Israel never signed the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Israel produces plutonium at Dimona in the Negev desert. This site is off limits to inspectors. Israel bombed Iraqs nuclear reactor in Osirak in 1981.
Pakistani scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan, sold nuclear wares to Iran, Libya and North Korea. He may have sold nuclear material to other countries.
Saudi Arabia is suspected as it has the money and desire, it also bought Chinese CSS-2 missiles, capable of hitting anywhere in the Middle East or beyond.
Syria already has chemical and biological weapons. It may have a covert uranium enrichment capability. It is also seeking to build a nuclear desalination plant.
Iran is the biggest problem. Israel is very worried about Iran getting their hands on nuclear weapons, and may resort to strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel has warned Russia that if it delivers fuel to the Iranian reactor at Bushehr, it would consider conventional strikes on Iran.
What effect would such strikes have on the region? Would Arab nations retaliate? What would be the Iraqi position? How would Israel strike?
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2 responses to “Nuclear weapons in the Middle East”
And which country sold Israel both reactors and surface-to-surface missiles in the sixties? Which other large European country, also strongly opposed to the Iraq war, sold them submarines to add a sea-based leg to their deterrent?
I remember reading in the New Yorker in late 2001 that telephone intercepts had revealed the Saudis had given Iraq billions for developing nuclear weapons, on condition they share the results.
How feckin’ stupid can you get?
I’m still looking for the source. Do you want to try a Nexis search?