West Asia News and Discussions (YEMEN, gulf)

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Mar 2015 07:17

imo afghanistan itself will split into 3 parts.

a pro-iran caliphate based in Herat.
a pro-Rus/Tajik/Hazara caliphate in the north with capital Kabul
a pro-TSP talibanistan HQ Jalalabad

vijaykarthik · Post by **vijaykarthik** » 18 Mar 2015 07:44

Am I seeing it wrong. Why did PoK go to Afghanistan in the map? Is there a sinister plan like that too? If that were so, why is Af marked in red? In this map, it looks like its gaining territory, IMO.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Mar 2015 12:37

gaining there as well broadly across durand line in NWFP , but losing the Herat region.
even upto attock on the indus, close to islamabad it seems.

kurdistan could be the new munna.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 18 Mar 2015 13:11

Dramatic victory for Bibi! His NO to a Palestinian state seems to have turned the tide after trailing in the polls.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/m ... aac-herzog
Israel elections: Netanyahu scores dramatic victory after late surge in support
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog concedes election after prime minister recovers from low poll numbers ahead of elections to lead his Likud party to 30 seats in Knesset

vijaykarthik · Post by **vijaykarthik** » 18 Mar 2015 13:49

Kurdistan sure seems like the lateshtest-est-est Munna. Does look like the Western powers are interested in a redrawing of Sykes Picot and bring Ind Kurdisatan.

I still don't know if its a good move or a bad one. But it sure does look like the move is on the cards.

Interesting map there. Is there a link to get to the online one?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Mar 2015 14:56

ISIS used these armoured trucks with slat armour as car bombs but with a huge payload.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Mar 2015 04:55

vijaykarthik wrote:Kurdistan sure seems like the lateshtest-est-est Munna. Does look like the Western powers are interested in a redrawing of Sykes Picot and bring Ind Kurdisatan.

I still don't know if its a good move or a bad one. But it sure does look like the move is on the cards.

Interesting map there. Is there a link to get to the online one?

vijaykarthik, Long ago before the continents formed the area now called Central Asia was called Thetis/Tethys Sea. When the Indian subcontinent collided with Asia and the land mass rose the Thetis/Tethys Sea dried up.

That whole region is a bed of oil. Kuridstan is the last major oil field in the region. hence all the intrigues.

Links:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/top ... Tethys-Sea

...An important effect of the evolution of the Tethys Sea was the formation of the giant petroleum basins of North Africa and the Middle East, first by providing basins in which organic material could accumulate and then by providing structural and thermal conditions that allowed hydrocarbons to mature.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 19 Mar 2015 06:47

Some of the vehicles and skull masks in use are inspired by mad max genre

vijaykarthik · Post by **vijaykarthik** » 19 Mar 2015 10:18

ramana wrote: vijaykarthik, Long ago before the continents formed the area now called Central Asia was called Thetis/Tethys Sea. When the Indian subcontinent collided with Asia and the land mass rose the Thetis/Tethys Sea dried up.

That whole region is a bed of oil. Kuridstan is the last major oil field in the region. hence all the intrigues.

Links:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/top ... Tethys-Sea

...An important effect of the evolution of the Tethys Sea was the formation of the giant petroleum basins of North Africa and the Middle East, first by providing basins in which organic material could accumulate and then by providing structural and thermal conditions that allowed hydrocarbons to mature.

Exactly. Once the region is formed, Mosul and Erbil go to them and Mosul [which was a vilayt under Ottoman] was ideally supposed to go to Turkey which was thwarted by the Sykes Picot.

Whats more, the region has water too. Which is obviously going to be the next oil. So...

Interesting link and details. Thanks!

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 19 Mar 2015 11:38

UKUS has a lot of hope in kurdistan...said to be lot of foreign national still working in oil industry there.

