'Obliterate?' Israel can defend itself

MSNBC ^ | May 05, 2008 | Robert Windrem

[forkinsocket]

Hillary Clinton has pledged to “obliterate” Iran if it strikes Israel with nuclear weapons (it doesn't yet have). Iran has protested the Democratic presidential candidate's fiery rhetoric as a violation of the UN Charter and asked for Security Council action. Sen. Barack Obama has condemned Senator Clinton's statement.

All the sturm and drang misses one critical point.

Israel does not need the US to counter attack. Israel has the world's sixth largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, behind only the US, Russia, China, the UK and (maybe) France. It can handle ANY Iranian threat on its own, thank you very much.

The U.S. estimates Israel has about 200 nuclear weapons made up of five different classes of weapons. Israel assembled its first two bombs on the night of Nov. 2, 1966. In the Six-Day War, it had two weapons on alert; by the Yom Kippur War in 1973, 20 were on alert; by the Gulf War, the number had reached more than 200.

[forkinsocket]

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[Kackikat]

Then I suggest Ahminijab keep quiet.

[ought-six]

“Begin flames.”

I understand your sentiment.

[vincentfreeman]

"It can handle ANY Iranian threat on its own, thank you very much."

Then I guess I don't understand why everyone is making such a fuss about Iran's nuclear program -- they strike first, they die.

India and Pakistan manage not to destroy each other. What am I missing here?

[RightWhale]

Much of the point of the USA military presence in the Middle East is so that Israel should not have to resort to such war. This is not altruism on the part of the USA.

[the invisib1e hand]

Ripley’s Believe-it-or-not would reject Ms. Clinton’s comments as being without credibility.

[rmlew]

Robert Windrem is an idiot.
1. The raw number of nukes Israel has guarantees nothing, nada, zip, unless it can guarantee second strike capability. Israel is the size of New Jersey and its military bases are well known. Unless they are well dug in, Israel's ICBMs are not survivable and its airfields would be toast in a full nuclear exchange. Israe does have 4 Dolphin class subs, which probably carry up to a dozen nuclear-tipped cruise missles (Popeye Turbo?). Still, only 1 is in range of Iran at any given time. Iran can survive 12 hits. Israel can't.

2. The Mullahs in Iran thnk that they can survive a dozen nuclear strikes. Former President Rafsanjani has made this clear that Iran will survive many attakcs, but Israel can be destroyed in 2 bombs. Unless the Iranians fear total annihilation, there is no possibility of them accepting MAD. These are religious fanatics, who see fire as purifying Islam and preparing for the Mehdi.

3. Did this guy do fact checking? "nuclear landmines"?

[rmlew]

True, but that involves strategic thinking from an author who gets technical data wrong.
Israel's Samson option would mean no oil fro the Persian Gulf.

[padre35]

Hilde was pandering for votes, and stating what is in our interests, we should NEVER let the Mullahs think that they have a “free shot” even at Dubai, Israel was mentioned because the Jewish Vote is in play this year.

[RightWhale]

One might think so, but Hillary!08 has the Jewish vote already and nothing to gain, not one vote. This is the kind of what-if the Pres candidates should be asked rather than whether to suspend the Fed gasoline tax this summer when they won’t be in the Oval Office anyway.

[Alouette]

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[AnotherUnixGeek]

Israel has the world's sixth largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, behind only the US, Russia, China, the UK and (maybe) France.

All packed into a very small territory - small enough to encourage hostile nations to make a first strike capable of taking out Israel's deterrent. We should guarantee Israel's safety, as both McCain and Clinton have done. Still waiting to hear from Barack.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]

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[SevenofNine]

I got stupid question to ask

Does Islamic rage boy have a job or he attending school that dude is all over the place

[SevenofNine]

I got stupid question to ask

Does Islamic rage boy have a job or he attending school that dude is all over the place

[SJackson]

1. The raw number of nukes Israel has guarantees nothing, nada, zip, unless it can guarantee second strike capability.

Which they may well have. But from an American perspective, even a defensive strike guarentees regional dislocation, and economic dislocation here in the US we've not seen at least since WWII. And if we're to believe the Iranians and their allies, direct attacks on our "interests" worldwide.

Of course we could simply ignore all that. Till we see how the first strike works out.