There’s a debate that goes like: America supports the Zionist cause because of strategic interest in the middle east, to test weaponry, to park aircraft, etc. The other side says America supports Zionism because of powerful lobbying from organizations like AIPAC and the ADL. Then I guess there’s a third explanation involving American evangelicals and their religious doctrines, along with their own lobbying and campaigning.
For me personally it seems like it’s all of those things at the same time, with perhaps strategic interest being the most pressing. I say that because of the multiple instances of the CIA discovering things like Israeli spying equipment in Washington DC, and yet nothing is done. There are literal Israeli intelligence assets working as aides to senators and nothing is done. I only ever see feds do that when they’ve been instructed something is off-limits.
I also know this wasn’t always the case, because people like Johnathan Pollard got thrown in jail. And I know the Bush Sr admin was less amicable. So what’s yall’s stance here
I think it’s a circular thing, where the US has a strategic interest in the middle east, some countries got rich off this, and, in interest of not getting Saddam’d, those countries started to pay for lobbyists and buy politicians so they can’t become the new enemy of the week. Israel’s lobbying takes the form of zionist and evangelical organizations, but aside from having specific ideologies attached, I don’t think it’s that different from when Saudi Arabia does it.