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Books : The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy |
- Great Detective Work!As is necessary for a subject as shrouded in secrecy, the author must do a considerable amount of detective work in order to arrive at a deep understanding. "The Samson Option" is exemplary in this style of book. Written like a detective story and with not a page lacking suspense, this book rivals any of the best Sherlock Holmes or the best modern-day thrillers. Yet, this is no fiction! It is apparent from the thorough notes that the author hasn't spared an ounce of meticulous research about such an important topic as nuclear weaponry. In it we learn about espionage tales, about cold war alliances, and about nuclear blackmail. Does Israel have nuclear weapons? If so how did they obtain them? What is the United States position on this, and why does it matter? Who funded the Israeli bomb? "The Samson Option" answers all these questions and many more, but in the process generates many more questions and mysteries that remain to be solved. Truly thought-provoking and enjoyable reading!
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- The History of Israel's nukes."The Samson Option" is a detailed investigation into how Israel acquired nuclear weapons technology and ultimately, nuclear weapons.
The Israeli partnership with the French and later on South Africa on development of those weapons are examined along with some of the scientists involved.
The Pollard spy case is the subject of one chapter in the book.
The relationship with Israel from an American foreign policy standpoint of administrations stretching from Eisenhower to Bush Sr. is examined. Not all U.S presidents had the same view of Israel's nuclear pursuit. None were willing to admit knowledge of the program or address it publicly. It was considered better to be insulated from the issue or at least ignorant of it.
The Israeli lobby and it's financial contributions to presidents from Truman on was discussed. LBJ was definitely not adverse to accepting private,personal cash contributions from anyone.
Mr. Hersh mentions a subject that very few authors or pundits will mention-the Israeli Air Force attack on the U.S.S. Liberty in 1967.
Another interesting subject in "The Samson Option" is the people who privately financed the operation.
There is also a description of Israel's version of Los Alamos- they call it Dimona.
Seymour Hersh has provided yet another well-documented exercise in investigative journalism. The subject is one that is just as relevant to foreign policy today as it was when the author wrote this book. Whether you think Israel should have nuclear weapons or not, this book is THE BOOK to read on the subject!
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- Friend, foe, or an enduring enigma?According to the 9/11 Commission Report, the tragic events on this day were primarily the result of "a failure of imagination" in the U.S. intelligence community. How so.....?
The Samson Option provides stunning insights into the abject paralysis (a failure of imagination?) within this same community and nearly throughout the U.S. government as it failed miserably to halt nuclear arms proliferation for nearly 60 years. Every loyal American with an ounce of critical thinking skills should come away from reading this book, appalled with this government's impotence at its highest levels under the leadership of both political parties.
Seymour Hersh's excellence as one of our most accomplished investigative journalists with deep penetration to insiders 'in the know' has only been reaffirmed since he wrote The Samson Option in 1991. To be sure, this is a classic piece of detective work that time has proven to be highly accurate with the perpetrator grudgingly admitting to some of its activities only when every attempt at obfuscation had failed.
This book challenges the notion of an ally, one that is lavishly treated to foreign aid, exclusive access to intelligence assets and advanced weaponry yet cannot be satiated. Rather, it brazenly goes about its practice of espionage and nuclear proliferation at the expense and peril of the United States.
As a reader with reasonable knowledge of history and current events, you will be challenged with an enigma: Can a perpetrator be the victim?
The prosecutor will present an airtight case including the confessions of the perpetrator. The defense will challenge you with irrational arguments, reinforcing the perpetrator's tautology. Your verdict will most likely be influenced by your exposure to ideology and style of education: Were you taught to believe or did you learn to think?
The stakes are remarkably high. Now, radical Christian fundamentalists are seemingly in league with the perpetrator, eager to use this arsenal against the third branch of Abrahamic religions to foment yet another in a long line of religious conflicts. This time the result may be worldwide cataclysm, the consequence of mutually attained, self-fulfilling destruction -- arrogated in the name of the God of Abraham.
In all likelihood you are among the vast majority of guiltless human beings holding no malice toward the perpetrator, yet totally unable to affect the outcome of tyranny by a minority. Remember, OUR GOVERNMENT(???), charged by our Constitution to protect us has increasingly chosen to recuse itself for nearly six decades. Now it lies on the floor in a catatonic state, seemingly unwilling to engage in even an innocuous debate, fearing it will reap the wrath of the perpetrator. In the ultimate example of the tail wagging the dog, the U.S. slips deeper into division, chaos, and loss of national sovereignty.
Rub your eyes, but this is not a nightmare. And The Samson Option IS NOT a work of fiction.
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- Israel, North Korea and Iran?There is no more timely topic in international nuclear proliferation today (May 2005) than the capability of North Korea, Iran, Pakistan and India to produce nuclear weapons. How did we get here? Seymour Hersh has written to blue print for how the nuclear powers - US, USSR, England, France and China - looked the other way while a nation "went nuclear". That nation was Israel. When Hersh published "The Samson Option" in 1991, he had tied together 30 years of speculation, leaked intelligence and flawed policy statements and positions into a cogent and understandable treatise on Israel's nuclear capabilities.
This book is also an eye-opener in how American presidents, from John Kennedy to George Herbert Walker Bush, decided to see only what they wanted to see with Israel's nuclear weaponization. The ultimate example of American politicians' hypocritical, double-dealing and deceitful treatment of Israel's capabilities resided in Lyndon Johnson. While assuring the US of doing everything to stop nuclear proliferation he was taking political donations and dispensing favors to the major Jewish supporters in the US of Israel's weapons facilities. The sad truth, is that like the Irish Republican Army, the greatest private donors to the development of Israel's nuclear bombs were private American citizens.
This book is as fresh and enlightening today as it was when first published in 1991. Find a copy and read it if you want to get an idea of how we may be dealing with India, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea today.
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- Delilah FactorInteresting effort.Although, the author in a very soft way did touch on the key issue of U.S-Israel relationship.Never have really understood the relationship between U.S and Israel.In history hardly any one country has made so much sacrifices for another country like U.S has done for Israel with such low returns.U.S is in a state of continuous confrontation with Muslim world because of it's one sided support to Israel.It waged war on Iraq which did not have any WMD.It is threatening Iran for its nuclear program while Israel as this book shows hoodwinked every U.S administration by lying & deception to create a nuclear middle east.U.S threatens Syria to pull back forces from Lebanon but cannot even stop building of illegal Isreali settlements on Palestinian land.
If one goes into core of Alqaaeda the only rallying point it has are the atrocities committed by Israel.U.S by by turning a blind eye thus becomes a target of this hate as Sep.11 clearly shows.It is amazing that neither the 911 commission nor the Moore's crusade of Fahrenheit 911 touches on the focal role Israel's extremist policies have played in making our planet such a dangerous place.
Whether it's CNN,FOX news,newspapers such as Newyork Times,Washington post, LA times etc.none has ever had the courage to analyze the U.S Israel relationship in an unbiased manner.Every Cost Benefit analysis would show the same result,U.S bearing the Cost Israel gets the benefit.Even consider Iraq :In final analysis Isreal's most worth while enemy in middle east goes to shreds where as U.S loses total credibility, men & money and who gets the final BENEFIT??
I think as the author also indicated that U.S government must first look into its own interestThe president of United States must be independent enough to chart a policy that keeps U.S interest paramount.However, whether any such president of United States can even ever be elected remains to be seen!!!
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