Israel 82 nukes

February 23, 2004 7:29 AM

Secret Report (drudge) shows Israel has 82 nuclear weapons. With Ariel Sharon's latest [in]actions towards lasting peace, goodwill and calls of corruption, is it time to reevaluate our friends?
posted by omidius (29 comments total)

Our friends... THE SAUDIS!
posted by techgnollogic at 7:45 AM on February 23, 2004

No good will come of this.
posted by machaus at 7:47 AM on February 23, 2004

Um, this is new news? The Israelis have most likely had a nuclear weapons program since the 1960s. If you want fresh news, perhaps yesterday's suicide bombing would be more appropriate?
posted by gwint at 7:49 AM on February 23, 2004

It's been an open secret for years that Isreal has nuclear weapons (although this is the first time I've seen a quantity mentioned). It is unlikely to be a surprise to Washington, so I doubt it will cause any re-evaluation of the US relationship with Isreal.
posted by blue mustard at 7:49 AM on February 23, 2004

This secret was so open that I didn't even realize it was closed. Remember in Gulf War, Part I when there was a worry that Israel would go nuclear in retaliation for a chemical SCUD attack?
posted by tingley at 8:02 AM on February 23, 2004

I don't think this is news, unless you mean the sheer numbers of nukes. I wouldn't have guessed, however, that Israel had more nukes than China.

Unfortunately, I don't think the suicide bombing is news. Nor is the universal condemnation of Israel's wall through the West Bank, or even the hearings at the International Court of Justice. None of this is new or surprising. The cycle of violence in Israel and Palestine has become tedious -- they should just hurry up and kill each other off, and quit bitching about it.
posted by subgenius at 8:02 AM on February 23, 2004

Considering that Israel has long been estimated to have roughly 100-200 nukes - I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be surprised about here. If anything, 82 is somewhat lower than I expected.

However, I am somehow surprised that number made it into print. I mean - that sounds very much like classified info to me. I'm certain the Israelis would never have released it.
posted by kickingtheground at 8:07 AM on February 23, 2004

Of course this isn't a surprise to Washington, but you'd think it'd be important how the public revelation would be handled. I'm curious to see if it's (1) ignored totally, never mentioned in press/public communications or (2) argued that Israel is an ally so it doesn't matter or (3) argued that Israel is a member of the responsible Nuclear Club, like China, Britain, France, Russia...
posted by namespan at 8:09 AM on February 23, 2004

One...it's the drudge report...Two...Israel having nukes isn't news, we've known that for decades. Three...82 is less than I thought they had, if you count the subs and the low grade nuke landmines.

Lastly, the fact that Israel has nukes is one of the reasons why we tread so carefully around them. After the massacres in Lebanon, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that Sharon would turn the desert into a sea of glass if he felt really threatened. It's also been used as a negotiating point when America has threatened to cut off the billions of dollars we send Israel every year. The logic goes "If you abandon us, then we will have no choice to but use our weapons to protect ourselves from the enemies which surround us."

Israel has had the world by the short hairs for years with their nukes...that's not going to change.
posted by dejah420 at 8:11 AM on February 23, 2004

If I was an Israeli, and through sheer lunacy felt compelled to live in such a tortured state, I would damn sure want my government to have a "trump card" like this.

And, no, it is NOT news. The world has known about Israeli nukes for decades.
posted by davidmsc at 8:16 AM on February 23, 2004

Why would we ever want to evaluate our friends in Israel?
posted by kaibutsu at 8:46 AM on February 23, 2004

Israel has nuclear weapons? I agree that this is not news.

I wouldn't hold my breath, however, waiting for the United States to "reevaluate" its friendship with Israel. Israel is the only real democracy (at least until Iraq and Afghanistan start voting) in the middle east, and has been a consistent ally of the United States for years.

