Who needs nuclear weapons in the Middle East? Israel? Iran? Egypt?
The only nuclear power in the region at the moment is Israel. Why does Israel need such weapons? It is surrounded by hostile neighbours. It is outnumbered. That pretty much sums it up.
Israel faces two threats - conventional military attack and terrorist attacks. Nuclear weaponry certainly provides a deterrent to a conventional military threat but are there better options? What more could Israel want than a guarantee of its survival from the United States? What Arab nation would attack Israel if it meant bring down the awesome destruction of the American military on their own heads? The United States may be pretty hapless at fighting insurgencies but it is the most powerful state on the planet in terms of conventional warfare.
Israel's nuclear arsenal is a poor option in battling terrorism. Even if terrorists did attack Israel with chemical or biological agents, retaliation with nuclear weapons would only be another act of terrorism but on a potentially much greater scale in terms of slaughter of innocents.
Even if the case could be made for a nuclear response to some action against Israel, wouldn't it be better if Washington made that decision rather than Tel Aviv? It's time to force Israel to surrender these weapons on condition that Iran scrap its nuclear weapons programme and other Middle Eastern states commit to keeping out of the WMD business also.
1 comment:
The US didn't help Israel in any of their other wars.
Why would Israel expect them to help now?
As well, you are asking Israel to place its faith in a democratic system that every 4 years could change its mind on an issue. And Israel would need a permanent, forever guarantee, not a 4 year one.
Besides, Israel has been decently responsible with its nuclear arsenal. Unlike Canada which helped India and Pakistan get them. (and we don't even have nukes) Or Pakistan which helped North Korea. Or the USA. Or France. Or...
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