Bachmann: God will 'curse' America if it opposes Israel

Michele Bachmann, the outspoken conservative House representative from Minnesota, says the United States will cease to exist if it "fails to stand" with Israel.

"I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States," Bachmann said at a meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Los Angeles on Feb. 6.

Bachmann went on to explain that God's special relationship with Israel means the US would be cursed if it were to oppose Israeli policies.

"We have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play," Bachmann said.

The congresswoman's comments went under the radar until Andy Birkey reported on them at the Minnesota Independent.

Citing a transcript from the Israeli affairs blog Israpundit, Birkey summed up Bachmann's position as: "Support for Israel is handed down by God and if the United States pulls back its support, America will cease to exist."

Many Republicans have criticized the Obama administration for taking a tougher line with Israel than its predecessors. In the wake of the 2008-2009 Gaza war last year, which saw some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis killed, the White House has been putting pressure on Israel to make concessions in the peace process.

Bachmann, who was elected to the US House in 2006, has positioned herself close to the Republican Party's populist, right-wing flank, seemingly taking her cues from right-wing talk radio and conservative Web sites.

She declared last year her intention of not filling out the 2010 census form -- a federal offense -- because she believes it will be skewed by the Obama administration for political purposes.

Bachmann has also argued against the right of the accused 9/11 plotters to be put on trial, arguing that such rights are "preserved for American citizens." She has dubbed proposed climate-change legislation "tyranny."

While Bachmann has opposed government intervention in the economy, including President Obama's stimulus package, Raw Story reported that she and her family have received nearly a quarter of a million dollars in farm subsidies over the past decade.