Something Far More Vicious Targeted by Israel -Yossi Melman[T]he prevailing assumption [was] that [Israel's] target was a nuclear reactor under construction that would have enabled Syria to produce plutonium to manufacture a nuclear bomb.
But Prof. Uzi Even of Tel Aviv University is challenging this conclusion.
In the satellite photos of the structure in Syria there is no chimney, which is necessary for the emission of radioactive gases. No less strange is the fact that the "reactor" did not have cooling towers.
"In my estimation this was something very nasty and vicious, and even more dangerous than a reactor," says Even. "I suspect that it was a plant for processing plutonium, namely a factory for assembling the bomb." In other words, Syria already had several kilograms of plutonium.
Satellite photos taken after the bombing clearly show that the Syrians made an effort to bury the entire site under piles of earth. "They did so because of the lethal nature of the material that was in the structure, and that can be plutonium," he said.
(Ha'aretz)
But Prof. Uzi Even of Tel Aviv University is challenging this conclusion.
In the satellite photos of the structure in Syria there is no chimney, which is necessary for the emission of radioactive gases. No less strange is the fact that the "reactor" did not have cooling towers.
"In my estimation this was something very nasty and vicious, and even more dangerous than a reactor," says Even. "I suspect that it was a plant for processing plutonium, namely a factory for assembling the bomb." In other words, Syria already had several kilograms of plutonium.
Satellite photos taken after the bombing clearly show that the Syrians made an effort to bury the entire site under piles of earth. "They did so because of the lethal nature of the material that was in the structure, and that can be plutonium," he said.
(Ha'aretz)
3 comments:
A scary and compelling conjecture.
Indeed, it is.
I suspect this thesis, if correct, will be revisited. The potential ramifications [for instance, where did the plutonium come from?] do not make one rest comfortably.
Yes, North Korea is a good bet. Though probably not looking to part with much fissionable material, they seem to be using their nuclear capability to gain more of a footing on the world stage. Thus, their actual number of missles is not so much the issue for North Korea. However, the millions of oil dollars and/or oil concessions they could have drawn from Syria seem much more compelling for them.
Post a Comment