It seems no presidential hopeful can be taken seriously without joining the “I support Isreal the most!” competition. Is there any better reason than a handful of Jews in a crucial swing state (Florida)?
Well, Israel is the only country in the middle east that is democratic and similar in values to the US. Since we also really, really like oil it behooves the US to have a steadfast friend in the region where most of the oil comes from.
From what I hear, the Israel lobby is pretty influential. Also, the Christian right tends to be rather pro-Israel.
In addition to the above, why wouldn’t politicians support Israel? If there were another Western country (and Israel is in culture, if not necessarily geography) under constant attack and populated largely by ex-U.S. citizens and their relatives and descendants, we would support that country, too.
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
ETA: I’m tired of talking about Israel. When can we just come out and admit that the Jews run the world? 
However Israel does not produce any oil. Our steadfast friend is also the steadfast enemy of most of the oil producers.
Israel is not at this point the enemy of the oil producers. Mind you it is a potential enemy of Iran. But most of the oil producers have no love at this point for Israel’s remaining enemies: mainly Hamas and Hizbollah. And they do not make any oil at all.
But to the op - a solid number of American politicians really do feel that a stable and secure Israel that is strong enough to not tempt an overt attack is a better circumstance for American interests than a weaker one that does tempt attack.
In an election campaign it is also good politics. Some voters in some critical districts will be single issue voters over adequate support of Israel. There are relatively fewer who would vote for someone exclusively because they are against Israel and they are not going to be the critical votes in an election.
It’s not merely presidential hopefuls: nearly all politicians, even congresspeople with no ambitions and safe seats, support Israel. Why? Because the vast majority of Americans support Israel.
Sometimes it’s not complicated.
“Huge”
They practically fall over themselves fighting over who can be the most pro-israel, though. It’s always strange to me, and seems non-sequitur in the debates.
Next to the race-card, the anti-Semite card is trumps.
They also fall also fall all over themselves talking about how they want to be tough on crime, cut wasteful spending, etc.
Of course, the devil is always in the details, and when it comes right down to it, some pols are relatively more or less supportive than others. But out-and-out saying that you “don’t support Israel” is like saying that “we don’t need to be so tough on crime” or “we already spend plenty on education.” It just isn’t done, or at least very, rarely, and only by people in very safe seats.
In fact, the more credible a case can be that can be made that you are a tepid supporter, all the more need, politically, to fall all over yourself saying you are a strong one.
Unfortunately this contains the essence of the answer. North America has been irredeemably saturated with Israeli propaganda. While none of it is true, the preternatural servility of the American people and the cowling and obsequious nature of its political class means both can be made to recite the official dogma, on command.
If you are in the field of fighting ignorance, then the Israel-American relationship is ground zero. But politicians and the US public at large, aren’t.
Isn’t it pretty much the same thing.
No
As elsewhere noted, the answer really can be simple.
I’m sure I speak for many people when I say: Huh? 
Quote:
Originally Posted by spike404
Next to the race-card, the anti-Semite card is trumps.
Isn’t it pretty much the same thing
No. The race card is always an ace, the anti-Semite card is a king, and the homo-phobic card is a queen.
The “queen” being a trump----ironic, is it not?
Opinion. Got anything to back it up?
For my part there is no questioning the US reliance on mid-east oil. Nor is there any doubt that Israel is our very best friend in the region. From a military and political standpoint that is important any way you slice it.
I have no doubt that if Israel were some central-African country with no oil or other important resources in the region and little of anything else to recommend it Israel would be screwed. We’d pay lip service to another democracy sure and provide some aid but nothing like the Israelis enjoy today.
Sadly US foreign policy is not based on ethical or principled considerations but rather what is in our best interests. Maybe it should be that way but that is a question for a different thread.
I’m not sure if it’s that Americans like Israel as much as the fact that they dislike the Palestinians’ tactics. For people of my generation the Munich Olympics was the first exposure to the PLA and it’s been pretty much downhill since then.
Suicide bombings are pretty much antithetical to everything Americans believe in. Add to that the fact that Israelis and Jews haven’t targeted the US for terrorist attacks and I don’t think it’s a big surprise that most Americans come down on the side of Israel.
As for politicians, they know which way the wind blows.
Israel doesn’t have any oil and most of the oil-producers in the ME don’t even recognize Israel. Because Israeli is a political pariah in the region, its military is largely useless to the US when it comes to defending its regional interests. And a quick look at the map will confirm that Israel doesn’t even border the major oil-producing countries so basing ,overflight rights from Israel are again largely useless. On the whole Israel really isn’t a very useful ally at all. The devotion that US politicians profess towards Israel has more to do with the domestic Israel lobby than it has to do with the general interests of the US.