Michael Piper and Final Judgment

[Mark Stapleton]

I don't see the point here. Sure Kennedy was concerned with it as he was also concerned with the nuclear programmes of other states, the UAR is mentioned. Dimona was up and running for years before Kennedy took office. Truman helped them get their first nuclear reactor in Nachal Sorec under the Atoms for Peace programme. They worked with the French later to build Dimona. France did this because of the Suez crisis and it was known then to be the basis for the Israeli nuclear weapons program. The cosy relationship with France ended with De Gaulle who wanted to stop the supply of uranium but all Israel had to do was agree to sham inspections and say it was peaceful and the French contracts ran their term until 1966. Norway and the UK were busy shipping things to Israel in the 50's and 60's. There is no way Kennedy could close it down regardless of what he wanted to do. It wasn't down town Texas. As you remember the big aid money had not been given at that time so he was unable to with draw any funding to put any pressure on. They already had what they wanted nuclear wise and there was nothing JFK could do. No point, if this is it, to assassinate him. That horse had long bolted.

The point here is that Kennedy was very concerned with Israel's nuclear program, and determined to put a stop to it. When I asserted that JFK was strongly opposed to Israel's nuclear program in that thread, Mr. Coogan responded with ridicule.

Yes, the UAR is mentioned, but as IATB goes on to state (p118):

Although NSAM referred to both Israeli and Egyptian nuclear programs, Israel was its main concern. Israel was percieved as being close to making critical nuclear decisions but US intelligence did not know enough about where the Israeli program was heading.

The fact is Kennedy had to invoke the UAR in NSAM 231 in order to maintain the perception of even handedness but Kennedy and his advisors all knew that no other country in the Middle East was working on a nuclear program except Israel.

As for Kennedy being unable to stop Israel's nuclear program, I don't agree and nor did Kennedy. The reactor did not become critical until after Kennedy's death and he was prepared to risk a major confrontation with Israel in order to stop it.