Glick tweets: The order for the additional F-35 squadron should be cancelled

Peloni:  Israel has every need to regain its complete independence from the US to demonstrate its sovereign duty to defend its citizens without needing to secure American permission to do so.  Hence, Israel must own up to the fact that she is a wealthy nation, capable of carrying the heavy burden of its military needs on the back of its own economy and thereby sever the strings of servitude which are tied to the ‘aid’ which Israel receives from the US.  By doing so, Israel will be able to build her military to meet the needs of her own threat assessment rather than choosing from the list of American products which are prescribed for her by foreigners serving foreign interests rather than those of Israel, herself.

Caroline Glick,  X   March 26, 2024

The order for the additional F-35 squadron should be cancelled. The planes are not suitable for the threat scene. They deepen dependence on a foreign power, are a burden on the economy and divert funds from much more essential systems and needs.

The louder the cry, the more clearly you hit. The story of the F-35 is a complex story. Defense Minister at the time Bogi Ya’alon opposed the purchase of the weapon and wanted to purchase instead advanced F-15 and F-16 aircraft that were more suited to Israel’s needs.

The Obama administration refused. We wanted to control and develop the internal systems of the plane, as we did in the F16 and the Americans refused. And all along the way the Air Force followed the Americans. Over time, the plane did prove itself. But at least since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have seen that the future lies in drones and missiles and not in manned aircraft that will play a smaller and smaller role in the coming years. When you think about the current and future arena, it is clear to me at least that the right investment is in establishing a missile force and UAVs (and combat helicopters ) and no further reliance on the F-35. The decision to acquire another squadron was taken recklessly immediately after 7.10 without any public discussion. This is not a fait accompli, it is important to examine the alternatives and check the feasibility of all of them against all of them, as well as the gains and losses both on a strategic level and on an economic level of each alternative. Moreover, the critics here tell me (at least, but they are not satisfied with demonization and chauvinistic teasing in any case), that these planes do not cost us money at all because the Americans provide them to us as part of the aid. So first of all, it is not clear why they want to receive aid from the US. In my opinion, we have a supreme interest in ending this chapter receiving aid from America. We are already a 76-year-old country. Enough. Beyond that, this is not a gift from Uncle Sam. This is a way to acquire dependence and control Son. And today everyone sees what I warned about over 20 years ago. We must not be dependent on foreign factors in everything related to our existence. There are also heavy economic costs that arise from “free” systems. The training of the ground and air crews, the protection of the bases, the runways — that they are vulnerable and exposed to Hezbollah missiles and more, not to mention dependence on expensive spare parts in real time and for decades to come. These funds can be invested in the development and export of other systems, and in the production of sensors and spare parts. And we can channel our often blessed partnership with the US into joint projects , for the benefit of both parties.