acockasian Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Israel is arming submarines supplied and largely financed by Germany with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, influential German news weekly Der Spiegel reports in its issue to be published on Monday. The magazine said in a cover story that Berlin had until now denied any knowledge that German submarines were being used as part of an Israeli atomic arsenal. But former high-ranking officials of the German defence ministry told Der Spiegel that the government always assumed Israel was putting nuclear warheads on the Dolphin-class vessels. The article, based on a months-long probe, cited files from the foreign ministry in Berlin indicating the West German state was aware of the practice as early as 1961. In Israel, foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said only: "I can confirm that we have German submarines. It's no secret. "As for the rest, I am not in a position to talk about their capacity," he told AFP. Israel is the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear-armed power. Germany has already supplied Israel with three of the submarines in question, footing most of the bill, and another three are to be delivered by 2017 under a recently signed contract. Meanwhile Israel is weighing whether to order three more, according to the report. "The Germans can be proud to have ensured the existence of the state of Israel for several years to come," Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was quoted by Der Spiegel as saying. The opposition Social Democrat Party called Sunday on Chancellor Angela Merkel's government for an explanation. "The federal government must provide information so that we know if the submarines delivered by Germany can be potentially equipped with nuclear warheads," party spokesman Rolf Muetzenich told Der Spiegel. Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said all submarines had been delivered unarmed. "The federal government will not speculate on subsequent arming," he said. The report said Germany hoped to see Israeli concessions on settlements on Palestinian land and approval for the completion of a sewage treatment plant in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the assistance. Israel sees its existence under threat if its arch-foe Iran goes nuclear. Like the United States, it has refused to rule out bombing Iranian nuclear sites. Germany, bearing the historical guilt of the Holocaust, is Israel's closest ally in Europe. But it has sharply criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pro-settlement policies in the West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem as undermining peace efforts with the Palestinians. Tensions between Germany and Israel flared in April when Nobel prize-winning German author Gunter Grass published an inflammatory poem warning that a nuclear-armed Israel "could wipe out the Iranian people (with a) first strike." http://ca.news.yahoo.com/israel-fitting-nuclear-arms-subs-005955787.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 What did I say just a few days ago? Germany and Israel are going along very well. What a timing: supplying its subs with atomic bombs, while at the same time contemplating about bombing Iran for developing atomic bombs. Talking about double standards by the West and misttrust by the Arabs and Persians... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 What did I say just a few days ago? Germany and Israel are going along very well. What a timing: supplying its subs with atomic bombs, while at the same time contemplating about bombing Iran for developing atomic bombs. Talking about double standards by the West and misttrust by the Arabs and Persians... Sounds like the USA and Germany have moved their pawn Israel into place. What will be Iran's move? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 A couple of months ago Angela Merkel came out tops in an Israeli poll on the most popular world leader. Hitler must be spinning in his trashpit (or wherever the Russians tossed his carcass). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Sounds like the USA and Germany have moved their pawn Israel into place. What will be Iran's move? Actually, money talk. Germany is talk with Pakistan as well to sell them submarines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Maybe Afghanistan will buy some submarines too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Maybe Afghanistan will buy some submarines too. Being the USA Border Patrol - patrols Colorado State - maybe Colorado State will get a few subs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 No worries...Thailand has submarines (or at least was looking to buy some a while back) and will come to rescue everyone! Of course, Thailand can roll out their aircraft carrier!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 Long Beach, Ca had (maybe has, not sure its still there) a Russian sub and I went there with a girl I dated (Japanese girl, interesting, have a stories about her I'll tell one of these days). It was an older sub and it was cramped as hell. One of my brothers was in the navy and said that submariners have a culture all their own. A bit more camraderie he thought than those that were in ships like him. Not sure if it really is so, he said it seemed like it. Don't know why Israel needs subs with nukes. Waste of money but they are a paranoid country. Somewhat understandable since you have neighbors who want to see you gone from the map. Personally, I think they are better off spending that money elsewhere but its their money. My big fear is Israel taking a preumptive strike against Iran. That will not end well and America will be in the middle of it. Bottom line is NO ONE in that region (or anywhere else) will attack Israel. The powers of the region knows it will end with them getting nuked. If Iran gives a dirty bomb to someone and its traced back to them, they know it will not end well. My fear is Israel's paranoia and the west's coddling of them may end up with them striking first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huumlaar Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 Personally, I think they are better off spending that money elsewhere but its their money. Err, no it's not, it's yours and a lot of other USA tax payers money that support Israel with Billions of $'s every year, about $115 Billion worth! Think about that Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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