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U.S. Air Force: Israel has 400 nukes, building naval force
World Tribune ^ | 7/4/02

Posted on 07/04/2002 7:51:59 AM PDT by truthandlife

A United States Air Force report asserts that Israel is building a nuclear naval force meant to respond to any nuclear strike by such countries as Iran or Iraq.

It is the first time a U.S. military institution has stated that Israel has produced a hydrogen bomb. The number of purported Israeli nuclear weapons cited in the report is double that of previous assessments.

The report, sponsored by the air force's Counterproliferation Center, asserts that the navy can deploy any of what it asserts is Israel's 400 atomic and hydrogen weapons, Middle East Newsline reported. The center is located in the Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

In a report entitled "The Third Temple's Holy of Holies: Israel's Nuclear Weapons," U.S. Army Col. Warner Farr said Israel's nuclear arsenal has grown from an estimated 13 nuclear bombs in 1967 to 400 nuclear and thermonuclear weapons. Farr said Israel's navy could deploy nuclear weapons on the fleet of three German-built Dolphin-class diesel submarines.

"Israel will then have a second strike capability with nuclear cruise missiles, and this capability could well change the nuclear arms race in the Middle East," the report, which Farr said is based on unclassified sources, read. "Israeli rhetoric on the new submarines labels them 'national deterrent' assets."

The report said these nuclear missiles could have a range of 350 kilometers. Israel would try to base its nuclear naval force near Oman, with which Israel has informal relations, the September 1999 report, which was recently published by the center, said.

"The first basing options for the new second-strike force of nuclear missile capable submarines include Oman, an Arab nation with unofficial Israeli relations, located strategically near Iran," the report said.

The U.S. Air Force Counterproliferation Center was established in 1998. The center is meant to help prepare air force commanders counter the threat from weapons of mass destruction. The report did not deem Israel's purported nuclear arsenal as a direct threat to the United States.

The report said Israel's Defense Ministry has requested from the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon authorization for a retaliatory nuclear strike. Israel could also use Jordanian air space for a nuclear strike on Iran, which the report said could produce a nuclear warhead as early as 2004.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Israel
KEYWORDS: hydrogenbomb; israel; navy; nuclearweapons; wmd
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1 posted on 07/04/2002 7:51:59 AM PDT by truthandlife
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To: truthandlife
Good for Israel. Hopefully they will teach the Palestinians and other Arab governements a thing or two.
2 posted on 07/04/2002 7:53:57 AM PDT by Conservative Chicagoan
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To: truthandlife
Peace through superior firepower.
3 posted on 07/04/2002 7:58:18 AM PDT by TADSLOS
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To: truthandlife
Very good. And since external analysts have always erred on the side of caution when it comes to assessing Israel's nuclear capability, let's just hope it's 800 warheads. Or 1600.

4 posted on 07/04/2002 8:12:29 AM PDT by Cachelot
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To: truthandlife
As the late, great Teddy Roosevelt said, "Speak softly, but carry a big nuke".

Leni

5 posted on 07/04/2002 8:17:47 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: truthandlife
400 today, perhaps a few less by next year? Smoke em if ya got em.
6 posted on 07/04/2002 8:26:16 AM PDT by Sender
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To: truthandlife
Let the arab countries put that in their hookahs and smoke it.
7 posted on 07/04/2002 8:27:15 AM PDT by LibKill
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To: truthandlife
A single use of a WMD by an arab country should neccessarily mean use of all the 400 such weapons against all Islamic countries. This should be an adequate deterrent against any suicide bombers . But hey - that would mean half a billion people will be bonking 36 billion virgins assuming 72 for each male vaporised!
8 posted on 07/04/2002 8:27:41 AM PDT by anu_shr
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To: TADSLOS
Then why isn't Israel at peace? They have, and have proved, superior regional military might.

A better question: Who or what is to stop Israel from taking and occupying more land from Syria, Jordan, and Egypt? Not that they would, mind you.

9 posted on 07/04/2002 8:30:18 AM PDT by robertpaulsen
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To: anu_shr
But hey - that would mean half a billion people will be bonking 36 billion virgins assuming 72 for each male vaporised!

Yeah, but does getting nuked in asecond strike count as martyrdom! We need to check with mufti's on that.

10 posted on 07/04/2002 8:38:48 AM PDT by PsyOp
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To: truthandlife
Kool!
11 posted on 07/04/2002 8:39:07 AM PDT by backhoe
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To: truthandlife
The Israelis have grasped a very simple principle; it's good to be an ally of the United States, but it's lethal to be our dependent. Ask the Shah, South Vietnam, Cambodia....
12 posted on 07/04/2002 8:39:15 AM PDT by Grut
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To: truthandlife
Incidentally, so much for Jeremiah 8:22.
13 posted on 07/04/2002 8:45:15 AM PDT by Grut
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To: truthandlife
350 km is not a very long rang. The could not even hit Tehran with these cruise missles.
14 posted on 07/04/2002 8:45:29 AM PDT by BigBobber
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To: truthandlife

It is the first time a U.S. military institution has stated that Israel has produced a hydrogen bomb.

The explosive yield of these devices is in the Megatons.

It's certain Israel now has the means to completely wipe out ALL of the Arab world.

15 posted on 07/04/2002 9:06:19 AM PDT by crypt2k
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To: robertpaulsen
Then why isn't Israel at peace?

It's better than extinction

Who or what is to stop Israel from taking and occupying more land from Syria, Jordan, and Egypt?

U.S. Foreign Policy and standing agreements with those countries. From a purely military standpoint, there isn't much in their way except numbers (of arabs) and world opinion.

16 posted on 07/04/2002 9:10:36 AM PDT by TADSLOS
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To: truthandlife
Here are a few other FR related links:

New German submarine reaches Israel

Israel - Submarine: What in the world is going on?

Israel steps up submarine acquisition

Israel Moves - Quickly - To Beef Up Its Submarine Force

Israel Makes Nuclear Waves With Submarine Missile Test
17 posted on 07/04/2002 9:10:52 AM PDT by PA Engineer
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To: truthandlife
FYI: have read/heard that the raw mat'ls for these bombs were obtained illegally and/or by theft-lots from U.S.. BUT HEY, what's a little espionage against us by an ally?!
18 posted on 07/04/2002 9:12:58 AM PDT by 1234
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To: truthandlife
The Samson Option-- what is known about Israel's Nuclear Weapons?
19 posted on 07/04/2002 9:19:47 AM PDT by backhoe
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To: MinuteGal
What was it that old black & white joke photo had the old man in it saying . . .

"Speak stickly and carry a big soft!"???
20 posted on 07/04/2002 9:35:27 AM PDT by Quix
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