U.S. domestic politics also makes any break with Israel impossible. Does anyone expect Senator Kerry to suggest that the U.S. "reevaluate" its support for Israel? He does want to win Florida, right?
posted by Durwood at 8:54 AM on February 23, 2004

farewell , oh drudge linked thread ...........the israelis also have a stockpile of annoying pop ups .
posted by sgt.serenity at 8:57 AM on February 23, 2004

"Ariel Sharon, tear down that wall!" - GWBush (not)
posted by nofundy at 8:59 AM on February 23, 2004

I think it's time for a preemptive strike. You know, just to be sure.
posted by badstone at 9:39 AM on February 23, 2004

Yay Dimona. "It's a laundry facility."
posted by zpousman at 10:02 AM on February 23, 2004

If the Israelis get to have 82 nukes, I should at least be allowed to put a decent sized field cannon on my front lawn.
posted by troutfishing at 10:04 AM on February 23, 2004

Israel having nukes is is so not news that it was the topic of a West Wing episode earlier this season.
posted by monkey-mind at 10:23 AM on February 23, 2004

I actually have several snarky comments on this topic. Feel free to pick and choose.

1). The problem with nukes is that you really can't use them against a woman standing at the bus stop with a bomb under her coat.

2). Hey, Israel! Nothing like that safe, secure feeling you get from having 82 nuclear weapons, eh? Israel? Hello?

3). All over the Middle East -- a region well-known for its clear-eyed, pragmatic and rational terrorists -- young Arabs are reading this news and reluctantly shelving their plans for destruction of the Zionist Criminal State. I mean, 82 nukes! You gotta respect that.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:49 AM on February 23, 2004

stupidsexyFlanders, the nukes are to deter the all-out military destruction of Israel (by armies, not terrorists) not having their citizens picked off by the dozen. Nukes are, as you point out, really bad at that.
posted by callmejay at 12:09 PM on February 23, 2004

See? Didn't you all blabber on about how there were no weapons of mass destruction, and WE FOUND 82?! Think of what ONE of those could have done on our nations soil. Today I am putting my American Flag back on my pickup and we are going down to the local quickie mart to beat the tar out of America hating Apu.

Huh? Israel? Thats where the jews live right? Hmm.. well, spaceballs was a good movie...
posted by Keyser Soze at 12:14 PM on February 23, 2004

Nice attempt to turn a link that only passingly mentions the Israeli arsenal into a thread about the problems with Israel. I especially like the linkage you draw, in the post, between the question of the Israeli nuclear arsenal and that of Ariel Sharon's character and policies. A most subtle troll.

Two thumbs down.
posted by Dasein at 12:15 PM on February 23, 2004

Here is a map of Israel's nuclear WMD sites. I am searching for a map of its chemical and bacteriological sites at the moment. Maybe they overlap?
posted by meehawl at 1:42 PM on February 23, 2004

Israel is the only real democracy (at least until Iraq and Afghanistan start voting) in the middle east

Turkey?
posted by abcde at 1:51 PM on February 23, 2004

>is it time to reevaluate our friends?

Perhaps. I was shocked to read that an Admiral foud out that Israel purposely attacked the USS Liberty in 1967. Secondly, I don't think Israel's treatment of the Palestinians is anything the US should be defending. I've never been much of a fan of apartheid and don't buy the end times cosmology that seems to keep our fundie Senators obsessed with Israel and keeping her safe.
posted by skallas at 4:21 PM on February 23, 2004

Turkey?

Turkey is becoming more democratic all the time, but their military still has a habit of bringing down the government whenever it feels necessary.
posted by kickingtheground at 4:27 PM on February 23, 2004

omidius wouldn't possibly be setting up a troll here, would he?
posted by billsaysthis at 4:49 PM on February 23, 2004

The NSA released some SIGNIT from a FOIA inquiry on the Liberty.

It used to be located here, but in their recent site redesign seems to be broken.
posted by rudyfink at 9:51 PM on February 23, 2004

WE HAVE TO STOP HIM! HES telling them EVERYTHING!
posted by Satapher at 2:51 AM on February 24, 2004