The NYT citing a Reuters report doesn’t seem to feel that this is any big deal.
Former President Jimmy Carter said Israel held at least 150 nuclear weapons, the first time a current or former American president had publicly acknowledged the Jewish state’s nuclear arsenal.
Eldoer of Ziyon points out that it’s a big deal from Carter’s standpoint:
This is not some investigative reporter coming up with these numbers, this is an ex-president. As such, they appear to have more inside information behind them.If a former Israeli prime minister would tell a public venue about US spies found in Israel, or perhaps about US military capabilities and weaknesses discovered during joint exercises, what would be the US reaction? If Tony Blair announced the exact location of US submarines when he was prime minister, what kind of an uproar would that cause? Because this is exactly what Jimmy Carter just did to Israel.
He just gave priceless information to Iran about Israel’s nuclear arsenal.
Heads of state are privy to many state secrets. Perhaps Carter’s betrayal of that trust ought to lead to the drafting of laws specifically criminalizing such betrayals and making them subject to enforceable penalties. Carter is not and should not be above the law.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
Ah, Soccerdad, when will you learn? What applies here is Israeli Double Standard Time, together with the Exception Clause. Not the law, surely.
(/do I have to?)
The silver lining is that it’s Jimmy Carter; what’s the likelihood that the number is right? Either it’s from 1980, or from the intelligence service of one of the Arab Dictators he’s met with in the last few months. (There have been so many, it’s hard to keep track of them.)
Give that Ex Prez a C-4 cell phone!
What a maroon.
At least when Reagan had Alzheimer’s, he kept out of sight.
You don’t need a new law. Carter broke existing law by revealing top secret information he presumably learned in his capacity either as president or ex-president, and so far as we can tell, he wasn’t authorized to reveal it. Maybe President Bush can appoint a special prosecutor torture him?