The State of Israel is the 4th largest military power in the world. The
State is believed to possess the largest and most sophisticated nuclear arsenal
outside of the 5 declared nuclear powers- the USA, Russia, France, China and the
UK.
A nuclear reactor and plutonium production facility was built by
France back in the late 1950's and early 60's in the southern desert of Israel
called the Negev Nuclear Research Centre, or simply "Dimona".
Since that
time, the state has subsequently developed an extensive array of tactical
nuclear weapons, nuclear artillery shells and nuclear-tipped medium range
ballistic missiles (the Jericho 1 and 2). Arsenal estimates range in the order
of between 2000-5000 warheads- many of them FIRST STRIKE weapons, most of them
nuetron bombs, designed to maximize human kill ratio and minimize physical
damage, since Israel is such a small nation.
The United States provides
the State of Israel with an annual US$4 billion in financial and military aid-
by far the largest recipient of US foreign aid of any country in the world.
Extensive nuclear and military collaboration has occured between the two nations
since Israel's birth as a nation in 1948.
The race to develop the world's
first atomic bomb began at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the USA in the
1940's. J. Robert Oppenheimer, who headed the Project, succeeded in developing
the world's first atomic bomb with the 'Trinity' blast in New Mexico at that
time. Edward Teller soon afterward developed the Hydrogen bomb, followed by Sam
Cohen who, in years following, invented the Nuetron Bomb. All 3 were Jewish.
Connect the dots and you have the nuclear founded and bred nation of Israel- the
ties couldn't be stronger.
Israel is now the only state in the world with
nuclear weapons that does not admit to having such weapons. It has consistently
refused to allow international inspection of its arsenal and facilities and is
among the very few states in the world that have refused to sign the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The country is today probably the MOST
dangerous and MOST lethal "rogue" nation on Earth- a "trip-wire" that could most
likely trigger or ignite a nuclear World War 3 in the Middle East and throughout
the world, particularily in light of the current tensions between Palestine and
the surrounding Arab nations in the immediate region.
Nuclear disarmament
must begin with Israel. Until that time, Arab states in the region have an
inalienable "right" and "obligation" to develop similiar weapons (of mass
destruction) to counter this overwhelming threat to their nations and peoples.
The escalation of this particular conflict WILL end in disaster for all parties
if it is not mitigated soon and is instead allowed to evolve further,
recognizing the sacred land and religious dimensions that so implicitly define
this specific conflict and area of the world.
Steve Jones P.O. Box 1141 Boulder, Colorado 80306 USA
SOURCES:
12. **Book- "Open
Secrets: Israel's Nuclear and Foreign Policies" by Israel Shahak Website:
http://www.radioislam.com/
13.
**Book- "The Sampson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and US Foreign
Policy" by Seymour Hersch
14. **Book- "Dangerous Liason: The Inside
Story of US-Israeli Covert Relationship" by Alexander and Leslie
Cockburn
15. Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 6042 South Kimbark,
Chicago, Illinois 60637 USA Website: http://www.thebulletin.org/
16.
Nuclear Policy Research Institute (NPRI) Attn: Helen Caldicott 1925 'K'
St- NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20006 USA Website: http://www.nuclearpolicy.org/