Fox: Carter 'outing' of Israeli nukes helps Iran David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Tuesday May 27, 2008



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Print This Email This Former President Jimmy Carter aroused concerns when he referred at a news conference on Sunday to Israel's possession of "150 or more" nuclear weapons. Although Israel's nuclear program has long been an open secret, with most estimates of the total Israeli nuclear arsenal running between 100 and 250 warheads, the United States has generally respected Israel's demands for a policy of "ambiguity" on the matter. However, the hosts of Fox & Friends were determined to find some way in which Carter had directly abetted US enemies. "Carter Outs Israel," proclaimed their banner. "Confirms country's nuke secrets." "It appears that he's giving out secret information about Israel and how many nuclear weapons they may have," said host Gretchen Carlson. "According to most people, this information has never been made public before." Brian Kilmeade added, "No one's done it ... so why not leave it to a former president, a one-term president like Jimmy Carter? ... He said, 'Well, Israel's got an arsenel, about 150.' Excuse me? We never heard that confirmed before. We've heard rumors about that." "The extraordinary thing is a lot of people throughout the Mideast have assumed for a very long time that Israel had [nuclear weapons]," concluded Steve Doocy. "But nobody has ever said officially that they had it. So, here you have got this guy who was once upon a time the president of the United States doing just that. ... He has just helped Iran." Despite Doocy's assertions, Carter is not the first high US official to 'out' Israel. When Secretary of Defense Robert Gates cited Israel as a nuclear power during his 2006 confirmation hearings, the Associated Press wrote, "Experts played down the importance of Gates' 'outing' of the Israeli nuclear weapons program. Defense analyst Shlomo Brom, a retired Israel Defense Forces general who was once in charge of strategic planning for the military, said similar statements came out of Washington during the first Gulf War in 1991 and did not lead to a change in Israeli policy." This video is from Fox's Fox & Friends, broadcast May 27, 2008.

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Transcript via closed captions gretchen: remember last month when we told that you former president jimmy carter was going to meet with hamas and that created quite a firestorm amongst many people around the world that a former president would meet with the leader of a terrorist organization. now it appears that he is giving out secret information about israel and how many nuclear weapons they may have. according to most people, this information has never been made public before. brian: no one has done it. they haven't done it. why not leave it to a former president one term president like jim carter. he was in wales and taking guess about nuclear arsenal. israel has arsenal about 150. we haven't heard it confirmed before. we have had rumors. 12,000 nukes. we have about 12,000. francenned the u.k. 12 hundred. i don't think iran could ever. -- he should know this because he was a nuclear scientist. -- i don't think iran could ever put together any type of formidable nuclear arsenal. steve: we have a quote of what jimmy carter did say it is extraordinary. quote, the u.s. has more steve: the extraordinary thing is a lot of people throughout the middle east have assumed for a very long time that israel had. but nobody has ever said officially that they have it. so, here you have got this guy who was once upon a time the president of the united states doing just that. now what is going to happen is since he is making the argument well, this -- they have got them. he has helped iran. look, we should arm ourselves because israel has got 150 of them, according to their former president. gretchen: former israeli military chief used one word to sum it up. irresponsible about carter's comments. steve: loose lips, jimmy.