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Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:06:12 -0400
To: Andrew Reeves <andrew.reeves &AElig wayne.edu>
Cc: improvetheworld &AElig umich.edu
From: Robert Felty <robfelty &AElig umich.edu>
Subject: Re: "We GAVE Israel nuclear weapons"
Status: O

Grandpa Andrew,

Thank you for pointing out my error. I only recently learned that  
Israel is purported to have nuclear weapons (right about the time the  
current conflict with Lebanon began). I recall mentioning this to  
someone, who informed me that the U.S. sold Israel nuclear weapons.  
Unfortunately, I do not recall who told me this, but after further  
research, I realize that this was erroneous.

I do want to point out that I was not trying to spark a debate about  
the state of Israel. I have only had to time to skim the sermon that  
you sent out Andrew, but I will hopefully find time to read it more  
carefully soon. I was only trying to use that as an example of the  
U.S.'s inconsistent foreign policy.

I did find a wealth of information about nuclear weapons in Israel.  
As far as I can tell, Israel has yet to confirm or deny whether they  
have nuclear weapons, but most intelligence sources estimate that  
Israel possesses at least several dozen weapons. I also learned that  
Israel developed their own nuclear technology, though they received a  
large amount of support from France, including nuclear materials, and  
that they have most likely received some degree of similar support  
from Britain as well. U.S. intelligence has suspected that Israel was  
developing nuclear weapons as early as the 1960's. It appears that  
the U.S. decided neither to officially support, nor attempt to stop  
Israel's nuclear program.

------ from Wikipedia [1] (I am also providing the references that  
they have cited, but I have not read them myself)

By 1969 U.S. Defense Secretary Melvin Laird believed that Israel  
might have a nuclear weapon that year [6] [7]. Later that year U.S.  
President Nixon in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir  
pressed Israel to "make no visible introduction of nuclear weapons or  
undertake a nuclear test program", so maintaining a policy of nuclear  
ambiguity. [8]
------

In conclusion, it appears that the U.S. has been inconsistent in its  
policies on nuclear proliferation. This was the point I was trying to  
make.

So, once again I would like to apologize for spewing erroneous  
information. Thank you for noticing Andrew. We don't always come to  
much concensus on this list, but I do learn quite a bit, and it is  
very rewarding to engage in discussion with people who are carefully  
reading and examining arguments, and pointing out their flaws. In the  
future, I will try to back up my claims a little better.

Rob

References (2-5 included for additional information)

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_nuclear_weapons
[2] http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/
[3] http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Israel/index.html
[4] http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cpc-pubs/farr.htm
[5] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/correspondent/2841377.stm
[6] Israel crosses the threshold", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,  
May/June 2006, pp. 22-30. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
[7] Stopping the introduction of nuclear weapons into the middle east  
(PDF). Memorandum to the secretary of state. National Security  
Archive (1969-03-17). Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
[8] Discussions with the Israelis on nuclear matters (PDF).  
Memorandum for the President. National Security Archive (1969-10-07).  
Retrieved on 2006-07-02.

On Aug 15, 2006, at 10:51 AM, Andrew Reeves wrote:

> The above quotation (emphasis in the original) is certainly one of the
> more amazing assertions that came out in this debate. I assume "We"
> means the USA. What evidence exists to support this assertion? Who  
> said
> that originally, and in what media? Under which administration was it
> supposed to have occurred? I am asking these questions quite sincerely
> but should the answer be that the assertion is self-explanatory I  
> would
> have a serious quarrel with that.
>                                   --Danny's Grandpa Andrew
>
>