Syria says Israel should face nuclear checks

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Syria says Israel should face nuclear checks

Posted: 6/3/2008 7:37:41 AM EDT

click

Sure thing, I don't think that should be a problem...

Syria says Israel should face nuclear checks

Jun 3 07:20 AM US/Eastern

Syria's official press lashed out at the United States and Israel on Tuesday over claims it was building a secret nuclear reactor, and said the Jewish state's own atomic facilities should be subject to international inspection.
UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on Monday that his inspectors would this month visit the site of the suspected reactor that was bombed by Israeli warplanes in September last year.

The Al-Kibar site was attacked after Israeli and US intelligence concluded it was a partly constructed nuclear reactor built with North Korean help, but the Syrians have strongly denied the allegations.

"The American and Israeli claims are false. Instead, Israel should be called on to submit its own nuclear installations to international inspection so at least we know how many nuclear weapons it possesses," Syria's official Ath-Thawra newspaper said in an editorial.

Damascus has not officially reacted to ElBaradei's announcement of the inspection, which would be the first of its kind to Syria.

Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear armed power in the Middle East but has a policy of neither confirming nor denying its arsenal and is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

On Monday, ElBaradei criticised Israel for attacking Al-Kibar before the International Atomic Energy Agency had a chance to inspect it, and the United States for waiting until April to pass on intelligence alleging that the reactor had a military purpose and was built with North Korea's help.

He said his inspectors will visit the site from June 22 to 24, adding: "I look forward to Syria's full cooperation in this matter."

The United States, Israel's staunchest ally, also called on Syria on Monday to "cooperate fully" with the UN nuclear inspectors.

"Let's hope that the Syrian efforts have not been too effective in covering up what it is that they were trying to cover up: their nuclear facility, the reactor underground," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

US intelligence on Al-Kibar, while lies on the Euphrates river in a remote area of northeastern Syria, included photographs taken inside the reactor showing construction of the shield for the reactor core, and control rods and refueling ports on top of the reactor.

US officials said the reactor and the building that housed it were similar in design to the North Korean reactor at Yongbyon, which produces plutonium.

Despite the nuclear allegations, Israel and Syria announced last month that they have launched indirect peace talks, with Turkey acting as mediator, after previous negotiations were broken off in 2000.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is currently in Washington, said last month that the process of establishing the indirect talks began in February 2007 -- months before the Syrian site was bombed.

The peace moves raised eyebrows in the US administration, which has sought to isolate Syria for what Washington sees as its meddling in Lebanese affairs and its support for militants in Iraq.

BTW I have to laugh at the IAEA getting all up in arms because the Israelis attacked the site before they could inspect it. Like those clowns would have done anything about it.

Posted: 6/3/2008 7:41:23 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
click

Sure thing, I don't think that should be a problem...

Syria says Israel should face nuclear checks

Jun 3 07:20 AM US/Eastern

Syria's official press lashed out at the United States and Israel on Tuesday over claims it was building a secret nuclear reactor, and said the Jewish state's own atomic facilities should be subject to international inspection.
UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on Monday that his inspectors would this month visit the site of the suspected reactor that was bombed by Israeli warplanes in September last year.

The Al-Kibar site was attacked after Israeli and US intelligence concluded it was a partly constructed nuclear reactor built with North Korean help, but the Syrians have strongly denied the allegations.

"The American and Israeli claims are false. Instead, Israel should be called on to submit its own nuclear installations to international inspection so at least we know how many nuclear weapons it possesses," Syria's official Ath-Thawra newspaper said in an editorial.

Damascus has not officially reacted to ElBaradei's announcement of the inspection, which would be the first of its kind to Syria.

Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear armed power in the Middle East but has a policy of neither confirming nor denying its arsenal and is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

On Monday, ElBaradei criticised Israel for attacking Al-Kibar before the International Atomic Energy Agency had a chance to inspect it, and the United States for waiting until April to pass on intelligence alleging that the reactor had a military purpose and was built with North Korea's help.

He said his inspectors will visit the site from June 22 to 24, adding: "I look forward to Syria's full cooperation in this matter."

The United States, Israel's staunchest ally, also called on Syria on Monday to "cooperate fully" with the UN nuclear inspectors.

"Let's hope that the Syrian efforts have not been too effective in covering up what it is that they were trying to cover up: their nuclear facility, the reactor underground," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

US intelligence on Al-Kibar, while lies on the Euphrates river in a remote area of northeastern Syria, included photographs taken inside the reactor showing construction of the shield for the reactor core, and control rods and refueling ports on top of the reactor.

US officials said the reactor and the building that housed it were similar in design to the North Korean reactor at Yongbyon, which produces plutonium.

Despite the nuclear allegations, Israel and Syria announced last month that they have launched indirect peace talks, with Turkey acting as mediator, after previous negotiations were broken off in 2000.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is currently in Washington, said last month that the process of establishing the indirect talks began in February 2007 -- months before the Syrian site was bombed.

