralizing things -- so, you know, we really neutralize things much better. Israel is in better shape by no foreign aid to anybody... And so it's not anti-Israel. It's just neutral...

You know, we treat Israel like a second-class citizen. You know, you understand the issue at home when you treat people with Welfare, they become dependent on the state. Israel is dependent on us, you know, for economic means.

We send them these billions of dollars and then they depend on us. They say, well, you know, we don't like Iran. You go fight our battles. You bomb Iran for us. And they become dependent on us."
Dec. 18, 2007 Ron Paul

Richardson, Bill (D) - None Found

Withdrew on Jan. 10, 2008; no position found as of that date.

Romney, Mitt (R) - None Found

No position found as of Jan. 29, 2008. ProCon.org also emailed the Romney campaign on Jan. 21, 2008 with this question. They did not respond to our email.

Smith, Christine (Lib) - Con

Christine Smith, a Libertarian candidate and a social and political activist, stated in an article titled "Foreign Policy & National Securty" on her official candidate website (accessed Feb. 28, 2008):

"I will end US government meddling in the affairs and conflicts of foreign nations.
I oppose all foreign aid. It is disgusting that the US government is the biggest arms dealer in the world. I am for ending US aid and ending delivery of US taxpayer-financed military weaponry to other nations."
Feb. 28, 2008 Christine Smith

Tancredo, Tom (R) - None Found

Withdrew on Dec. 20, 2007; no position found as of that date.

Thompson, Fred (R) - None Found

Withdrew on Jan. 22, 2008; no position found as of that date.

Thompson, Tommy (R) - None Found

Withdrew on Sep. 12, 2007; no position found as of that date.

Vilsack, Tom (D) - None Found

Withdrew on Feb. 23, 2007; no position found as of that date.

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