JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Robert Gates, the incoming U.S. secretary of defense, on the Iraq war and confirming Israel has nuclear arsenal. Some Israelis were not peased to hear Gates mention what U.S. administrations have long avoided uttering in public -- that the Jewish state has the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal.
During his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Gates speculated on why Iran might be seeking the means to build an atomic bomb. "They are surrounded by powers with nuclear weapons: Pakistan,the Russians.the Israelis and us," he said. According to recently declassified documents,the U.S. knew Israel had nuclear weapons but opted against insisting that its ally come clean on the capability and accept international regulation.By not declaring itself to be nuclear armed, Israel also skirts a U.S. ban on funding countries that proliferate weapons of mass destruction. It can thus enjoy more than 2 billion in annual military and other aid from Washington.
2006-12-07
09:38:41
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