LOCAL COLUMN
OPINION: Why we talk about Iran's intent, not Israel's reality
The most persistent argument put forth by the Trump administration to justify the war on Iran is that the U.S. cannot allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, because if it had one it would destroy the world. The administration has argued that Iran was weeks away from nuclear capability while claiming simultaneously that its nuclear capability had been destroyed by U.S. bombing in June. Currently, the administration is settling on the argument that Iran still intends to develop a nuclear weapon. As far as we know, no world destruction has occurred with intended weapons, yet this clearly inflammatory, fear-provoking claim is parroted without question by the media.
Any discussion of Iran鈥檚 intent to develop nuclear weapons should be held in the context of which countries possess nuclear weapons. A basic search shows that the U.S. and Russia each have more than 5,000 warheads; China about 600; the United Kingdom about 225; France about 290; Pakistan about 170; India about 180; and Israel about 90. Such lists often note that Israel鈥檚 warheads are undeclared. When Iran鈥檚 intent is presented in this context, Israel鈥檚 existing nuclear weapons arsenal presents a much more immediate danger than Iran鈥檚 alleged intent to develop some nuclear weapons.
Despite these facts, Israel鈥檚 possession of nuclear weapons is never mentioned by U.S. government officials and seldom mentioned by journalists. The U.S. government upholds this practice to protect Israel from the geopolitical consequences of acknowledgement. This silence results from a political environment where any criticism of Israeli government policy is labeled as antisemitic.
This ambiguity 鈥� treating Israel鈥檚 arsenal as undeclared and therefore not fully discussable 鈥� creates space for the U.S. and Israel to disguise the threat that Israel represents to peace in the Middle East while ignoring the real genocide in Gaza that Israel has actually committed and intends to continue.
Iran had already agreed to constraints on their nuclear program with an Obama-era agreement that regulated Iranian nuclear activity and constrained any path toward weaponization. Then Israel and the Trump administration entered the picture. President Donald Trump tore up the agreement made under former-President Barack Obama and the narrative of an urgent Iranian nuclear threat was amplified 鈥� while discussion about the real, existing nuclear threat in the region 鈥� Israel鈥檚 undeclared nuclear arsenal 鈥� continued to be treated as off-limits.
Israel, and especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been manipulating Trump to fight Israel鈥檚 war against Iran. The U.S. government maintains the ambiguity that Israel has nuclear weapons and shields Israeli leaders from prosecution for war crimes while Israel commits genocide in Gaza with the aid of U.S. weaponry. These actions by Israel should convince an objective observer to conclude that Israel is the real threat to peace in the Middle East and the Trump administration is a threat to the entire world.
William J. Kass is a material scientist and worked at Sandia National Laboratories from 1969-1997, where he worked in the development of nuclear materials, components and weapon systems.
Paul Stokes worked at Sandia National Laboratories and was a technical advisor to U.S. teams working with United Nations-affiliated organizations developing and implementing arms control treaties and agreements.
