Of course, that's about as close to the top of the agenda as universal health insurance.
----- Original Message ----- From: <uvj at vsnl.com> To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org> Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 6:09 PM Subject: [lbo-talk] Israel capable of launching nukes from submarines
> HindustanTimes.com
>
> Monday, October 13, 2003
>
> Israel has ability to launch nuclear weapons from submarines
>
> Agence France-Presse
> Los Angeles, October 13
>
> Israel has modified US-made cruise missiles to carry nuclear warheads on
> submarines, giving it the ability to launch atomic weapons from land, air
or
> sea, reports said on Monday.
>
> Israel's newly acquired submarine capability will complicate efforts to
> persuade Iran to abandon a suspected nuclear weapons programme, The Los
> Angeles Times reported.
>
> The missile modification was described to Times reporters by two US
> officials and confirmed by an Israeli official, the Times said. All three
> spoke on condition of anonymity.
>
> "The Americans said they were disclosing the information to caution
Israel's
> enemies at a time of heightened tensions in the region and concern over
> Iraq's alleged ambitions," the report said.
>
> Israel has neither confirmed nor denied having nuclear arms but Washington
> has accepted it as a nuclear power since 1969 and analysts say it has up
to
> 200 sophisticated nuclear weapons, the report said.
>
> "We tolerate nuclear weapons in Israel for the same reason we tolerate
them
> in Britain and France," a senior US official was quoted as saying. "We
don't
> regard Israel as a threat."
>
> Arab countries have criticised the United States and United Nations for
> pressuring Iran to accept tougher inspections while ignoring Israel's
> stockpile.
>
> "A big source of contention is Israel," said a senior UN official trying
to
> convince Iran to undergo additional inspections. "This is a magnet for
other
> countries to develop nuclear weapons."
>
> © Hindustan Times Ltd. 2003.
> Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior permission
>
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