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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   6771 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of November 2, 2026

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After looking up the data, Israel gets $350 per citizen almost exclusively for war. Meanwhile Africa gets $7 and Central America gets $10 on a blended basis.

That's pretty horrifying.

I would think the natural comparison for Israel should be the most similar countries available, especially if the factor we're trying to control for is Judaism. What's the most Israel-like country that's not Israel?

My thought would be Saudi Arabia. That's another wealthy Middle Eastern country that serves as a US proxy and ally. Heck, it even, like Israel, contains/controls some of the major holy places of a world religion. How does US spending on Israel compare to US spending on Saudi Arabia?

Googling tells me that the US spends 843 million on aid to Saudi Arabia, which according to this site is... about the same as they spend on Israel. Huh. That works out to a lot less per capita because Saudi Arabia has about three and a half times the population of Israel, but even so, if what the US is doing is buying allies in the Middle East, both the Israelis and the Saudis seem to be worth about the same.

Why is that horrifying? Outside of we ought not fund any of this

Both the magnitude of aid to a first world country and its purpose I find distasteful.

I understand Israel is a proxy and the money creates utility, it doesn't mean I like it.

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.

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