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 19 Mar 2015 12:32

Time to change the tune.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 17918.html

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2 ... destroy-it

http://www.salon.com/2015/03/18/thomas_ ... supported/

Iran is the latest enemy. And its time to arm the ISIS. Hmmm.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 19 Mar 2015 18:40

Bibi's stunning surprise victory in the Israeli elections,where many major western powers like the US were actively campaigning against him,is expected to worsen the MEast situ according to most observers.A triumphant Bibi who pledged never to allow a Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel,can only lead to a huge hardening of heart of the new Israeli right-wing govt/coalition that will rule under Bibi's leadership. The White House is livid. O'Bomber hasn't even called to congratulate Bibi.That's how bad relations are between the two.The Palestinians too will be anything but happy as their own faith in the various peace accords like Oslo,etc.,have now been dumped into the sea. The prospect for peace is v. gloomy.Who knows,Bibi might now feel that he can even launch an attack against Iran's perceived N-weapon plants.Here he would have full support from the Sunni kingdoms,sheikhdoms and states in the region.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/m ... al-concern
Binyamin Netanyahu victory causes international concern
Two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict slips further from becoming a reality after Likud remains largest party in Knesset in 17 March election.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/m ... al-concern

Ian Black Middle East editor
Wednesday 18 March 2015

Binyamin Netanyahu’s sweeping victory in Israel’s general election is causing dismay internationally because it appears to be another nail in the coffin of fading hopes for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Netanyahu’s eve-of-poll pledge that he would not agree to the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel and scaremongering about Arab citizens voting “in droves” showed him at his most manipulative and implacable.

Israel election: Binyamin Netanyahu rules out Palestinian state if he wins
Read more

The coalition government he looks set to form will likely include nationalist extremists such as Naftali Bennett, of the pro-settlement Jewish Home party, as well as ultraorthodox parties that lean to the right. Concessions to centre parties will be on domestic and economic issues rather than the core questions of territory, borders and peace.

Arabs

Palestinians had low expectations of Israel’s election and always doubted it would lead to a re-launch of substantive peace negotiations, whoever won – though the Labor party’s Isaac Herzog would certainly have held out more promise on paper. The Palestinian Authority will now likely go ahead with plans to take Israel to the international criminal court over its actions in the occupied territories.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs Gaza, will be confirmed in its strategy of armed resistance – though it would not have been abandoned had the centre-left won. Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel but are preoccupied with the aftermath of the Arab spring and focusing on domestic affairs and the threat from jihadi groups.

Naftali Bennett interview: 'There won't be a Palestinian state within Israel'
Read more

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states share Israel’s concerns about Iran: one Gulf official even blamed Iran for Netanyahu’s victory. But a win for Herzog might have brought a revival of the 2002 Arab peace initiative, which offers Israel pan-Arab recognition in return for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. That is unlikely to happen now.

US
Barack Obama will be deeply disappointed that Netanyahu has won a fourth term, though given the salience of Israel in US domestic politics, he has no choice but to grit his teeth, accept the outcome and work with him. Netanyahu has brought personal relations with the White House to a historic low, culminating in his recent controversial speech to Congress on the danger posed by the P5 + 1 nuclear negotiations with Iran and the prospect of a wider rapprochement between Washington and Tehran.

John Kerry, the US secretary of state – in Lausanne for the final stretch of those talks – pointedly refused to take questions on the Israeli election result. The US will be hoping that there is wriggle room behind Netanyahu’s firm “no” to a Palestinian state. If there is not, then then US-Israeli special relationship will face new strains.

Iran
The Islamic Republic, which conducts no formal relations with Israel, said it expected “business as usual” under a new Netanyahu government. “The Israeli parties are the same and they are all accomplices in their crimes against the Palestinians and in their acts of aggression,” said the foreign ministry in Tehran.

Between the lines of Binyamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress
Read more
But on one argument hardliners in Iran prefer a rightwing government in Israel, whose own undeclared nuclear arsenal is currently the only one in the Middle East. Iran also firmly supports Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah is an important ally and proxy in the confrontation with Israel. Tehran may fear that a re-elected Netanyahu might resort to military threats if a nuclear agreement is reached.

