Reuters: Israel tests Dirty Bomb in Negev desert

[mellenORL]

Normally, I trust Reuters and the other big news wire services to vet their news items before release, so this story really disturbs and pisses me off. The link is to a typical, low-budget wire service video using a simplistic explanatory animation with the reporter's voice-over. Reuters, UPI, and AP do print media very well, however.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israel-tested-%e2%80%98dirty-bombs%e2%80%99-in-the-negev-desert/vi-BBkQZrE?ocid=U147DHP

Testing explosive devices that spew radioactive particles sounds more like what one expects ISIL to do. In this report, Israeli government nuclear testing scientists even set up a mock shopping mall to test how radioactive particles would spread within after a dirty bomb detonation.

[Askold]

I find it interesting that the air filters would block most of the radioactive particles in the air. This would mean that dirty bombs aren't really that dangerous outside the immediate area. Radiation already has trouble penetrating walls so a dirty bomb would mainly do damage with the hysteria it causes.

And although I oppose nuclear bomb tests since those aren't really that necessary anymore I do admit that I am not aware of dirty bombs being tested like this so this might in fact be new and valuable data.

[dpareja]

If this is true, it could send the Middle East into a war that would leave it destroyed (never mind the rest of the world).

Israel has always denied having nuclear weapons because they know that if they ever confirmed it, all their enemies would immediately withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, citing the imminent threat to national security. While most of them probably couldn't develop a nuke anyway, Iran already has a nuclear program, and Saudi Arabia could probably just buy everything they needed to start their own.

[mellenORL]

News like this makes me think that ISIL may actually feel the need to double down and really try to get an actual nuke from Pakistan, as they boasted/bluffed about a couple weeks ago.

[guizonde]

News like this makes me think that ISIL may actually feel the need to double down and really try to get an actual nuke from Pakistan, as they boasted/bluffed about a couple weeks ago.

making israel their number one target, instead of the western world? that is a bad scenario that could happen. well, more credibly than getting a pakistani nuke on the white house lawn, at least.

[SCarpelan]

Why is this such a big deal? Israel has a good reason to assume that they might be a target of such a bomb so it makes sense they test its effects to see how to protect themselves from the damage. They wouldn't need such a crude weapon themselves, they do their indiscriminate killing with high-tech stuff.

This is not a "real" nuclear bomb, after all. Having radioactive material is a different thing than having thermonuclear weapons which is what Israel denies having.

[Ironchew]

This is not a "real" nuclear bomb, after all. Having radioactive material is a different thing than having thermonuclear weapons which is what Israel denies having.

It's pretty obvious Israel has atomic bombs, though. Any withdrawl of U.S. support and I would say Israel would be the most likely nation to start a nuclear war.

[Ultimate Paragon]

This is not a "real" nuclear bomb, after all. Having radioactive material is a different thing than having thermonuclear weapons which is what Israel denies having.

It's pretty obvious Israel has atomic bombs, though. Any withdrawl of U.S. support and I would say Israel would be the most likely nation to start a nuclear war.

You're technically right... because Israel is the only country in the Middle East that actually has nuclear weapons at the moment.

[Eiki-mun]

If I were a Muslim country in the middle east right now, I'd be withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation treaty immediately, because Israel is full of fucking psychos and I need to get a nuke of my own to defend myself.

But I am not a Muslim country. I can absolutely see why Iran wants nukes so bad, though. They're probably number one on Israel's target list.

[Ultimate Paragon]

If I were a Muslim country in the middle east right now, I'd be withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation treaty immediately, because Israel is full of fucking psychos and I need to get a nuke of my own to defend myself.

If Israel's full of psychos, then why haven't they nuked another country by now?

But I am not a Muslim country. I can absolutely see why Iran wants nukes so bad, though. They're probably number one on Israel's target list.

Other way around, my friend.

[Eiki-mun]

If I were a Muslim country in the middle east right now, I'd be withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation treaty immediately, because Israel is full of fucking psychos and I need to get a nuke of my own to defend myself.

If Israel's full of psychos, then why haven't they nuked another country by now?

Because they're smart psychos, obviously.

But I am not a Muslim country. I can absolutely see why Iran wants nukes so bad, though. They're probably number one on Israel's target list.

Other way around, my friend.

If you seriously think Israel doesn't have a target list, you are the most naive person I've ever met. And I've met me from high school.

[lord gibbon]

Yeah, gotta agree with Eiki here, UP. I just don't trust Netanyahu one damn bit. If he thinks he can get away with it, he'll do it.

[Ultimate Paragon]

If I were a Muslim country in the middle east right now, I'd be withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation treaty immediately, because Israel is full of fucking psychos and I need to get a nuke of my own to defend myself.

If Israel's full of psychos, then why haven't they nuked another country by now?

Because they're smart psychos, obviously.

Prove it.  You made the claim, now back it up.

But I am not a Muslim country. I can absolutely see why Iran wants nukes so bad, though. They're probably number one on Israel's target list.

Other way around, my friend.

If you seriously think Israel doesn't have a target list, you are the most naive person I've ever met. And I've met me from high school.

If they do, it's only because they're on so many other factions' target lists.

Yeah, gotta agree with Eiki here, UP. I just don't trust Netanyahu one damn bit. If he thinks he can get away with it, he'll do it.

Netanyahu is only one man, and he doesn't have absolute power.

[ironbite]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Eiki-mun]

Prove it.  You made the claim, now prove it.

Let me get right on proving my opinion of a nation's mindset.

If they do, it's only because they're on so many other factions' target lists.

Tell that to all the dead Palestinians. Over 2250 last year, by the way. And according to the UN, almost 70% of those killed were civilians - a great many of them children. But tell me more about how Israel is the innocent victim of the Middle East.