With oil up to $143/barrel, is it time for the US to tell Israel to back off the war rhetoric with Iran?

Question

Oil is up today over fears of an Israel/Iran conflict.

Obviously, the US cannot tell Israel what to do, but we can threaten to cut off their $3 billion worth of US welfare every year and use it as leverage.

We can also tell Israel that the US will not be an active participant if they decide to strike.

Answer 1

NO, just the opposite...let loose the DOGS OF WAR!!!!

Answer 2

Israel is a sovereign nation, and it has the right to defend itself against a tyrant who wants to wipe them off the face of the earth.

Personally, I would rather THEY take care of any Ahmadinejad-related issues than for us to have to get into it with him on down the road.

Answer 3

Why would we want to do that ?  Israel is our ally, willing to do our bidding on matteres we don't/can't get involved in.

Answer 4

Why is this Israel's fault?  Didn't that Iranian nut job threaten to wipe Israel off the map?  Doesn't Iran have missiles right now aimed at Israel?

The answer to both of those questions is, "yes".

Israel just wants to be left alone.

Answer 5

No, It is not. Isreal is not the country saber rattling. It is Iran.

It is time that we start drilling for oil in our own country.

Look at how it would effect our economy. One little story on Yahoo.

North Dakota couple strike it rich after finding oil on their land

Like that would hurt the economy.

Answer 6

That $3 billion a year is nothing to them now that they have a real economy. It would make NO DIFFERENCE whatsoever.

You see, the Israelis have this thing about survival. It's kinda hard to get folks with the wherewithal to push back on those who threaten that survival to back away from gangsters they see as a threat to their survival. Just kinda how life works. You know, if you want to keep on breathing, right? Right?

So, no, it's NOT TIME to "tell Israel to back off". It's time to say, for the 18,312th time, "You folks do what you folks gotta do and let us know what we can do to help you out." Duh!

Answer 7

I agree with you, we should stop supporting democracies, and start supporting mad dictators around the world.  We'll make money doing it, and that's what counts, right?

Answer 8

While it may or may not be true that the price of oil was affected by fears of a conflict, the main reason that the price of oil is up in general and continues to go up has nothing to do with Israel and Iran but due to numerous other issues.

Thus your suggestion that the US should tell Israel to be quiet about Iran just so the price of oil should not go up is quite preposterous. It is also even more preposterous in light of the fact that there are many in the current administration (and outside it) that agree with Israel, at least in the respect that Iran constitutes a threat, not just to Israel but to US interests.

And somehow, the fact that Buchanan agrees with you doesn't really impress me though it doesn't surprise me.

Answer 9

Or maybe put more pressure on Iran to back off?

There are two in this fight why pick on the side that didn't take over our embassy but you pick to defend the side that is supplying weapons to those who are killing our troops?

Answer 10

I agree.  That simple step would go a long way to solving a lot of problems that we seem to be having in th emiddle east.