Europe
David Cameron’s pro forma congratulations to Netanyahu mask unease in the British foreign policy establishment at the demise of the two-state solution. Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, has already signalled a tougher line on Israel if he wins May’s general election. The EU wants to give a higher priority to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. But it is hard to see how Netanyahu – openly hostile to meddling European governments and NGOs – fits in with that. Punitive action against illegal settlement activity will increase. Carl Bildt, the former prime minister of Sweden, said Netanyahu’s victory risked a “profound crisis on [the] Palestinian issue”.

Supporters of the Palestinians across Europe will renew efforts to pressure Israel, using consumer and cultural boycotts to raise the cost of continued occupation. The strong electoral performance of the United Arab List of Israel’s Palestinian citizens will boost hopes for more effective civil and human rights campaigns in the absence of a viable diplomatic process. Already-toxic arguments about the link between criticism of Israel and antisemitism are likely to intensify.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 19 Mar 2015 21:10

Effectively, the Israeli population realized that voting out Netanyahu would give out a clarion call to every external interest that has been banging on for Israel to compromise with Jihadis. It would have been seen as "defeat" of the historically strong anti-jihadi stance of Israel. Now Jihadis must realize that all of their propaganda has failed to make Israeli Jews bend over backwards. They will intensify their violence. Which ultimately provides Israel all the excuse it needs to ruthlessly liquidate Jihadis on the battlefield. I see this as a positive development. Islamists should be forced out of their comfort zone of "peaceful" political expansion. I look forward to something similar in JK at a time and place of Hindus' choosing.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 19 Mar 2015 22:27

RSoami wrote:Time to change the tune. <SNIP>
Iran is the latest enemy. And its time to arm the ISIS. Hmmm.

How tragic for victims of ISIS. Beyond humane.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Mar 2015 23:04

devesh wrote:Effectively, the Israeli population realized that voting out Netanyahu would give out a clarion call to every external interest that has been banging on for Israel to compromise with Jihadis. It would have been seen as "defeat" of the historically strong anti-jihadi stance of Israel. Now Jihadis must realize that all of their propaganda has failed to make Israeli Jews bend over backwards. They will intensify their violence. Which ultimately provides Israel all the excuse it needs to ruthlessly liquidate Jihadis on the battlefield. I see this as a positive development. Islamists should be forced out of their comfort zone of "peaceful" political expansion. I look forward to something similar in JK at a time and place of Hindus' choosing.

Exactly, Bibi's winning means, Israel is there to stay. It doesn't mean anything else but fear mongering.

Anyone see the many parallels to Indian elections in May 2014!!!!

Big picture its blow to new world order being ushered in slowly like boiling the frog: financial meltdown to make all equally poor or with debt burdens, elect puppets to lead the sheeple.

V_Raman · Post by **V_Raman** » 20 Mar 2015 04:27

And they are building a case for any sanctions on India with all the religious intolerance bile if we don't co-operate...

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 20 Mar 2015 13:56

White House: US 'to reevaluate' backing for Israel at UN

Comments by the White House that it would “re-evaluate” the American veto blocking efforts to win UN recognition for a two state solution mean Israel's diplomatic cover is under threat
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... at-UN.html

By Peter Foster, Washington and David Blair, Tel Aviv
19 Mar 2015

The Obama administration made an unprecedented threat to withdraw United States support for Israel at the United Nations on Thursday night after Benjamin Netanyahu cast doubt over his support for a two state solution.

In a sign of how deeply relations between Barack Obama and Mr Netanyahu have now been ruptured, the White House announced it would “re-evaluate” the American veto that has long blocked international efforts to win UN recognition for a two state solution.

“Steps that the United States has taken at the United Nations had been predicated on this idea that the two-state solution is the best outcome”, said Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman. “Now our ally in these talks has said that they are no longer committed to that solution. That means we need to re-evaluate our position in this matter, and that is what we will do moving forward.”

If the US carried out its threat it would be a grave blow to Mr Netanyahu after his election victory, forcing Israeli diplomats to review their own assumption that they can generally count on the superpower’s backing in the chamber of the Security Council.

The Obama administration’s threat was issued despite efforts by Mr Netanyahu to qualify his eve-of-election promise – made in a successful last-ditch attempt to garner votes on the Israeli Right – that he would block the creation of a Palestinian state.

