Loose Lips Sink Ships ...
 

If loose lips sink ships ... Look what a slip of the tongue can do.

Only a rumor outside of closed doors ... That Israel had the bomb.

Now everyone knows ...


Arutz Sheva News Service -
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com


OLMERT CRITICIZED FOR NUCLEAR STATEMENT
Monday’s statement by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, interpreted as an
admission that Israel possesses nuclear weaponry, aroused a storm of
protest over the loss of Israel’s traditional ambiguity.

In an interview with German SAT1 TV, Olmert was asked about the recent
statement by US Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates which "explained"
Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. Gates told a Senate Committee
confirmation hearing that Iran is "surrounded by powers with nuclear
weapons — Pakistan to their east, the Russians to the north, the
Israelis to the west and us in the Persian Gulf.”

Olmert responded by saying, "We never threaten any nation with
annihilation. Iran openly, explicitly and publicly threatens to wipe
Israel off the map. Can you say that this is the same level, when they
[Iran] are aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as America, France,
Israel and Russia?”

Reactions from Israeli politicians across the political spectrum were
swift and fierce. They understood Olmert's statement as a declaration
that Iran is aspiring to have nuclear weapons "as do America, France,
Israel and Russia."

Likud Knesset Member Yuval Steinitz called for Olmert’s resignation in
the wake of what he called “a series of problematic slips of the
tongue in matters of defense.”

Former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, speaking on Arutz-7's Hebrew
newsmagazine today, said that Olmert's statement gives ammunition to
Israel's enemies. "Other countries ask why only Iran is being
pressured, while Israel is not a signatory to the nuclear
proliferation charter," Shalom said. "It also enables Iran to claim
that it is developing nuclear capabilities in self-defense."

But let's face it, everyone pretty much knew anyway. Israel's claim that its nuclear energy was no more convincing than Iran's. Politically, yea, it's a bad move - but it's not as though it's gonna make Iran any more or less determined to build the nukes or more or less cooperative with international efforts.

I tend to agree with CCIP, though Olmert is still an idiot. It was indeed another slip of the tongue that certainly didn't benefit Israel. The country is quite sick of Olmert. That was fast. Who would have guessed?! :roll:

It only took several blunders ina row and a current attempt to revive the retreat again......

The interesting question is will the U.S. now ask Israel if they've got the bomb?? and if they do and Israels confirms it, what action will the U.S. take??

The U.S. has always had a pollicy of don't ask if they don't tell, this might break it.

I would think the US government knows for sure (as do as the rest of the western, Russian and Chinese governments) about the true status of the Israeli nuclear weapons program long before the Olmerts faux pas.

I wouldn't expect any of them to make a big stink about it unless there is something to gain.

Who knows, maybe these slips of the tounge were deliberate?

If anything, I'd expect Israel to become more agressive towards terror factions and the nations that are funding them (particularly lebanon, Syria and Iran).

Asuuming that somebody who actually does care about the survival of the state gets into power that is.

Doesn't anyone here read/watch/listen to the news?

Speaking of loose lips.

I guess we could go for the old MAD theory and let everyone have it.:roll:

MAD = Mutual Assured Destruction

See this thread for some points as to why this isn't MAD.

I'm actually more surprised that everyone else is "surprised" about this "secret".:hmm:

I know nobody has really said anything publicly until now, but from what I've read it's been "known" about for some time.

More interesting than "what will the US do about it" when it becomes "public" is what Israel and her neighbours say and do.
:hmm: