Obama quietly sold Israel bunker-buster bombs

[AkhandIndia]

US President Barack Obama has secretly authorized significant new aid to the Israeli military that includes the sale of 55 deep-penetrating bombs known as bunker busters, Newsweek has learned.

In an exclusive story to be published Monday on growing military cooperation between the two allies, U.S. and Israeli officials tell Newsweek that the GBU-28 Hard Target Penetrators -- potentially useful in any future military strike against Iranian nuclear sites -- were delivered to Israel in 2009, just several months after Obama took office.

The military sale was arranged behind the scenes as Obama's demands for Israel to stop building settlements in disputed territories were fraying political relations between the two countries in public. Daily Beast

HIGHLIGHTS
Israel had sought this class of weapons for many years. In 2005, the Bush administration notified Congress of a pending transfer to Israel of bombs designed to destroy buried targets. “This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country,” a news release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated. NY Times

However in 2007 Bush informed then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that the bombs would be ready for delivery in 2009 or 2010, even though the Israelis wanted them immediately. AFP

The arms transfers could help President Obama's political standing among Jewish voters. Israeli-American relations have been bruised by a variety of political and geopolitical matters, and efforts by the administration to strengthen the Israeli military may convince some voters that the president is sufficiently supportive of Israel. NY Times

U.S. and Israeli officials told Newsweek that Israel had developed its own bunker-buster technology between 2005 and 2009, but the purchase from the U.S. was cheaper. Daily Beast

FACTS & FIGURES
Israel receives about $3 billion from the U.S. in direct foreign assistance each year, which is roughly one-fifth of America's foreign aid budget. ifamericansknew.org

Israel has received more U.S. military assistance than any other country in the world. haaretz.com

The United States gives Israel access to intelligence that it denies its NATO allies and has turned a blind eye towards Israel's acquisition of nuclear weapons. The Guardian

According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, Israel "conducts the most aggressive espionage operations against the U.S. of any ally." Antiwar.com

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PressTV - Obama quietly sold Israel bunker-buster bombs

 

[VKVM]

Is this supposed to be surprising? They give them everything already as it is from F-16s to UAVs, even to nuclear technology.. Israel is part of the European American agenda for a Middle East take over, so Israel must be armed to the teeth.

 

[Viva_Viet]

may be US will attack Iran and blow up all of her bunkers soon. CHina may need to help her friend instead of fighting against VN.

 

[pmukherjee]

Is this supposed to be surprising? They give them everything already as it is from F-16s to UAVs, even to nuclear technology.. Israel is part of the European American agenda for a Middle East take over, so Israel must be armed to the teeth.

What is this nonsense you have posted? Talk sense man. US sells weapons to Israel because Israel is an ally. The same reason China sells weapons to Pakistan. There is no proof what so ever that US supplied nuclear weapons technology to Israel. Don't you think the Jews are smart enough to make their own nukes? After all, it was Jewish scientists who gave nuclear tech to America.

 

[Tshering22]

may be US will attack Iran and blow up all of her bunkers soon. CHina may need to help her friend instead of fighting against VN.

China doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself. It is of course common sense that CCP uses very well. They don't care if entire Asia other than them was on war with each other. Instead they would diligently wait for it to get over and take over the territories. You should know this by now, friend. CCP isn't US or USSR in its style of working.