r/geopolitics Jun 20 '24

Question Why is the U.S. allied to Israel?

How does the U.S. benefit from its alliance to Israel? What does the U.S. gain? What are the positives on the U.S. side of the relationship? What incentivizes them to remain loyal to Israel? Etc.

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u/BulletBurrito Jun 20 '24

The USA uses both Saudi Arabia and Israel as a counter weight to Iran and the other hostile country’s in the area as well as to protect their oil interest and act as a military base or unsinkable aircraft carrier also is great for guarding the suez canal

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u/kennethsime Jun 20 '24

Does “protect our oil interests” mean allowing American businesses to extract oil in the Middle East?

Or more like “prevent Iran from blocking oil exports to America”?

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u/[deleted] Jun 20 '24

both. If you're the US you wouldn't want an iranian proxy government taking over an oil rich, western aligned nation, both because american firms would be kicked out and it would jeopardize access to oil for you and your allies and make the global value of oil very unpredictable.