The peace moves raised eyebrows in the US administration, which has sought to isolate Syria for what Washington sees as its meddling in Lebanese affairs and its support for militants in Iraq.

BTW I have to laugh at the IAEA getting all up in arms because the Israelis attacked the site before they could inspect it. Like those clowns would have done anything about it.

You have NO IDEA how threatening Israel has been with those nukes. Their neighbors live in absolute terror with all of Israel's repeated threats to use them.

No, the IAEA should focus all of their attention on Israel, and just leave Iran and Syria alone. They're peace-loving countries, and Israel's just a bigass bully picking on everyone.

HH

Posted: 6/3/2008 7:48:50 AM EDT

[#2]

Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:02:18 AM EDT

[#3]

Why bother since according to Ahmanutjob they're not going to even exist for much longer?

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:15:04 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

Isn't Pakistan or India also a no sign...That makes fucking sense

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:20:45 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

True enough, which is only used to highlight the US's hypocrisy. We ally ourselves with one nation that does not conform, but demand that other nations conform.

We need to set a principle, like conforming to IAEA inspections and the NPT, and campaign to make EVERYONE comply.

Otherwise, it appears to the world that we are being hypocritical, even if we have reasons to be, it undermines our credibility.

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:23:37 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

True enough, which is only used to highlight the US's hypocrisy. We ally ourselves with one nation that does not conform, but demand that other nations conform.

We need to set a principle, like conforming to IAEA inspections and the NPT, and campaign to make EVERYONE comply.

Otherwise, it appears to the world that we are being hypocritical, even if we have reasons to be, it undermines our credibility.

That is a good point.

I don't really have any problem with Israel having nukes, and not being party to the NPT - but it does seriously undermine any U.S. attempts to tell other nations to conform to the NPT.

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:33:34 AM EDT

[#7]

Frankly I'd be fine with the Israelis signing the NPT past what they have now. Then they get inspected and all's well.

Last I checked they aren't the ones calling for other nations to "disappear" in "flames" and whatnot.

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:37:06 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

+1

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:37:53 AM EDT

[#9]

I'd have no problem with that, either. Full disclosure-from everyone is perfectly fine.

HH

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:39:39 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

True enough, which is only used to highlight the US's hypocrisy. We ally ourselves with one nation that does not conform, but demand that other nations conform.

We need to set a principle, like conforming to IAEA inspections and the NPT, and campaign to make EVERYONE comply.

Otherwise, it appears to the world that we are being hypocritical, even if we have reasons to be, it undermines our credibility.

That is a good point.

I don't really have any problem with Israel having nukes, and not being party to the NPT - but it does seriously undermine any U.S. attempts to tell other nations to conform to the NPT.

The NPT is our way of allowing other countries to exist as nuclear powers even though we don't like them. The big difference is that, like the USA, Israel has no ultimate goal of eliminating it's neighbors. There is such a thing as "The good guys" and "The bad guys". In the Middle east, it is the Israelis. Its just the way the world works.

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:40:04 AM EDT

[#11]

It highlights one of the many inconsistances with the NPT regime...namely, not all pigs are equal.

The simple fact is that NPT needs to recognize that "adult" states with stable political and military systems should have a means to enter into the NPT without disarming. I'll take the devil I know over the devil I don't.

That said, the three big non-signatories, Israel, Pakistan, and India, all are US allies.

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:40:05 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
I'd have no problem with that, either. Full disclosure-from everyone is perfectly fine.

HH

US too?

Posted: 6/3/2008 8:49:31 AM EDT

[#13]

Seems like a normal request, this isnt the 1st time they have asked.

Posted: 6/3/2008 9:32:16 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Israel is not signatory to the NPT. No inspections.

True enough, which is only used to highlight the US's hypocrisy. We ally ourselves with one nation that does not conform, but demand that other nations conform.

We need to set a principle, like conforming to IAEA inspections and the NPT, and campaign to make EVERYONE comply.

Otherwise, it appears to the world that we are being hypocritical, even if we have reasons to be, it undermines our credibility.

That is a good point.

I don't really have any problem with Israel having nukes, and not being party to the NPT - but it does seriously undermine any U.S. attempts to tell other nations to conform to the NPT.

We're trying to get India into the NPT because of that.

The problem with the NPT is it sets a date by which you had to declare Nukes by to 'have' them. So India, Pakistan, Isreal... The don't cut it.

Isreal has other problems with treaties in general. There are too many states out there that won't associate with them, period. So they basically can't be party.

Posted: 6/3/2008 12:51:32 PM EDT

[#15]

It's hypocritical to demand other nations play by the rules, but give Israel and even India to a certain extent a "free pass". No, I don't think we face a risk of Israel using a nuke against us anytime soon, but friends and enemies switch sides quickly. Look at Japan, Britain, and Iraq in different periods of history as examples. That's why treating all nations with a similar standard can help safeguard against future threats, as well as keep an even playing field between them.

I also think it weakens our position against North Korea, China, and Iran by giving Israel a pass on the issue.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Syria says Israel should face nuclear checks

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