The closest U.S. ally not in NATO

[AkSaber]

I've been thinking about this for a while, and used the Major non-NATO ally list.

I think it's Australia, hands down. We share a long and common history, and have had very few disagreements.

[Lunar]

I would say Israel because it has a very forceful, very effective lobbying organization.  Statements condemning Israel's enemies in conflicts that would be controversial in any other country are passed with 0% dissent in America.

The most reliable ally we've had is Australia

[2952-0-0]

But is the US, Israel's most reliable ally or is it the other way around?

[Lunar]

But is the US, Israel's most reliable ally or is it the other way around?

Israel would have our back because they need us so badly.  But we don't want them to contribute troops to any conflict in the Mid-East because it'd be such a volatile move and they're already a country in a semi-constant state of war.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Israel.  Australia takes 2nd.

[© tweed]

Israel, in a parasitic sense

[Sbane]

Israel, in a parasitic sense

Exactly. Australia is our true closest non NATO ally.

[Governor PiT]

Israel, in a parasitic sense

[dead0man]

Who should it be?  Brazil
Who is the most important from our perspective right now?  Japan
Closest over the long term? Aussies/Kiwis
Who is the most important from their perspective right now? Israel (but Japan, S.Korea, Georgia, Taiwan, Kuwait, S.Arabia...probably a couple of others, are right on the Jewish tail)

[Lunar]

Who should it be?  Brazil
Who is the most important from our perspective right now?  Japan
Closest over the long term? Aussies/Kiwis
Who is the most important from their perspective right now? Israel (but Japan, S.Korea, Georgia, Taiwan, Kuwait, S.Arabia...probably a couple of others, are right on the Jewish tail)

So... chocolate chip cookies = A++?

[dead0man]

Depends on the brand (or how they were made at home).  Keebler's Soft Batch is the brand God eats.

[Eraserhead]

My cynical side says Israel, my realist side says Australia.

[Zarn]

Who should it be?  Brazil
Who is the most important from our perspective right now?  Japan
Closest over the long term? Aussies/Kiwis
Who is the most important from their perspective right now? Israel (but Japan, S.Korea, Georgia, Taiwan, Kuwait, S.Arabia...probably a couple of others, are right on the Jewish tail)

That's sounds about right. I like Japan, Australia, and NZ, but Brazil is the most important.

[Purple State]

Israel in the sense that a stable ally with a supportive populace in the Middle East is a good thing. And having an ally with balls willing to say no to us sometimes is also a good thing. A yes-man is not a great ally. A country that ca say no occasionally and that thinks for itself is a great ally.

Oh, and not to mention our collaboration with them on countless military technology developments.

On a random side not, why does NiK's signature include Miley Cyrus in her underwear?

[Verily]

Australia. The US is Israel's most reliable ally, but I'm not inclined to agree with the converse.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Israel, with Australia in second.

[Franzl]

Israel, with Australia in second.

Frankly, what has Israel ever done for the U.S.?

I understand that we provide them with everything they want and need, but I can't say that we've really gotten much in return.

Quite the contrary, our support and relationship with Israel has caused us more international problems than anything else. That doesn't necessarily mean that we should change our policy (well...yes it does actually, in my opinion), but regardless of one's view of Israel, I can't believe you'd call them an ally.

[jamestroll]

Israel, with Australia in second.

Frankly, what has Israel ever done for the U.S.?

I understand that we provide them with everything they want and need, but I can't say that we've really gotten much in return.

Quite the contrary, our support and relationship with Israel has caused us more international problems than anything else. That doesn't necessarily mean that we should change our policy (well...yes it does actually, in my opinion), but regardless of one's view of Israel, I can't believe you'd call them an ally.

Israel sucks *pukes*.

[Lunar]

Israel, with Australia in second.

Frankly, what has Israel ever done for the U.S.?

I understand that we provide them with everything they want and need, but I can't say that we've really gotten much in return.

They'd give us anything if we asked for it.  We don't usually want it though (politically charged in recent wars+ they need their own troops). 

[© tweed]

Israel, with Australia in second.

Frankly, what has Israel ever done for the U.S.?

I understand that we provide them with everything they want and need, but I can't say that we've really gotten much in return.

They'd give us anything if we asked for it.  We don't usually want it though (politically charged in recent wars+ they need their own troops). 

...because if they piss us off they cease to exist within five years...

[dead0man]

Israel, with Australia in second.

Frankly, what has Israel ever done for the U.S.?

I understand that we provide them with everything they want and need, but I can't say that we've really gotten much in return.

Quite the contrary, our support and relationship with Israel has caused us more international problems than anything else. That doesn't necessarily mean that we should change our policy (well...yes it does actually, in my opinion), but regardless of one's view of Israel, I can't believe you'd call them an ally.

Lots and LOTS of intel goes both ways (and yes, we still spy on each other, but so does every other major power towards each other.  You'd be naive to think the UK doesn't spy on Germany and Germany on France and France on Spain and Spain....maybe not Spain).  At times it's been a good test bed for our weapons and strategies.

Certainly they've gained a lot more from us than we them, but we have gained valuable things from them that we woulldn't have been able to posses if we were not their ally.

[Verily]

Israel, with Australia in second.

Frankly, what has Israel ever done for the U.S.?

I understand that we provide them with everything they want and need, but I can't say that we've really gotten much in return.

They'd give us anything if we asked for it.  We don't usually want it though (politically charged in recent wars+ they need their own troops). 

No, they wouldn't give us anything. Whether that's because they're involved in their own troubles or not is irrelevant. Israel just has nothing to offer to anyone as an ally. Which effectively makes them not an ally at all.

[Lunar]

It's closest, not most reliable.  Even if they were too mired in their own local conflict, at the very least the populous and government would very deeply want to help us out.  Australia for some reason has a standing army so we know we can always hit them up Usually we don't want Israel to contribute troops to our wars.

I think if we invaded Vietnam again, say under the worst pretenses imaginable enough that Australia was too disgusted to contribute, we could still hit up Israel for like a thousand troops.

[The Mikado]

If we aren't talking militarily, and to some extent even if we are (considering the JSDF is essentially designed to be support troops for the American military), our great friends of 60+ years in Japan should be a contender for this title.

[Lunar]

I feel that Japan has been drifting away from us rather than towards us though.  They're starting to become far more dependent on China (are we) and it's not really clear who will support whom if the US and China got involved or if China and Japan got involved in a conflict in 2030.