Haaretz:U.S. Says Israel Must Give Up Nukes

[chlamor]

Sun., April 03, 2005 Adar2 23, 5765
Israel Time:  02:30  (GMT+2)

U.S. says Israel must give up nukes

By Amir Oren

The State Department yesterday called on Israel to forswear nuclear weapons and accept international Atomic Energy Agency safeguards on all nuclear activities.

This is the second time in about two weeks that officials in the Bush administration are putting the nuclear weapons of Israel, India and Pakistan on a par.

The officials called on the three to act like Ukraine and South Africa, which in the last decade renounced their nuclear weapons.

The similar phrasing used by the officials refers to Israel's military nuclear capability, as distinct from "nuclear option," which is to be rolled back, although not necessarily in the "foreseeable future."

The rare use of these terms contradicts the custom of senior administration officials to avoid any possible confirming reference to Israeli nuclear weapons.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/560047.html

[quaoar]

1. Yeah right

Dream on.

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Important - but a duplicate thread is here in GD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3415951
Title: "U.S. says Israel must give up nukes..."
(Same Haaretz link for story)

[regnaD kciN]

3. Oh, don't worry...

I'm sure we'll back down in a day or two.

:eyes:

[minkyboodle]

4. call me a skeptic

but I doubt this seriously

[CoffeeCat]

5. Is this a joke?

Seriously.

This is not real right? This is left over from April Fool's?

[chlamor]

6. The story is real

but the likelihood is the unreal part. Perhaps it is all too surreal. Well at least Mordechai Vinnunu can have his testimony validated by the sceptics and those in denial.

Smoke and mirrors. Israel will not give up its nukes.

How about setting a good example-US give up nukes. Then we would have a beginning.
How about reduce the military budget in half?

[Skip Intro]

7. and rain is falling up from the yard

I don't believe its ever even been recognized by the US that Israel even has nukes.

Isn't this the same media source that was pumping the invasion of Iraq based on WMD and saddam's secret plans to kill all of "us" - ?

[daleo]

8. I can't imagine it ever happening, and I doubt if the U.S. is serious.

I think they recognize that Israel's possession of nuclear weapons will inevitably lead to further nuclearization of the middle east, and feel the need to at least pay lip service to this contradiction. But, it seems to me this is just part of the buildup to invading Iran - it is a gesture toward dealing with the hypocrisy of caring about WMD when Muslims have them but not when Israel has them. I can't see the neo-cons actually meaning it, though.

I think Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons for the same reason Canada didn't pursue nuclear weapons. For a smaller country on the border of a superpower to possess a nuclear counterforce would cause more danger than it would prevent. The same is probably true of South Africa, who has no nearby neighbors that threaten it now that apartheid is gone.

[quaoar]

9. Not only does Israel have nuclear weapons

It has submarine-launch capability.

Does anyone think they will willingingly surrender that?

[Voltaire99]

10. A decent development

And one the Democrats should be working towards, frankly, rather than serving as an uncritical Sharonist choir.

[fujiyama]

11. Sure

An administration that is selling F 16s to Pakistan is telling other nations what weapons they can and can't proliferate.

Fuckin hypocritical bullshit.

And I'm skeptical that this administration of any, would ever tell the Israelis to give up its nukes.

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. NOONE is ever gonna give up their nukes unless the US does

.
.
.

I don't care what we see in the news if this or that guy says - "I don't have 'em anymore" (read "it's safe to invade me now . .")

Right.

Some might pretend,

but they'll have some hidden away

And those that DON'T have 'em?

They're looking . . .

"Mission Accomplished, dimson . ."

[still_one]

16. that is exactly right

either everyone gives up nukes, or no one does

[DireStrike]

13. They get to be called peacemakers, while they simply want control.

It'll never happen.

[Daphne08]

14. Bwahahahahaha!!! Oh, Yes, that's going to happen.

[still_one]

15. When the U.S. decides EVERYONE should give up use

including the U.S., then maybe it makes senes. Otherwise, why should any country give up nukes unless they all do?

[Dover]

17. How can you demand that Iran stop building toward nuclearization

if Israel has done just that? It's ridiculous! Either Israel must disarm their nuclear weapons or Iran (and any other country in the ME) should also be allowed to have them...mutually assured destruction.

And how it is that THIS country has a leg to stand on in this whole nuclear issue is beyond me. We have even been developing 'smaller nukes' under this administration.

[NNN0LHI]

18. Maybe Boosh should stop sending them our money and weapons...

...until they comply?

Don

[Walt Starr]

19. If Israel gave up nukes it would alter my opinion of the nation

Seriously, it would be a HUGE sign of good faith.