On Thursday the White House announced Mr Obama had called Mr Netanyahu to congratulate him on the victory noting that they would continue to consult "on a range of regional issues", including the "difficult path forward" to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr Obama "reaffirmed the United States’ long-standing commitment to a two state solution".

The White House also said the president repeated the hope for a "comprehensive deal with Iran that prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon".

Mr Netanyahu tried to soften that pledge on Thursday saying in a series of US television interviews that he accepted a two state solution, but that “circumstances have to change” for the idea to be viable.

The White House rejected the overture, saying that Mr Netanyahu had “walked back” from commitments to a two-state solution both while sitting as Israeli prime minister, and on the campaign trail.

Mr Netanyahu had already deeply upset the White House by his decision to go to Washington earlier this month to lobby the US Congress against the Iranian nuclear deal which Mr Obama has championed and is now in its final stages of negotiation.

America’s near automatic support at the Security Council has always been critical for Israeli diplomacy. For decades the US has reliably vetoed any resolution critical of its ally.

When the Security Council considered a resolution to recognise a Palestinian state in 2013, America protected its friend by casting a veto.

The US also blocked every attempt to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire during the Lebanon war in 2006 – until the moment when such a measure had Israel’s consent.

Last year, Mr Obama publicly warned that it was becoming harder for America to continue to play its traditional role of providing Israel with diplomatic cover at the UN.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 20 Mar 2015 15:34

Philip wrote:White House: US 'to reevaluate' backing for Israel at UN

Barrack Hussein Obama has really overturned US Foreign Policy in Middle East! This is no lame-duck President. This is Nero!

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 20 Mar 2015 16:59

At least by now we should realize that Anglo-Saxon geopolitics is beholden to Jihadis and Islamists.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 20 Mar 2015 18:52

devesh wrote:At least by now we should realize that Anglo-Saxon geopolitics is beholden to Jihadis and Islamists.

Not necessarily. It is the other way around.

The root of Anglo-Saxon civilization is their pursuit of materialist excess. Christianity is the ideology that symbolizes & adds a religious dimension to this human endeavor.

The fundamental reason for colonial era is usurption of territory, people/slaves and wealth by Anglo-Saxon nations. Christianity is the ideological edge of this trident, the other two being military & industrial technology.

WW1&2 are culmination of European Colonial pursuits and resulting internal feuds. This colonial era ended with WW2 as all colonial powers are permanently weakened.

The new Anglo-Saxon power (US) needed an international order where it can continue its expansionist agenda. Thus new cold-war doctrine came into being. The other side, Soviet Union tried to achieve the same by adopting an atheist Christianity ideology a.k.a Communism.

Post 1991, this option too ended. For the atheist Christianity is not as binding as theist Christianity irrespective of systemic corruption, pedophilia of Church. (This is a note for Hindus who think a nation can be strong despite of a Dharmic spiritual path - humans need sprituality to survive/excel once they achieve material (Artha) excess).

Now the Anglo-Saxon world cannot use or further tarnish Christianity for its material pursuits. That is why they are propping Islam as the "ideological" arm of the new trident, supported by Ango-Saxon military and industrial arms.

This is the only way they can harass, subjugate and enslave whole populations in the current human society. The world sees only this ideological arm of the trident while the military economy behind it does its work in shadows.

Now look at how these three arms are working in unity against India fighting Modi Sarkar.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 20 Mar 2015 20:29

EconomicTimes ‏@EconomicTimes 39m39 minutes ago

137 dead and 345 wounded in suicide attacks on #Yemen mosques: Reports (Times Now)

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 20 Mar 2015 22:07

washington post:

The Pentagon is unable to account for more than $500 million in U.S. military aid given to Yemen, amid fears that the weaponry, aircraft and equipment is at risk of being seized by Iranian-backed rebels or al-Qaeda, according to U.S. officials.

With Yemen in turmoil and its government splintering, the Defense Department has lost its ability to monitor the whereabouts of small arms, ammunition, night-vision goggles, patrol boats, vehicles and other supplies donated by the United States. The situation has grown worse since the United States closed its embassy in Sanaa, the capital, last month and withdrew many of its military advisers.

