Two years ago, the Obama Administration secretly authorized the sale of 55 deep-penetrating bombs — or bunker busters — to Israel. That's according to an investigation by Newsweek magazine. The bombs could potentially be used in Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites. Weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz talks with Eli Lake, the reporter who broke the story.
Newsweek is set to publish a piece on Monday that back in 2009, the Obama administration secretly provided Israel with 55-deep penetrating bombs, so-called bunker busters. And there's some speculation that those bombs could be used in the event Israel decides to launch a military strike against suspected Iranian nuclear development sites.
Reporter Eli Lake broke the story, and he joins me now. And, Eli, first of all, these were the same bunker busters, I understand, that the Bush administration initially refused to sell to Israel. Remind us of the background here.
ELI LAKE: Yes. In 2005, the Israelis initially requested this particular kind of bunker buster, which is the top of the line. It can go through 20 feet of solid concrete. And the rationale at the time was deep concerns with Israeli transfers of military technology to China.
That issue was largely resolved by 2007. And in a secret letter from President Bush to Prime Minister Olmert, Bush agreed to sell the bunker busters. But that sale was then deferred two years into what became the Obama administration. And then Obama, very early in his administration, approved the transfer of 55 out of 100 that had - Bush had agreed to sell Israel in 2009.
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