[Rocky]

Thirdly, in his testimony in the Senate on Tuesday, Gates casually mentioned that Israel has nuclear weapons. In so doing, he unceremoniously removed four decades of ambiguity over Israel's nuclear status. While his statement caused dismay in Jerusalem, perhaps Israel should see this as an opportunity.

So, what do Freepers think? Was this a sly move on Gates' part to add more reason for Iran to walk circumspectly? Or was Gates being thoughtless and letting the cat out of the bag? Everyone assumed Israel had nuclear weapons, but was it right for Gates to confirm it? In the world of diplomacy, being fairly certain of something is a little different than having it confirmed by someone in the know.

[Marysecretary]

I don't trust Gates like I did Rumfield. He seems to be an appeaser to me. I could be wrong. If we don't back Israel, it will be to our detriment.