In recent weeks, members of Congress have held closed-door meetings with U.S. military officials to press for an accounting of the arms and equipment. Pentagon officials have said that they have little information to go on and that there is little they can do at this point to prevent the weapons and gear from falling into the wrong hands.

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 20 Mar 2015 22:14

White House: US 'to reevaluate' backing for Israel at UN

But, are they "re-evaluating" the aid?? Doubt it..

A Conservative Total for U.S. Aid to Israel: $91 Billion—and Counting

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 20 Mar 2015 22:50

Seems highly convenient that unaccounted weapons "mistakenly lost/stolen" end up in the hands of ISIS and other vicious military groups eventually. Isn't destroying those weapons less expensive for the US than fighting groups like ISIS that are armed with American weapons.....unless of course, the whole charade is a cover to arm the likes of ISIS and then pretend it was all a giant screwup.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Mar 2015 12:27

I wonder what the us sf units just pulled from yemen left
In their warehouse.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 22 Mar 2015 19:47

Eyewitnesses in the central province of Ibb reported seeing dozens of tanks and military vehicles headed southward from Houthi-controlled areas toward Taiz, while activists in the city said Houthi gunmen shot into the air to disperse protests by residents demonstrating against their presence.

If the houthi are displacing sunnis from their areas, it is only a matter of time before ISIS (or some other ISIS-like group) magically finds US weapons that it can use against the houthis...should be matter of weeks or months, if that is indeed the case.

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/ ... -struggle/

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Mar 2015 09:49

Iraqi Commander: Tapped Communications Confirms US Aids to ISIL

TEHRAN (FNA)- A commander of Iraq's popular forces disclosed that wiretapping of ISIL's communications has confirmed the reports that the US planes have been airdropping food and arms supplies for the Takfiri terrorists.
"The wiretapped ISIL communications by Iraqi popular forces have revealed that the US planes have been dropping weapons and foodstuff for the Takfiri terrorist group," Commander of Iraq's Ali Akbar Battalion told FNA on Wednesday.

He noted that tapping on ISIL disclosed the terrorist group's regular contacts with the US army, and said, "They exchanged sentences like if they would have a share of the ammunition dropped near (Spiker Military Base) or responses such as 'you will also receive your share'."

"The US forces by dropping weapons and ammunition for ISIL, specially in Yassreb, Al-Ramadi and near Spiker Base in Hay al-Qadessiya have provided a lot of help to the ISIL," he added.

Many similar reports by Iraqi officials and forces have surfaced in the last few months.

In February, an Iraqi provincial official lashed out at the western countries and their regional allies for supporting Takfiri terrorists in Iraq, revealing that the US airplanes still continue to airdrop weapons and foodstuff for the ISIL terrorists.

"The US planes have dropped weapons for the ISIL terrorists in the areas under ISIL control and even in those areas that have been recently liberated from the ISIL control to encourage the terrorists to return to those places," Coordinator of Iraqi popular forces Jafar al-Jaberi told FNA.

He noted that eyewitnesses in Al-Havijeh of Kirkuk province had witnessed the US airplanes dropping several suspicious parcels for ISIL terrorists in the province.

"Two coalition planes were also seen above the town of Al-Khas in Diyala and they carried the Takfiri terrorists to the region that has recently been liberated from the ISIL control," Al-Jaberi said.

Meantime, Head of Iraqi Parliament's National Security and Defense Committee Hakem al-Zameli also disclosed that the anti-ISIL coalition's planes have dropped weapons and foodstuff for the ISIL in Salahuddin, Al-Anbar and Diyala provinces.

In January, al-Zameli underlined that the coalition is the main cause of ISIL's survival in Iraq.

..

Also in January, another senior Iraqi legislator reiterated that the US-led coalition is the main cause of ISIL's survival in Iraq.

