Obama to announce massive Iron Dome package....After Congress Forces His Hand!

Obama to announce massive Iron Dome package....After Congress Forces His Hand!(JPost).
The Obama administration is planning to announce this week a $680 million aid package to Israel for the procurement of additional Iron Dome batteries. The announcement will be made following a meeting between Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at the Pentagon on Thursday. The two will hold a joint press conference following the meeting.Israel currently has four operational Iron Dome batteries and the Air Force plans to deploy an additional 3 over the coming year. The $680 million in aid will enable Israel to purchase 3-4 more batteries and accompanying interceptors. Since its deployment last year, Iron Dome batteries have intercepted nearly 100 Katyusha and Kassam rockets fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Barak’s talks with Panetta will also focus on Iran’s continued pursuit of a nuclear capability. They will also discuss the upcoming second round of talks between western powers and Iran scheduled for May 23 in Baghdad. The new aid package comes after the Obama administration gave Israel $205 million in 2011 and is in addition to the $3 billion Israel receives in annual foreign military aid from the United States. There has been speculation that the US’s decision to increase funding for Iron Dome could be a sign of improved coordination between Jerusalem and Washington regarding Iran and possibly an indication that Israel is not planning to attack the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities in the near future. In addition to funding for new batteries, Congress also supports the development of Arrow-3 – Israel’s futuristic defense system against ballistic missiles – as well David’s Sling, the medium-range missile defense system under development by Raytheon and Rafael. Each interceptor costs between $50,000-100,000 and usually two are fired at rockets slated for interception.
Hmmmm................Flashback Feb 14 - 2012. MFS - The Other News: Obama set to approve Egypt, PA aid despite tensions, but decreases Israel's defence Budget!
HT:IsraelMatzav.Obama decreases Israel's defence Budget!Tucked within Obama’s 2013 budget proposal is a request to reduce the amount of money Israel receives for its critical missile defense systems by $6.3 million relative to the 2012 budget proposal. Among these defense systems are Arrow and David’s Sling, both of which are jointly operated with the U.S.Publicly, the president has referred to himself as a stalwart champion of the U.S.-Israel military alliance. But administration efforts to reduce the amount of missile defense aid that Israel receives appear to be a growing trend in the president’s budget proposals.In fiscal year 2011, the administration requested $121.7 million in military aid for Israel’s key missile defense programs, according to the Defense Department. That number dropped to $106.1 million in the 2012 budget proposal, and plummeted again to $99.8 million in Obama’s newly released 2013 proposal.
“The continued downward slide in President Obama’s requests for critical US-Israel missile defense programs is troubling, and while Israel can continue to rely on close friends on Capitol Hill to make up the shortfall in funds needed, one is left wondering what President Obama would do if he becomes a lame duck President,” said a defense budget analyst who has tracked Israel funding for years, but was not authorized to speak on record.Hmmmm...........Can anyone be more hypocrite than this man?Read the full story here.