GUEST,dianavan - 15 Nov 07 - 02:01 AM

"Israel kept the bomb in the basement for years. The veil of secrecy has been ripped open. Israel's nuclear arsenal is no longer a secret. The bomb is no longer in the basement. Its sitting on the stairs, just out of sight but we all know its there."

It has always been known that Israel had a nuclear programme for power generation, understandable as they are among very few countries in the region that does not have vast gas and oil resources. Whether, or not, Israel has nuclear weapons is as yet unverified, although I personally would be amazed if they didn't posess any, considering the threats that they have had to live under for the best part of 60 years.

"And what gives??? Whats the point of the NPT when countries like India, Pakistan and Israel are not signatories?"

Are you trying to say Dianavan that countries should be forced and dragooned into signing treaties right left and centre, even if such treaties act against the best interest of those countries?. Who is going to be responsible for doing that Dianavan? And where and when does it stop?

"The argument that Israel is somehow 'entitled' because it didn't sign a treaty is just plain bullshit."

Not bullshit dianavan just a point of fact. Why on earth should anybody live in accordance with somebody else's rules if they haven't signed up and agreed to do so?

"If Israel has the capacity, then every other country in the Middle East has the right to defense."

Ah Dianavan but Israel, in all of its near sixty years of existence, has not threatened to wipe any of it's neighbours off the map. Most of Israel's powerful neighbours (Egypt, Syria, Jordan) and many other Arab nations (Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Yemen) have threatened in very plain terms to destroy Israel.

"Why doesn't Israel take the high road and lead the world by setting a good example?"

You mean something like their unilateral withdrawal from Gaza (Jewish land captured by the Egyptian Army in 1948) on the understanding that indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israeli civilians would cease. Now if memory serves me correctly Dianavan the Israelis did withdraw from Gaza, now you tell me if the rocket attacks ceased, again IIRC no they did not. Now what was that about setting good examples again?

"Oh no. They create a shroud of secrecy and threaten their neighbors with their military might."

Please give an example of Israeli threats against their neighbours. Please give me an example of any Israeli nuclear threat against their neighbours.

"What has been the instances of suicide bombings inside Israel since the fall of Saddam in March 2003 CarolC?" - teribus

"Well, teribus, hooray! How many millions have died to protect Israeli citizens from suicide bombers?"

Since the fall of Saddam's regime Dianavan? - None, mainly due to the fact that once driven from power suicide bombers were no longer paid their bounty by Saddam Hussein.

"How can you even compare suicide bombers with a nuclear arsenal? Sort of like David and Goliath, wouldn't you say?"

Not at all Dianavan, Iran funds both Hamas and Hezbollah, supplies both with finances, training facilities and materials. You tell me what the difference is:

a) Currently Iran supplies finance, training and materials in order to make the suicide vests that are smuggled into Israel with the express intention of targeting civilians.

b) Possibly some time in the not too distant future, Iran supplies the finance, training and materials in order to make a nuclear device that can be smuggled into Israel in it's component parts where it can be reassembeld with the express intention of destroying the State of Israel.

Readers please note the following remains unanswered:

Can any Iranian apologist explain the following regarding Iran's "peaceful" nuclear programme:

a) why the uranium enrichment plants were built in secret.

b) why the type of centrifuges they have opted for enriches uranium to weapons grade.

c) why the number of of those centrifuges planned matches the numbers required for rapid cascade enrichment to weapons grade material.

d) why they had blue-prints for a nuclear warhead.

e) why when after the IAEA requested surrender of that blue-print it took the Iranians over two years to hand it over having first denied its existence.