For first time, Iran directly confronts Israel on alleged nuclear arms

[lovuian]

For first time, Iran directly confronts Israel on alleged nuclear arms

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/906132.html

Israel accused Iran of lying, while Tehran challenged the international community to send inspectors to probe of its arch-rival's nuclear capabilities, in an unusually bitter and rare direct confrontation on Friday.
snip..
he exchange came after chief Iranian delegate Ali Asghar Soltanieh - like Arab delegates before him - said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had acknowledged earlier this year that his country possessed nuclear weapons - something that Israel says Olmert never did.
snipp...
In turn, Israeli delegate Israel Michaeli alluded to claims that Olmert acknowledged Israel's nuclear weapons, saying, some previous speakers continued to lie.

"Those who call for the elimination of Israel have no right to criticize Israeli policies aimed at defending Israel's very existence," said Michaeli.
more...

Tensions increasing Direct confrontation a first

[Jim Sagle]

1. "Iran directly confronts Israel"...paints the Iran government as so brave and principled.

Yet their whole point is to disarm the Israelis and kill them all.

[rucky]

2. I just assumed Israel had nukes.

Never really read about it one way or another. just assumed they did.

[The Straight Story]

3. Israel has had nukes for years, have they used them?

:)

[BrotherBuzz]

5. If they had them, have they tested one?

Where? Curious.

[The Straight Story]

6. We tested them for them

:)

[BrotherBuzz]

7. Do you know what year?

Was it before or after the Yom Kippur War?

[NYVet]

8. From what I remember, Israel tested with the assistance of South Africa

Here is the Wiki page.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Israel

[BrotherBuzz]

11. That was my understanding, too

Testing with US assistance makes some sense, also. What I'm wanting to know is what year did Israel actually develop a deployable nuclear weapon. Rumors abound, and one that keeps resurfacing is the Israel's nuclear capacity was actually a bluff during the Yom Kippur war. A big bluff, too.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. The Nuclear Capacity Isn't A Bluff

The bluff was that they would actually use them ...

They have probably had nukes for about fifty years...The knowledge was always there... They got material assistance from France...

[BrotherBuzz]

17. Today they aren't a bluff, but in 1973 there was a strong possibility they were

They had the bomb, no doubt about that, but there was speculation at the time that it was still on the bench and wasn't ready for deployment. Thirty years is the ballpark, not fifty. Nixon was in the know, but the coalition of Arab states wasn't.

[lovuian]

4. Just showing the reving up of the Propoganda for the next

WWIII

hopefully not

I know I know I tend to be a downer with news
O8)

[Disturbed]

9. Israel probably has at least 30 Nukes.

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. I Have Seen Other Sources That Put The Number At 200-400

That's a lot and puts them in the same category as the UK, France, and China...

[leftchick]

14. I have read at least 200 hundred

like diamonds I guess you can never have too many. :(

[lovuian]

13. Nukes are obviously not a deterrent anymore

we still are having wars all over the place

If you Nuke everybody pays the prize

[Disturbed]

15. The USA has at least 30,000 Nukes.

That didn't stop the 911 Attack.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. I Thought We Had About 8-10 Thousand Nukes

We destroyed a boatload of them...