So What if Israel Bombs Iran Nuclear Power Sites?
@valentinesdiner (1214)
United States
June 17, 2009 5:20pm CST
There has been a LOT of talk about Israel attacking Iranian nuclear power sites to pre-empt any development of a nuclear bomb. Do you have an opinion?
Personally it is scary that such action is being contemplated seriously. We should lean on both countries to avoid that prospect, especially the Israelis.
How about you? Do you really care if Israel was to carry out attacks?
2 people like this
6 responses
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
17 Jun 09
Israel did just that in 1981 when France built Saddam Hussein a nuclear power plant. As we all know, these middle eastern countries are all interested in alternative power sources due to their lack of fossil fuels. Please, we all know why they want nuclear power plants.
There's a reason Israel is so concerned about certain nations in the middle east obtaining the means with which to develop nuclear weapons. It's because Israel is the most likely country to have these weapons used against them.
If it comes down to nuclear weapons being used against another nation in the middle east, thus starting a war that could obliterate millions of people, I would choose to have Israel blow up a nuclear reactor under construction instead any day of the week.
Nuclear power plants are structures, not cities, not people. I would much rather have them blow up a nuclear power plant than have Iran blow up Israel.
1 person likes this
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
17 Jun 09
Yes but if they want to do that they must do it with the plant not yet operational, otherwise they will cause massive contamination in a huge area. Reactors are safe usually but when you bomb them usually you bomb also the safety systems, having an exposed core without cooling or safety control rods, or emergency boron injection system is never a good idea. The bombing would obviously wipe out the containment building so contamination would be huge with several casualties.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
17 Jun 09
The problem of course is the enriched uranium, suitable for nuclear weapons building, that Iran is using its power plant to obtain.
The time to have taken out this facility was long before they allowed it to progress so far with so little international observation and certification that it was not being used to further a nuclear weapons program.
International pressure often allows the enemies of Israel to continue in dangerous paths while preventing Israel from taking appropriate action.
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
18 Jun 09
To have enriched uranium there is no need of a nuclear power plant, they just need an enrichment facility, the power plant produces plutonium that can be used too for bombs, i don't know exactly the specifics of that specific reactor but usually pwr reactors are not the best plutonium producer since there are a lot of unwanted isotopes that complicate a lot the production of a nuclear weapon.
I've been searching on the internet and i have found that the iranians also have an ir-40 heavy water reactor that sounds really like a production reactor more than a power reactor, this is very likely to be used for plutonium production while iranians say it has been built for research purpose.
@aabuda (1722)
• Philippines
18 Jun 09
Each of us will definitely be affected if this happens. Why? Because prices of oil products will definitely increase! As a result, prices of commodities and most especially the transportation fares most especially here in the Third World countries like my country Philippines will be affected. And this would mean again, of a tough life that we will be facing. An another burden on our part who is just only humble looking for earnings in this most challenging world.
Hope this things will not happen.
@ClassyCat (1214)
• United States
24 Jun 09
And it is not important to think that God is on "our / your" side - - but rather are you / we on HIS side?
@emmanola (482)
•
18 Jun 09
I feel the possibility of Israel carrying out air raids to destroy Iran's nuclear sites under the present circumstances is remote. Mark my words, I have not say it's not possible, I've only stated that it's unlikely that Israel will pursue such option at this stage.
America is Israel's ally. However, the level of support Israel enjoy from America depends on the position that the American president take, concerning Israel and her neighbors. Obama has shown that he does not believe in violence and I feel Israel has to weigh this position of Obama seriously before embarking on any action that may further complicate the peace and stability of the middle east.
@Citizen_Stuart (2016)
•
17 Jun 09
Yes, considering Israel's vulnerable position and the toxic government that Iran is currently lumbered with, I'd be in sympathy with Israel in the event of any military confrontation between them, especially as Iran's alleged president has previously expressed a wish to wipe Israel off the map. Having said that, if the Israeli government are smart, they'll probably be sitting tight for the time being and seeing how the current political situation in Iran develops. It could just be that the Iranian people are in the process of replacing the current setup with something more civilised.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 Jun 09
I believe that Iran has the power to avoid this by allowing UN inspectors to oversee the nuclear reactor project...but they won't. Because Israel is in a vulnerable position and has been repeatedly threatened by Iran's (maybe) president, I wouldn't be surprised if they hit the plant before it was up and running.
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
17 Jun 09
Bombing a VVER nuclear reactor while it is operational would be pure madness, the reactor is inside a pressure vessel and various containment building in steel and concrete, if the bombing succeeds in destroyng them there would be massive nuclear fallout in all the region. Let's hope this never happens.
