The U.S. military is moving an aircraft carrier strike group and military aircraft closer to Israel as a show of support, and will also begin supplying Israel with munitions and other military supplies immediately, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Austin said Sunday afternoon that he had directed the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to go to the Eastern Mediterranean. The group includes the carrier, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, and four Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. “We have also taken steps to augment U.S Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region,” he said. “In addition, the United States government will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions. The first security assistance will begin moving today and arriving in the coming days."

“Strengthening our joint force posture, in addition to the materiel support that we will rapidly provide to Israel, underscores the United States’ ironclad support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli people,” said Austin. “My team and I will continue to be in close contact with our Israeli counterparts to ensure they have what they need to protect their citizens and defend themselves against these heinous terrorist attacks.”

  • Tammo-Korsai@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Israel has its own military industry that is very advanced and substantial, shaped by their forever war, so I’m sure they can get by without US support for far longer than Ukraine currently can.

    • iByteABit [he/him]@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      It’s ok, americans don’t have healthcare so they can afford to wage wars all over the place

      • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Universal healthcare is cheaper per-capita than the system the US has. The US would be able to spend even more on the military if they fixed that. The military isn’t why the US doesn’t have a better healthcare system.

        • Dave.@aussie.zone
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          1 year ago

          The US would be able to spend even more on the military if they fixed that.

          Maybe someone needs to phrase it like that to their politicians.

          • NightAuthor@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            No, the inefficiency is the point, it’s how healthcare is such good business in the US. And since companies are people, and people have the right to free speech, and since political donations are speech, then companies have the more speech than all the other citizens combined, and the politicians listen (The euphemism for this is “Citizens United”).

          • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            You cant because the health care industry is bribing lobbying those politicians to keep it that way.

        • Pons_Aelius@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          In a way it is.

          You get free health care while you serve and the VA after. Yes, the VA is not great but it is still way, way better than no health care at all. So having shitty health for the general public care makes joining more attractive.

          Same with the GI bill and the cost of university.

      • CADmonkey@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        We don’t have free healthcare, in part because we are paying for Israel’s free healthcare.

    • jwt@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      … they can get by without US support

      Israel already receiving US support since 1973. So that ship has sailed, so to speak.

    • paddirn@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Can the US provide this same sort of support to Ukraine, where it just gives stuff to that country? Does that need to be approved by Congress, or because it’s not “spending” money it doesn’t need their approval?

      • Chunk@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It needs approval from Congress but they got that approval 70 years ago and it’s never expired.

        Israel is the #1 recipient of foreign aid from the US. (Before the Ukraine war). Egypt, by treaty, received 10% of what Israel gets. That makes Egypt the #2 recipient of foreign aid.

        The next country we voluntarily give foreign aid to receives less than 10% of what we give Israel.