USA TODAY April 29, 2005
U.S. plans to sell 'bunker busting' bombs to Israel
By Andrea Stone
WASHINGTON — In a move that could increase pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear arms program, the Pentagon says it will sell to Israel 100 "bunker busting" bombs designed to destroy deep underground weapons facilities.
The $30 billion deal, which must be approved by Congress, comes just weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned President Bush during a meeting at his Texas ranch that Iran was approaching a "point of no return" in its efforts to build a nuclear bomb.
The move coincides with diplomatic talks between Tehran and negotiators from Britain, France and Germany, who want Iran to agree to halt its effort to develop nuclear weapons. The talks have made little progress so far.
Thursday, Iran threatened to restart its uranium enrichment program if talks with the Europeans fail. "If there is no agreement and negotiations collapse, there is no choice but to restart the program," Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said. Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are limited to the peaceful generation of electricity.
Israel has sought the GBU-28 bombs, first used during the 1991 Gulf War, for at least seven years. It would be the first U.S. ally allowed to buy them, says John Pike of GlobalSecurity.org, a defense research group in Alexandria, Va.
"We're saying that if the Israelis were to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, we would support them because we have given them the means to do so," he says. "It's communicating to the (Europeans) and other countries the seriousness with which we view this situation and that if diplomacy does not succeed we are prepared to pursue diplomacy by other means."
Sharon has said Israel is not planning to attack Iran, but Vice President Cheney warned in January that Israel could take unilateral action if it feared Tehran was close to possessing a nuclear weapon.
The Pentagon said in a statement that the sale would "contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for economic progress in the Middle East."
Israeli Embassy spokesman David Siegel said the bombs are "one component in a basket of measures Israel is acquiring to improve its defensive capabilities in various scenarios."
In addition to Iran, Israel is concerned about Syria, which may have SCUD missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was in Israel this week, has agreed to sell short-range missiles to Syria.
If the sale is approved, Israel plans to arm its U.S.-made F-15 fighter jets with the bunker busters. The 2.2 ton, laser-guided bombs are capable of burrowing through more than 20 feet of concrete and 100 feet of hard ground. Pike says the bombs are capable of penetrating Iran's underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, about 100 miles north of Isfahan.
Contributing: Wire services
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