Which U.S. Presidents Were Most and Least Pro-Israel?

[Bo]

I think that anti-Israel sentiment in the West only became significant after the Six-Day War.

No, in fact, support for Israel only really gained steam after the six day war, when the America realized Israel's place as an asset in the middle east. Before then, Israel was treated with suspicion; among other things, because of their perceived ties to the left, and questions of allegiance.

On topic, barring any president pre-war, I would say Eisenhower, or JFK to be the least supportive of Israel. Reagan or Bush II as most.

I understand that Israel gained more support among politicians in the U.S. after the Six-Day War. However, I thought many ordinary people in the West (in the U.S. and in Europe, perhaps mostly in Europe) began to have worse opinions of Israel after the Six-Day War. I think that this might be especially true of left-leaning Westerners. Also, I don't get why people think Ike and Truman were as bad to Israel as JFK. They didn't threaten Israel like JFK did for trying to defend itself (and Ike knew that Israel was building nukes at Dimona). Finally, I don't get why Bush Jr. was considered more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, Ford, or Reagan.

[Psychic Octopus]

Most - Bush
Least - Kennedy

[Bo]

Most - Bush

Jr., I assume? Also, how come?

[Cubby]

I understand that Israel gained more support among politicians in the U.S. after the Six-Day War. However, I thought many ordinary people in the West (in the U.S. and in Europe, perhaps mostly in Europe) began to have worse opinions of Israel after the Six-Day War. I think that this might be especially true of left-leaning Westerners. Also, I don't get why people think Ike and Truman were as bad to Israel as JFK. They didn't threaten Israel like JFK did for trying to defend itself (and Ike knew that Israel was building nukes at Dimona). Finally, I don't get why Bush Jr. was considered more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, Ford, or Reagan.

Eisenhower was anti-Israel specifically in regards to the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. I don't understand why he wanted to defend Nasser so much, seeing as how the rest of his foreign policy was so strongly anti-leftist and in support of pro-Western Governments.

Lyndon Johnson was pro-Israel. We could have gotten much madder about the USS Liberty Incident, but he had too much going on at the time in Vietnam to get involved in another foreign military event.

[Bo]

I understand that Israel gained more support among politicians in the U.S. after the Six-Day War. However, I thought many ordinary people in the West (in the U.S. and in Europe, perhaps mostly in Europe) began to have worse opinions of Israel after the Six-Day War. I think that this might be especially true of left-leaning Westerners. Also, I don't get why people think Ike and Truman were as bad to Israel as JFK. They didn't threaten Israel like JFK did for trying to defend itself (and Ike knew that Israel was building nukes at Dimona). Finally, I don't get why Bush Jr. was considered more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, Ford, or Reagan.

Eisenhower was anti-Israel specifically in regards to the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. I don't understand why he wanted to defend Nasser so much, seeing as how the rest of his foreign policy was so strongly anti-leftist and in support of pro-Western Governments.

Lyndon Johnson was pro-Israel. We could have gotten much madder about the USS Liberty Incident, but he had too much going on at the time in Vietnam to get involved in another foreign military event.

Ike interveneted in the Suez Crisis in 1956 because the USSR threatened to fire nuclear missiles at London, Paris, and Tel Aviv and Ike did not want to take the risk that they will actually do it. At least Ike didn't threaten to place sanctions on Israel for budiling nukes to defend itself. I wasn't asking about LBJ specifically--I knew that he was very pro-Israel. I was asking why people consider Bush Jr. to be more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, Ford, or Reagan.
All those Presidents were very pro-Israel. I don't see what makes Bush Jr. stand out.

[Free Trade is managed by the invisible hand.]

The tautological axiom of pro-X creates the diametrically opposed axiom of anti-X, and thus indirectly creates a false dilemma. Thus a divisive argument is created that assumes authoritarian characteristics because it suggests that we are either for something or against something.

You are either with my side or against my side.

[Chaim]

Most: Bush

Least: JFK

[Bo]

Most: Bush

Jr., I presume? Also, how come? What makes Bush Jr. more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, and Reagan?

[Chaim]

Most: Bush

Jr., I presume? Also, how come? What makes Bush Jr. more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, and Reagan?

He went to war for them.

[Bo]

Most: Bush

Jr., I presume? Also, how come? What makes Bush Jr. more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, and Reagan?

He went to war for them.

Very funny, but there is no evidence whatsoever that Sharon or anyone else in the Israel govt. telling Bush to invade Iraq before he actually did it.

[Chaim]

Most: Bush

Jr., I presume? Also, how come? What makes Bush Jr. more pro-Israel than LBJ, Nixon, and Reagan?

He went to war for them.

Very funny, but there is no evidence whatsoever that Sharon or anyone else in the Israel govt. telling Bush to invade Iraq before he actually did it.

http://www.amconmag.com/article/2003/mar/24/00007/

[dead0man]

He asked for evidence, not an opinion piece.