Israel is what we used to call a “One screwdriver turn state”. That is, they could have nuclear weapons with one turn of a screwdriver. Other such states include Japan and South Korea.
There were even rumors in the 1970s and 1980s that Israel had tested a nuclear weapon in cooperation with South Africa in the days prior to the African Nat…
Israel is what we used to call a “One screwdriver turn state”. That is, they could have nuclear weapons with one turn of a screwdriver. Other such states include Japan and South Korea.
There were even rumors in the 1970s and 1980s that Israel had tested a nuclear weapon in cooperation with South Africa in the days prior to the African National Congress gained control of that country. True, or not, Israel never denied those claims.
Additionally, Israel is not a signatory of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
I would not be especially surprised if they had a significant arsenal of bombs and maybe even artillery projectiles that could become operational nuclear weapons in very short order.
The IDF also has air, sea and ground launched missile systems capable of ranges up to approximately 7,000 kilometers. So, the means of delivery is not an issue.
However, I have yet to see any instance in which Israel has threatened any Middle-Eastern state with a nuclear attack. This is probably because they have enough confidence in their conventional forces, and their allies, to think they are the strongest military state in the region. This is all subject to change if internal politics in the United States forces Israel and other allied countries to rethink their relationships with the U.S.
We are getting a reputation as being less reliable as an ally than in the past, and our reputation for being a steadfast ally been in steady decline since the Vietnam war. It seems unwise for President Biden, or President Trump or President Harris to play their political games around that region. Winning a few congressional districts in Michigan is not worth the potential danger.
We have nuclear capability and have for many years. We "turned the screwdriver" years ago. As for threatening our neighbors, we haven't done that because of the proximity and the fact that it would kill so many innocents. On the other hand, and although I am not a nuclear scientist, Iran is probably far enough away so that it wouldn't affect us or the neighboring countries.
Israel is what we used to call a “One screwdriver turn state”. That is, they could have nuclear weapons with one turn of a screwdriver. Other such states include Japan and South Korea.
There were even rumors in the 1970s and 1980s that Israel had tested a nuclear weapon in cooperation with South Africa in the days prior to the African National Congress gained control of that country. True, or not, Israel never denied those claims.
Additionally, Israel is not a signatory of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
I would not be especially surprised if they had a significant arsenal of bombs and maybe even artillery projectiles that could become operational nuclear weapons in very short order.
The IDF also has air, sea and ground launched missile systems capable of ranges up to approximately 7,000 kilometers. So, the means of delivery is not an issue.
However, I have yet to see any instance in which Israel has threatened any Middle-Eastern state with a nuclear attack. This is probably because they have enough confidence in their conventional forces, and their allies, to think they are the strongest military state in the region. This is all subject to change if internal politics in the United States forces Israel and other allied countries to rethink their relationships with the U.S.
We are getting a reputation as being less reliable as an ally than in the past, and our reputation for being a steadfast ally been in steady decline since the Vietnam war. It seems unwise for President Biden, or President Trump or President Harris to play their political games around that region. Winning a few congressional districts in Michigan is not worth the potential danger.
We have nuclear capability and have for many years. We "turned the screwdriver" years ago. As for threatening our neighbors, we haven't done that because of the proximity and the fact that it would kill so many innocents. On the other hand, and although I am not a nuclear scientist, Iran is probably far enough away so that it wouldn't affect us or the neighboring countries.