Clinton criticized for dodging question on Israel nukes.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is criticized for dodging a question on Israel's nuclear arsenal during a "town hall" meeting at a Jeddah college.
Mariyam Alavi, a Saudi student, asked Clinton last Tuesday about Washington's stance on the existence of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
"I did not get a straight answer," Alavi said in a letter published in Arab News, AFP reported.
"My question was simple and direct enough," she wrote, but Clinton's response "was very unsatisfying."
The 12th grader at the International Indian School in Jeddah, who attended the meeting at the elite Dar al-Hekma College, noted that the US top diplomat only detailed Iran's nuclear program, without mentioning Israel.
If the Americans "so vehemently oppose Iran's nuclear program," she had asked, "then why isn't the US asking Israel to give up their nuclear weapons?"
The student has questioned Washington's double standard toward Iran's nuclear program and accused Washington of hypocrisy.
"Clinton said that the United States, under the able leadership of President Barack Obama, was trying to repair and strengthen its ties with the Muslim world," Alavi said.
"It is high time she realized it couldn't be done without answering the questions uppermost in the minds of the Middle East people," she added.
Clinton had been on a three-day trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss the latest regional developments, including Iran's nuclear program.
The world powers, led by the US, are attempting to stop the Islamic Republic's nuclear enrichment program — which Tehran says it is entitled to as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
While the Western powers accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program, they have kept mum Israel, which reportedly has about 200 nuclear war head.
Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at the civilian application of the technology.
Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119176§ionid=3510203
This kid demonstrated more courage and intelligence in asking this question than all the reporters who have allegedly "questioned" Secretary of State Clinton on any geopolitical issue.
We know, through the revelations of Mordechai Vannunu, coupled with statements from former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former US President Jimmy Carter, that Israel does have nukes.
Iran, as a signatory to the NNPT, has their nuclear program inspected by the IAEA to insure that the program is used only for peaceful purposes.
Israel, on the other hand, which has nukes, refuses to become a signatory to the NNPT, and therefore will allow no inspections of their nuclear facilities.
Under the provisions of the Syminton Amendment in US law, it is stipulated that the US cannot give any financial or military aid to countries which do have nuclear programs which are not under the control of the IAEA.
And what does this mean for We the Taxpayers? That every cent of the nearly 3 billion dollars in aid we pay Israel every year, from the time of their having obtained nuclear weapons, was given to Israel illegally.
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