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The choice really isn't tat hard: Money talks

Reader comment on item: An Israeli Gas Pipeline to Turkey? Bad Idea
in response to reader comment: Obama

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Dec 21, 2015 at 17:34

Hi, Steven

All the big players (Western League) seem to be in on this one: The USA, Russia, the UK Britain, France, Germany, Turkey and Israel. China, India, S. Korea and Japan (the "Eastern League") are sitting it out. The others (including the Iranians) are watching from the sidelines, waiting to see what happens while lending token support here and there. With this lineup, you can see who has the advantage:

Annual Defense Budget, $Million:

USA. -- 577,100
Saudi Arabia --56,725
UK Britain -- 51,500
Germany -- 40,200
France -- 40,000
Italy -- 34,000
Australia -- 26,100
Turkey -- 18,185
Israel -- 17,000
Canada --15,700
U Arab Emirates -- 14,375
Colombia -- 12,145
Spain -- 11,600

vs.

Russia -- 60,400

Iran and Syria are far behind, in another league; and they are certainly no friends of Israel. So, whose side should Israel take? Notice that the US spends as much on defense as all the rest put together; so if Obama backs Turkey, Israel will back Turkey. Money talks.

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Reader comments (29) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Turkish weakness [64 words]Javaid AkhtarJan 31, 2016 01:19227876
An Israeli Pipeline to Turkey? A Bad Idea....Yes. [35 words]AnneJan 2, 2016 09:35227418
I wait to hear Israel say Turkey's position makes progress impossible [64 words]Anon.Dec 29, 2015 13:08227349
Agree [239 words]PhilipDec 29, 2015 07:30227344
Deep in your guts, you know they're nuts. [16 words]Michael SJan 2, 2016 03:45227344
What Turkey is doing [22 words]Charles MartelDec 25, 2015 02:15227276
Empires [214 words]SAKOVKTDec 23, 2015 12:19227233
1Ignorance of Islamism Hurts Israel and the West [235 words]DaveDec 22, 2015 21:09227224
Naivety of modern socieites [49 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AnonDec 22, 2015 18:48227222
Follow the money? [85 words]philleshfanDec 22, 2015 13:59227220
Economic Warfare [316 words]SAKOVKTDec 22, 2015 08:34227216
Did Russia beat Turkey in WWI? [37 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
VivartoDec 22, 2015 06:02227215
1An Israeli Gas Pipeline to Turkey? Bad Idea [122 words]JudithDec 21, 2015 13:37227196
Strictly speaking Ariel Sharon was neither naive nor cynical regarding the Gaza withdrawal. [319 words]Anon.Dec 21, 2015 13:30227195
Disagree with the analysis; it overlooks too much [112 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Naftali GreenwoodDec 21, 2015 12:24227192
Playing games [36 words]BorisGDec 21, 2015 10:40227188
2Let us put Erdogan to the test and do Not be fooled by the most dangerous Islamist on the Planet. [175 words]Miichael Hanni MorcosDec 21, 2015 09:54227186
A very bad idea [135 words]NuritGDec 21, 2015 09:41227184
What is the alternative? [39 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
J. SheffDec 21, 2015 08:29227183
Why is this pipeline bad for Israel? [82 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Kelly HaggarDec 21, 2015 08:24227182
1End all ties with Muslim Brotherhood network [21 words]BrakhaDec 21, 2015 07:27227180
1Answers on the horizon [175 words]Andrew HDec 21, 2015 06:06227178
Bibi is no mug [50 words]Solomon BalasDec 21, 2015 05:22227177
An Israeli Gas Pipeline to Turkey [55 words]Carlos de SouzaDec 21, 2015 04:46227175
Israeli exposure in gas deal with Turkey function of composition of pipeline consortium [66 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA (Israel)Dec 21, 2015 01:39227173
2Obama [24 words]steven LDec 21, 2015 01:15227171
The choice really isn't tat hard: Money talks [169 words]Michael SDec 21, 2015 17:34227171
Don't point to foul play when sheer stupidity will do [59 words]AnonDec 21, 2015 18:33227171
2Netanyahu made the right move [111 words]Michael SDec 25, 2015 02:54227171

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