Joseph Massad at Al Jazeera says that the double standard for entry into the nuclear club reflects western racism. And he asks the sensible question, who is actually afraid of nukes in the Middle East right now?
His conclusion:
To have or not to have nuclear weapons is a question of human security, as far as the people of the region are concerned, and not one of European racial privilege. While the US may not fear Israeli nukes, Israel’s neighbouring countries and their civilian populations have for decades been (and continue to be) terrorised by them; and for good reason.
His opening:
How many times must this story be retold? It is common knowledge in the United States, in Europe, in the Arab World, indeed in the entire world. The international press has been reporting on it since the late 1960s. The historical details of the story are also well known. In 1955, President Dwight Eisenhower gave Israel its first small nuclear reactor at Nahal Sorek; in 1964, the French built for Israel its much larger and major Dimona nuclear reactor in the Naqab (Negev) Desert; in 1965, Israel stole 200 pounds of weapons-grade uranium from the United States through its spies at the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation company in Pennsylvania; in 1968, Israel hijacked a Liberian ship in international waters and stole its 200-ton shipment of yellowcake. Israel has possessed nuclear bombs since the early 1970s. Despite official US denials, Golda Meir, the fourth prime minister of Israel, reportedly prepared to launch 13 nuclear bombs on Syria and Egypt in 1973 and was stopped short of committing this genocidal act when Henry Kissinger gave Israel the most massive weapons airlift in history at the time to reverse the course of the 1973 war (as Time Magazine reported the story). Israel has had an ongoing nuclear weapons collaboration with the South African Apartheid regime for decades, which only ended with the collapse of the regime in 1994. Since then, experts have estimated that Israel has upwards of 400 nuclear devices, including thermonuclear weapons with megaton range, as well as neutron bombs, tactical nuclear weapons, and suitcase nukes.
Massad is a perfect example of the US left’s weakness on Israel/Palestine, compared with how successful it was a criticizing European racism. It helped end white apartheid. Jewish apartheid, not so much. If the US supported nuclear weapons because of ‘European racial privilege’, it would have given them to apartheid South Africa. But it didn’t. In fact it helped bring that regime down. It gave them to apartheid Israel, and today backs that regime more enthusiastically than it supports itself. The test is simple, the results are clear: no, it’s not European racism. It must be something else.
Well said. Needed saying. Specially the racism part. Wish there was something about anti-North Korea and the seeming absence of anti-Pakistan and anti-India on the is NUKE question. Why is Iran so special? why do the IAEA countries SEE it as so special? where’d the present sanctions and sanctions-threats come from? Is it from FEAR of Israeli action (hinted at by the history of 1973 above)?
Phil, your little history lesson here leaves out the interesting story how JFK was desperately trying to keep Israel from getting the bomb when he was assassinated.
While you were typing this up, two Zionist Israelis were debating the wisdom of bombing Iran before it gets the bomb. Jager says the US & its allies should strike Iran because it’s not Israel’s problem, but the civilized world’s problem, and besides, Israel cannot do it alone. He admits he does not know what’s in the mind of the Iranian decision makers, nor who they are, but insists Iran has a record of proactive military action.
Derfner, counters, yes it’s true we don’t know who makes key decisions in Iran re its nuclear program, and Israel needs to have a real talk about the strike-Iran issue as many key security folks have said it would not be a smart move, but OTOH, as many have not disagreed when certain Israeli politicians have been clamoring to strike Iran. Also, Iran’s military activity Jager cites by way of example all involve Iran defending itself against attacks.
Jager then starts yakking about Palestinian terrorism. US & its European allies should attack Iran as if Israel attacks first it might become “the fall guy.”
He warns Darfner near the end of the debate that Darfner should not take his foot off the gas pedal.
Darfner warns a first attack by Israel must be carefully thought out as to possible ramifactions.
Fun to hear them, especially Jager, discuss my country, it’s “European allies,” Saudi Arabia, and “the entire civilized world” as tools in the search for what to do with Iran that will most benefit Israel.
Here it is: http://972mag.com/bloggingheads-will-israel-strike-iran/27538/
PS: After U watch the clip, note Dick Witty’s comment beneath it.
Zalman Shapiro, who ran NUMEC in Apollo, PA, when that uranium was stolen, is alive and well and living in one of the ritziest condos in Oakland, PA, and is on the board of directors of a nearby Hillel.
Just before he left office, Arlen Specter, Shapiro’s guardian angel, http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML0925/ML092540226.pdf orchestrated an amnesty for Shapiro.
So, it looks like in America, the weapons -grade -Uranium ,was guarded by one toothless, older guy with a rusty, half-time-working rifle, and his brave, yet somewhat tiny chihuahua dog???