"The international coalition is only an excuse for protecting the ISIL and helping the terrorist group with equipment and weapons," Jome Divan, who is member of the al-Sadr bloc in the Iraqi parliament, said.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.as ... 1227000427

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 23 Mar 2015 13:46

Many years back, I recall a Religious Freedom Report by the US, which found nothing wrong with the intolerance of the Saudi Kingdom to any school of Islam other than Sunni Wahhabism, leave alone its distaste for the other two Ahl-e-Kitab religions. The fate of idolatory non-Abrahamic religions can be easily imagined. On a similar line is the following NYT article: Saudi Justice, Harsh but Able to Spare the Sword

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 23 Mar 2015 14:51

I think Khalifite is only a start of things to come in ME and around the world and repeat of history. If not taken seriously we all will regret later. Some centuries back Islam was pushing into Europe and at the doors of Byzantium, into India with its western borders areas already fallen to it, ME area was badlands of despots and mass killings, US is not in existent, China, India were super powers, Europe was land of bankrupt nations with reasonable military power.

Only things missing is India is not yet a super power and US was no there. India was not having huge internal Islamic population. Therefore the immediate task is to make India more powerful and people more Indic.

vijaykarthik · Post by **vijaykarthik** » 23 Mar 2015 15:03

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-E ... lake-video

Its not to do with military problems but a more important one about resource cruches: Water. Nicely written article

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 23 Mar 2015 16:59

Water is also a force and strength sir. Future wars may be fought on them. Just see Paki dramas on Indus Valley water distribution.

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 25 Mar 2015 09:54

Jordan, Russia sign $10 billion deal on nuclear power plant

Jordan is thick friend of West, but it is choosing Russia over France, US or Japan.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 25 Mar 2015 10:06

kmkraoind wrote:Jordan, Russia sign $10 billion deal on nuclear power plant

Jordan is thick friend of West, but it is choosing Russia over France, US or Japan.

So each VVER-1000 MW reactor cost $5 billion at todays rate.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 25 Mar 2015 17:32

It’s Official: The Pentagon Finally Admitted That Israel Has Nuclear Weapons, Too

After five decades of pretending otherwise, the Pentagon has reluctantly confirmed that Israel does indeed possess nuclear bombs, as well as awesome weapons technology similar to America’s.

Early last month the Department of Defense released a secret report done in 1987 by the Pentagon-funded Institute for Defense Analysis that essentially confirms the existence of Israel’s nukes. DOD was responding to a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed by Grant Smith, an investigative reporter and author who heads the Institute for Research: Middle East Policy. Smith said he thinks this is the first time the US government has ever provided official recognition of the long-standing reality.

It’s not exactly news. Policy elites and every president from LBJ to Obama have known that Israel has the bomb. But American authorities have cooperated in the secrecy and prohibited federal employees from sharing the truth with the people. When the White House reporter Helen Thomas asked the question of Barack Obama back in 2009, the president ducked. “With respect to nuclear weapons, you know, I don’t want to speculate,” Obama said. That was an awkward fib. Obama certainly knows better, and so do nearly two-thirds of the American people, according to opinion polls.

Yet the confirmation of this poorly kept secret opens a troublesome can of worms for both the US government and our closest ally in the Middle East. Official acknowledgement poses questions and contradictions that cry out for closer inspection. For many years, the United States collaborated with Israel’s development of critical technology needed for advanced armaments. Yet Washington pushed other nations to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which requires international inspections to discourage the spread of nuclear arms. Israel has never signed the NPT and therefore does not have to submit to inspections.

Washington knew all along what the inspectors would find in Israel. Furthermore, as far back as the 1960s, the US Foreign Assistance Act was amended by concerned senators to prohibit any foreign aid for countries developing their own nukes. Smith asserts that the exception made for Israel was a violation of the US law but it was shrouded by the official secrecy. Since Israel is a major recipient of US aid, American presidents had good reason not to reveal the truth.

The newly released report—“Critical Technological Assessment in Israel and NATO Nations”—describes Israel’s nuclear infrastructure in broad terms, but the dimensions are awesome. Israel’s nuclear research labs, the IDA researchers reported, “are equivalent to our Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Oak Ridge National Laboratories.” Indeed, the investigators observed that Israel’s facilities are “an almost exact parallel of the capability currently existing at our National Laboratories.”

