In his Jan. 4 letter, is Earle Hightower really complaining about U.S. foreign aid or about aid to Israel and Israel itself?

The letter mentions 14 countries by name. Of the 14, it spends five of nine paragraphs discussing Israel, and U.S. aid to Israel.

The other 13 countries are mentioned in one of the other four paragraphs and otherwise ignored, as is the fact that the report cited states that the United States supplies aid, in one form or another, to around 150 countries.

Israel is the only real, functioning democracy in the Mideast and the only real friend and ally the United States has in the Mideast.

Given the foregoing, the advances made by Israel in sciences, technology, medicine and agriculture, and the gratitude shown to the United States for its aid and friendship, Israel is one of the few recipients of U.S. foreign aid where the United States has gotten its money's worth.

Weapons and munitions are not supplied to Israel by the United States at no cost. Israel pays for what it receives, although like many countries, loan guarantees are made.

If Israel buys the Joint Strike Fighter system (F-35, not F-5, the F-5 was an uprated version of a 1960s U.S. trainer, the T-38), it will pay for those as well.

Charles "Chip" Mirman

Pinehurst