Well, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon all have some form of democracy, Jordan of course being a Constitutional Monarchy. Jordan and Egypt are both pretty advanced countries and Lebanon was until recently. I'm not at all sure that repression is any worse in Jordan, Egypt, Syria or Lebanon than it is in Israel.
Well, I personally agree, but I'm giving the Western rationalization. Hell, I'd feel more comfortable in Dubai or Bahrain than I would in Israel.
The best reason given so far has been that the US needs Israel to act as a surrogate threat so that the US does not appear to be the bad guy.
Israel spies on the US constantly and we don't do crap about it. If I were president, I wouldn't necessarily cut off all ties with Israel, but I certainly would stop giving them preferential treatment. If any of other middle-eastern nation was as aggressive about spying (on their own allies no less) as Israel is with the US, they'd be completely cut off.
"Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it" -- Thomas Paine
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