US Boosts Funding for Israel's 'Iron Dome' Defense System

in this picture you see A rocket is launched from the Israeli anti-missile system known as Iron Dome, March 12, 2012

The United States has fulfilled Israel's request for another $70 million to pay for Iron Dome, a missile defense system aimed at protecting Israelis from rockets fired by militants in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak came to the Pentagon Thursday, the latest of several visits in recent months to ask for additional funding for the surface-to-air missile system that already has stopped several militant rocket attacks on southern Israel.

In a statement, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said President Barack Obama has directed him to fill the Israeli request to fund a system that Panetta says has saved Israeli lives and can prevent an escalation of violence in the region.

Pentagon spokesman George Little says the move signals U.S. commitment to Israel's missile defense and its overall security, even at a time when the Pentagon is facing severe budget constraints.

"Israel is in a tough neighborhood and we have for decades supported their independence and their security," said Little. "We believe that an investment in Israeli security is important for Israel and important for the United States."

The United States provides about $3 billion in security assistance to the Jewish state annually. Washington already has paid $205 million for the system, which U.S. and Israeli officials say has proven its worth.

In March, the U.S. Defense Department said the system was responsible for taking down 80 percent of several hundred rockets that militants in the Gaza Strip directed at Israel.

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European Economy, African Food Security to Top G8 Summit

WHITE HOUSE - Europe’s economic crisis is expected to dominate the discussions when the Group of Eight nations hold their economic summit near Washington on Friday and Saturday. Food security in Africa will also be high on the agenda.

In this picture you see Activists wearing masks depicting G8 world leaders participate in a demonstration outside the White House in Washington, May 17, 2012. (AP)

The meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat will be the first G8 summit to include France’s new president, Francois Hollande.

The French leader was elected on a promise to help move Europe toward a pro-growth economic plan, and away from the austerity policy of his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr. Hollande will meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday, before leaving for Camp David.

U.S. National Security Adviser Tom Donilon said Thursday that the Obama administration favors an approach in which Europe balances economic stimulus with austerity.

“The United States welcomes the evolving discussion and debate in Europe about the imperative for jobs and growth," said Donilon.

The European Union is America’s largest trading partner, and Donilon said the United States has an “extraordinarily significant stake in the outcome” of Europe’s economic discussions. President Obama says he is confident that Europe can resolve its economic crisis without significant help from Washington.

At Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, Europe analyst Heather Conley says that Mr. Obama is more closely aligned with Mr. Hollande’s views than with those of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who strongly supports austerity measures.

“Clearly, I think President Obama will want to send a reaffirming message that better [national budget] balancing is required for Europe, so it can quickly return to economic health," said Conley.

CSIS political economist Matthew Goodman says Mr. Obama hopes the summit will help Europe move toward solutions.

“I think the White House does not want to have a sterile debate about growth versus austerity," said Goodman. "But inevitably, that is going to be a theme in the conversation.”

The other main topic of the summit will be efforts to boost Africa’s food security and agricultural productivity. President Obama has invited the leaders of Benin, Ghana, Tanzania and Ethiopia to attend the summit.

Analyst Matthew Goodman says those four countries have made progress in improving their food situation.

“They were chosen based on the sort of underlying policy efforts that they had made to promote innovative approaches to increasing agricultural productivity and increasing investment and so forth," he said.

Goodman says he does not expect any major new commitments of money from the G8 to the African food effort.

Other issues expected to be discussed at the summit are post-war economic support for Afghanistan, tightened sanctions on Iran, and the ongoing violence in Syria.

White House officials say the G8 Summit will be the largest gathering of world leaders in Camp David’s seven-decade history.

European Economy, African Food Security to Top G8 Summit

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