Israeli PM admits to nuclear weapons (Two admissions in a week????)

[Flabbergasted]

AM - Tuesday, 12 December , 2006 08:11:00

Reporter: David Hardaker

PETER CAVE: Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, has made an embarrassing gaffe during a visit to Germany, apparently admitting that his country possesses nuclear weapons.

He listed Israel, along with America, France and Russia as nuclear states.

Israel has a strict policy of never admitting to or denying it has such weapons, despite a widespread belief that it has hundreds of them at the ready.

I spoke to our Middle East Correspondent, David Hardaker, and asked him about the context of the unfortunate slip.

DAVID HARDAKER: Peter, it appears to be a slip of the tongue really, from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

He was interviewed on arrival in Germany by a German television network. He was angered by a question asking whether or not Israel's possession of nuclear power weakened the West's position against Iran.

He exclaimed, "Israel is a democracy and does not threaten anyone. The only thing we have tried to do is to live without threats of terror, but we've never threatened anyone with annihilation. And can you say this in the same level while Iran is aspiring to have nuclear weapons, like America, like France, like Israel and Russia".

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1809421.htm

[More Than A Feeling]

1. Oops. Begin the massive spinning to deny it in three, two, one...n/t

[sam sarrha]

2. i saw a program that said Israels had 200 bombs and about the consequences of even thinking about

using an atomic weapon on Israel. the program concluded that Israel is prepared to totally annihilate the local Muslim countries.. i dont think they intend to put up with any shit what so ever.

[still_one]

3. Then I would strongly urge the other countries NOT to use an atomic weapon on Israel

[Andromeda]

4. Yes. Israel would retaliate if any of the Muslim states

attacked them first. The difference is the word "first." Israel would never start a nuclear war but would defend themselves if any of its unpredictable neighbors, namely, Iran or Syria, struck them first.

Israel isn't alone. The U.S., Pakistan, India, China, North Korea, France, Iran and probably others have nuclear weapons.

The potential of such massive destruction is awesome and works as a deterrent against the less stable countries.

[oblivious]

5. "Israel would never start a nuclear war" .... What if it turns out you're wrong?

[Behind the Aegis]

8. What if you are wrong?

[oblivious]

10. about what?

[Behind the Aegis]

11. Isreal not starting a nuclear war, but responding to one.

[sam sarrha]

17. LISTEN UP... Israel will NEVER let a nuclear attack HAPPEN they will attack first...!!

[Behind the Aegis]

18. Your crystal ball tell you this?

[sam sarrha]

19. they cant take even one little nuke hit.. they would be destroyed as a nation, they cant risk it

[Behind the Aegis]

20. That doesn't mean they will attack first. That's just bad logic.

[Tom Joad]

6. Iran does not have nuclear weapons.

Informed people would know that.

[idontwantaname]

7. ive got a bigger and harder dick than you... awesome dude

so basically some crazy terrorist blows a nuke inside israel. who would support unrestrained mass nuclear bombing of innocent people as an eye for an eye? did anyone forget the mass destruction of lebanon... sans nukes. aint no need for this mentality.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Hyperbole at its worst.

Mass destruction of Lebanon? :eyes: Perhaps, and here is a crazy thought, maybe if the terrorist groups and other Arab/Muslim nations stopped fucking with Israel, maybe things might change...even if they just left her alone all together!

[idontwantaname]

12. the state of israel is no innocent in this matter

you say people are fucking with israel but im sure many would argue israel fucks with many people. btw, whats the deal with israels nukes? true or false?

[Behind the Aegis]

13. No one said Israel was an innocent.

Once that idiotic strawman is set ablaze once and for all, perhaps we can discuss. Israel fucks with many people, especially in the disputed territories, but perhaps, others should stay out of it, since their desire is not to help the Palestinian people, but to encourage the destruction of Israel. As for nukes, I don't know. Perhaps they do, perhaps not.

[idontwantaname]

14. i agree others should stay out of it if swatting the hornets nest is their goal

[Behind the Aegis]

15. and here we agree on something.

[oblivious]

16. Andromeda, could you clarify that a bit?

Do you mean Israel would only use nukes if (1) it were attacked with conventional weapons, or (2) attacked with nukes, or (3) attacked with biological or chemical weapons by another country?

I don't mean it as a trick question and don't want to get into a discussion or argument about it. I just want to be sure what you mean when you say 'if an enemy struck them first'.