The IDA team visited Israeli labs, factories, private companies and government research centers in Israel and relevant NATO nations (details on NATO allies were redacted from the released version). On Israel, the tone of the report was both admiring and collegial. “The SOREQ center,” it said, for instance, “runs the full nuclear gamut of activities from engineering, administration and non-destructive testing for electro-optics, pulsed power, process engineering and chemistry and nuclear research and safety. This is the technology base required for nuclear weapons design and fabrication.”

The IDA team added: “It should be noted that the Israelis are developing the kind of codes which will enable them to make hydrogen bombs. That is, codes which detail fission and fusion processes on a microscopic and macroscopic level.” So far, The IDA estimated, Israel scientists were about where the US had been in the 1950s in understanding fission and fusion processes.

The report does not include a single declarative sentence that directly states the taboo—Israel has nukes—but the meaning is obvious. For many years, scholars and other experts have estimated that Israel has at least 100 to 200 bombs, possibly more.

Some of the IDA’s observations seem to hint at a copy-cat process in which the US government either actively helped or at least looked the other way while Israel borrowed or purloined technologies to establish a parallel nuclear system that looks a lot like America’s. The IDA document does not say anything, one way or the other, on t...

The Institute for Research: Middle East Policy, Smith said, is pushing another FOIA request aimed at the CIA, hoping to pry open long-secret intelligence investigations about how Israel managed to get the bomb in the first place. The institute is seeking disclosure of a CIA study that supposedly investigated how quantities of uranium were leaked or allegedly smuggled by Israeli agents from a Pennsylvania defense plant to provide seed corn for the Israel bomb.

Smith and others suspect that elements of the US government knew what happened back then or may even have assisted the stealthy transfer. That particular mystery was a hot issue back in the 1970s. It seems likely to get renewed interest now that the pretense of official ignorance has been demolished by release of the 1987 report.

However, the IDA’s most powerful message may not be what it says about Israel’s nukes but what it conveys about the US-Israel relationship. It resembles a technological marriage that over decades transformed the nature of modern warfare in numerous ways. The bulk of the report is really a detailed survey of Israel’s collaborative role in developing critical technologies—the research and industrial base that helped generate advanced armaments of all sorts. Most Americans, myself included, are used to assuming the US military-industrial complex invents and perfects the dazzling innovations, then shares some with favored allies like Israel.

That’s not altogether wrong but the IDA report suggests a more meaningful understanding. The US and Israel are more like a very sophisticated high-tech partnership that collaborates on the frontiers of physics and other sciences in order to yield the gee-whiz weaponry that now define modern warfare. Back in the 1980s, the two nations were sharing and cross-pollinating their defense research at a very advanced level.

Hitesh · Post by **Hitesh** » 25 Mar 2015 18:43

kmkraoind wrote:Jordan, Russia sign $10 billion deal on nuclear power plant

Jordan is thick friend of West, but it is choosing Russia over France, US or Japan.

How can Jordan have two nuclear power plants built in the north? There are huge water requirements to cool the plants. Where is Jordan gonna get the water from?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 26 Mar 2015 00:31

It could be baksheesh to wean Russian support to Sunnis.

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 26 Mar 2015 01:03

Russia is not stupid to fall for that. But that said Jordan uses IL-76 instead of C-17 and BMP-2 and some russian SAM's

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 26 Mar 2015 04:04

News coming out about SaudiArabia that they got their new toys on the Yey-men border for some sort of intervention (seems like attacks have already begun). Wonder who are these brave souls fighting for Saudis? Definitely not sheikh's men. Recently news came out that Saudis had cut a deal with pakis to deliver cheap oil and gas, without saying what pakis would give in exchange. Are the pakis part of the brigade?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 26 Mar 2015 05:31

Can you please ask your questions without being cryptic? Thanks, ramana

vijaykarthik · Post by **vijaykarthik** » 26 Mar 2015 06:44

KSA plus 9 [GCC] have done air strikes inside Yemen territory.

I wish the Iranians actually create a channel and send the best and brightest of IS in a single line to the KSA border. Should be fun watching. What goes around should come around eventually.