What Obama Was Up to at AIPAC?

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A year after U.S. President George W. Bush agreed to increase military aid to Israel by 25 percent, it now seems that all political obstacles that had prevented Democrats in Congress from coming on board and supporting the extra aid have been lifted.

Last June, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert convinced Bush of the need for additional military support in view of the growing strategic threats faced by Israel in the wake of the Second Lebanon War, in 2006.

Nonetheless, despite the president's commitment to an increase, an agreement was not finalized. Political and defense sources in Israel had said that the main reason for the delay stemmed from concerns among Democrats, who control both houses of Congress, that the additional defense aid would be credited to the Republicans during a major election year. Not only is the White House up for grabs in 2008, but also the House of Representatives and a third of all Senate seats.

In Israel, it had been hoped that the increased assistance would begin flowing as early as October 2008. The delay, however, is likely to defer certain plans in Israel by as much as two years, since the Bush administration is unable to find the time to deal with the issue during its final year in office.

Both Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni joined Olmert in trying to convince the Democrats to support increasing military assistance to Israel.

An agreement was finalized during Olmert's meeting last Thursday in Washington with the majority Democratic leadership and the minority Republicans in the Senate.

Among the systems Israel is keen to acquire with the extra assistance is the F-35 stealth attack fighter, the cost of which is estimated at $100 million each. Israel is also planning to spend at least $1 billion, partly with U.S. military assistance, in upgraded missile defense systems.