I'm not surprised nobody mentioned Israel, with the constant existential threats it faces. But despite the mammoth spending necessary on the military, it's managed to avoid a recession over the last four years. It's future is bright with the discovery of oil and gas reserves that might make it an exporter within a couple of years. And most importantly, (SURPRISE!) they're willing to do what it takes to defend themselves. Like him or not like him, fact is that the Israeli Prime Minister is now the leader of the free world.
A reader from New York has a follow-up question for me.
Referencing a “Question of the Week” from last month, in which I expressed guarded optimism that America could be saved, she wants to know what I would do if things go the wrong way.
In other words, what if things go really wrong and America suffers a Greek-style fiscal collapse? And imagine how bad that might be since there wouldn’t be an IMF or European Central Bank capable of providing bailouts to the United States.
Perhaps because of an irrational form of patriotism, I’m fairly certain that I...
I could live like a king is somebody would only pump $4 billion into my bank account every year...
And that is just the direct aid...we also "LOAN" them money, then the next session of Congress quietly votes to forgive the debt.
Finally, we took our Iraq for Israel...that will cost us up to $ TRILLION all-in per economist Stiglitz. The neoCON cabal (Wolfy, Perle, Feith, Abrams, Libby, Senor, Fleischer) then surrounding Dubya had said well before 9/11 that it was their # 1 priority once he got into office.
Never have so many been made to do so much for so few.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030702846.html