In a Senate hearing, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, posed an unusual and strange argument that "Iran seeks to develop nuclear weapons for deterrence only because it is surrounded by countries with nuclear weapons: Pakistan, Russia, Israel and U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf." Careless statements by Israeli leaders regarding the 'nuclear option' constitute a potential danger to Israel, even involving the possibility of an end to U.S. financial aid due to the 'Symington Amendment' law.
A surprising statement towards the end of 2006 was made by the designated Secretary of Defense of the United States, Dr. Robert Gates, during the Senate hearings which were held prior to his approval for that position. In precise words, Gates shed a brilliant ray of sunlight that penetrated a thick layer of dark clouds Israel had laid out as cover regarding the alleged 'nuclear' secret it had kept hidden behind a curtain of impenetrable dark skies for nearly five decades. The affect of Dr. Gates statement was like a burst of lightning through those thick and dark clouds of avoidance of that subject, when he declared to the Senate that "Israel has nuclear weapons".
Gates did not claim that it was his personal opinion or was based on the assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies, but his unexpected exposure was introduced in the Senate as a fact. That one statement seemingly put an end to Israel's policy of nuclear ambiguity. Even if one can assume that his 'bombastic' statement caused damage to Israel's security, what turned into a more puzzling situation was a more serious remark, the follow up statement of Gates, that "Iran basically aims to develop nuclear weapons for deterrence only because it is surrounded by countries with nuclear weapons: Pakistan to the east, Russia to the north, Israel to the west and U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf".
Gates' words resulted in great wonder and even confusion within the Senate and the members of the committee which conducted the hearing, because they actually contradicted the image of the Iranian threat that the administration of President George W. Bush had presented to the American public. One member of the Senate asked, with mockery, if the designated Secretary believed that the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had lied when he said that "Iran was not acting to acquire nuclear weapons".
"Yes, sir," Gates replied flatly, adding however no less strange a statement than before this time concerning Ahmadinejad's warnings about "deleting the Jewish state from the world map". Those statements said Gates "did not necessarily represent Iranian government policy".
Defense Secretary, Robert Gates
Gates was no youngster to International security. For 26 years he had served in the U.S. intelligence systems even holding the position of Director of the CIA during the government of President George Bush Senior. What if his knowledge gathered from that position was the source of his deviated statements?
Full article at i-hls.com
A surprising statement towards the end of 2006 was made by the designated Secretary of Defense of the United States, Dr. Robert Gates, during the Senate hearings which were held prior to his approval for that position. In precise words, Gates shed a brilliant ray of sunlight that penetrated a thick layer of dark clouds Israel had laid out as cover regarding the alleged 'nuclear' secret it had kept hidden behind a curtain of impenetrable dark skies for nearly five decades. The affect of Dr. Gates statement was like a burst of lightning through those thick and dark clouds of avoidance of that subject, when he declared to the Senate that "Israel has nuclear weapons".
Gates did not claim that it was his personal opinion or was based on the assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies, but his unexpected exposure was introduced in the Senate as a fact. That one statement seemingly put an end to Israel's policy of nuclear ambiguity. Even if one can assume that his 'bombastic' statement caused damage to Israel's security, what turned into a more puzzling situation was a more serious remark, the follow up statement of Gates, that "Iran basically aims to develop nuclear weapons for deterrence only because it is surrounded by countries with nuclear weapons: Pakistan to the east, Russia to the north, Israel to the west and U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf".
Gates' words resulted in great wonder and even confusion within the Senate and the members of the committee which conducted the hearing, because they actually contradicted the image of the Iranian threat that the administration of President George W. Bush had presented to the American public. One member of the Senate asked, with mockery, if the designated Secretary believed that the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had lied when he said that "Iran was not acting to acquire nuclear weapons".
"Yes, sir," Gates replied flatly, adding however no less strange a statement than before this time concerning Ahmadinejad's warnings about "deleting the Jewish state from the world map". Those statements said Gates "did not necessarily represent Iranian government policy".
Defense Secretary, Robert Gates
Gates was no youngster to International security. For 26 years he had served in the U.S. intelligence systems even holding the position of Director of the CIA during the government of President George Bush Senior. What if his knowledge gathered from that position was the source of his deviated statements?
Full article at i-hls.com
