- 4 December 2008
- 0 Comments
- Diplomacy, Events in DC, Nuclear file, Persian Gulf
In a much-publicized report this week, the Brookings Institution recommends that the United States extend to Israel a nuclear “shield” that would guarantee US nuclear retaliation in the event of a nuclear attack on its ally Israel. Most everyone I’ve talked to agrees that this argument makes little or no sense, which is surprising coming from an esteemed think tank like Brookings.
Israel already has its own nuclear arsenal of 100-200 weapons, with sufficient second-strike capabilities to protect its interests from any foe. Plus, it is already well understood that the US will take any and all measures necessary to ensure the survival of its closest ally in the region, Israel. So what does a US nuclear umbrella give to Israel’s strategic position that it doesn’t already have? At best, nothing. At worst, such a policy would lead to an unnecessary US involvement in nuclear war in the Middle East. Sound promising?