Washington Funds Secret Israeli Ballistic Missile Base

Stephen Lendman

On June 3, McClatchy's foreign staff headlined "US publishes details of missile base Israel wanted kept secret." More on that below.

Last November 28, the Washington Post headlined "US overseeing mysterious construction in Israel." A previous article discussed it. Washington and Israel partner in imperial operations. Expensive projects are included. According to WaPo:

The US Army Corps of Engineers plans to supervise construction of a five-story underground facility for an Israel Defense Forces complex.

It's called "Site 911." It'll be built at an Israeli air force base near Tel Aviv. It's precise location is secret. Construction will take two years or longer.

Time frames are often extended. Cost is expected to be about $100 million. Expect double or more spent perhaps before completion.

The Israeli facility will "have classrooms on Level 1, an auditorium on Level 3, a laboratory, shock-resistant doors, protection from non-ionizing radiation, and very tight security."

Clearances will be required for all construction workers. Guards will be at the fence, and barriers will separate it from the rest of the base.

Construction bids were due last December. Only US firms submitted them.

On February 13, Conti Corp. Federal Services won bidding rights. It'll build five underground levels and six above ground. Completion is scheduled for May 2015.

Washington funds numerous Israeli military facilities. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent. Under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, America supplies weapons, munitions, and other defense related services. It does so to other nations and international organizations.

Sometimes they're sold. Other times they're given. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) administers FMS.

Washington was involved in many previous Israeli IDF construction projects. They're undertaken under FMS. The Corps of Engineers maintains three facilities in Israel.

From 1978 - 1982, it built Israel's Ramon and Ovda airbases. Doing so followed the 1978 Camp David Accords. Construction costs were about $1 billion.

In 1983, Corp of Engineers completed Nevatim air base construction. It's one of Israel's largest.

About half a billion dollars in US military construction followed Israel's 1998 Wye River Memorandum with Palestine. Another half billion went for Israeli security measures. Palestine got smaller amounts.

Other US funded construction was for Israeli command centers, intelligence offices, underground hangers, and other projects.

McClatchy said "Israel's military fumed over the discovery that (Washington) revealed details of a top-secret Israeli military installation in published bid requests."

Obama promised a state-of-the-art ballistic missile defense system. Officially it's for Israel's Arrow 3. Much more is involved. More on that below.

Details were published to permit contract bids. It's standard procedure. An unnamed Israeli military official responded, saying:

If an enemy of Israel wanted to launch an attack against a facility, this would give him an easy how-to guide. 

This type of information is closely guarded, and its release can jeopardize the entire facility.

He declined to say if plans may change because of what's been known. He stopped short of explaining the facility's main purpose. It's for offense, not defense.

Israel's Iron Dome is more hype than fulfillment. It's far less effective than claimed. Arrow 3 may be no better. It's designed to intercept ballistic missiles. So-called missile defense is more hype than reality.

America's missile defense systems are for offense. So are Israel's. More on that below.

Jane's Defense Weekly first discussed Israel's planned facility. Arrow 3 includes six interceptors. They'll be in vertical launch positions. A gantry crane will erect further missiles. According to McClatchy:

The structures encasing the interceptor system are to be constructed from high-grade concrete reinforced with steel mesh grids. 

They’ll have steel blast doors and a system to protect electrical wiring from the pressure created by a launch.

Israeli officials said they're fast-tracking development. Concerns about an Iranian nuclear threat don't wash.

It's well known Iran's nuclear program is peaceful. No evidence suggests otherwise. Israel wants a greater offensive strike capability. Washington's on board to provide it.

Gordon Duff calls Israel's planned facility a secret "doomsday" project. ICBM capability is planned. India's involved in the project. Nuclear, biological and chemical weapons will be stored. They'll be available for use.

Israel maintains nuclear/CBW ambiguity. Plausible deniability doesn't wash. Israel's nuclear armed and dangerous. Experts believe it has hundreds of warheads and sophisticated long-range delivery systems.

Less is known about its chemical and biological weapons (CBW) capability. Israel signed the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Ratification didn't follow. It never signed the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).

In 1993, the US Congress Office of Technology Assessment WMD proliferation assessment included Israel as a nation having undeclared offensive chemical warfare capabilities.

Israel tests new weapons in combat. Against Lebanon in 2006 and Gaza during Cast Lead, it used direct energy weapons, chemical and/or biological agents, and others producing injuries and symptoms medical professionals never previously saw.

Bodies with dead tissue had no apparent wounds. Corpses were found shrunken. Civilians had heavy lower limb damage.  Amputations were required. Unstoppable necrosis followed (death of cells and living tissue). Victims didn't survive.

Internal wounds had no trace of shrapnel. Corpses were blackened but not burned. Some badly wounded victims didn’t bleed. The Palestinian health ministry said Israel used a new type explosive in Gaza. It contained toxins and radioactive materials. They burned and tore victims’ bodies from inside. They left long-term deformations.

A Palestinian doctor accused Israel of using chemical ammunition. It burns and injures soft tissue. It can’t be traced by X-rays. Severe internal wounds were reported.

Unknown gases believed to be nerve agents were used. Victims lost consciousness for about 24 hours. They experienced high fevers and muscle rigidity. Some needed urgent blood transfusions.In Gaza, white phosphorous was used. It burns flesh to the bone. Depleted uranium spread radioactive contamination. Close-range explosives caused severe injuries. They required amputations. Children had legs cut off and abdomens sliced open. Some died because nothing could save them.

Only authorized personnel have access to the Israeli Institute for Biological Research (IIBR). Israel calls it "a governmental, applied research institute specializing in the fields of biology, medicinal chemistry and environmental sciences."

Others say IIBR is where Israel develops biological and chemical weapons. They're for CBW warfare. Israel's facility is one of its most top-secret.

Strict secrecy is enforced. Little about what goes on is known. Hundreds of scientists and technicians are involved. Shimon Peres is one of Israel's longstanding nuclear/CBW development proponents.

"According to intelligence sources in Pakistan," said Duff, "India is supplying Israel with missiles capable of carrying 10 MIRV (Multiple Independent-targetable Re-entry Vehicle) warheads each with a range of up to 11,000 miles."

A single missile from this US financed complex could knock out all major population centers on America’s eastern seaboard.

In late May, DOD published the following:

Detailed plans on the massive underground facility at Tel Shahar, intended to be Israel’s answer to NORAD’s Cheyenne Mountain fortress in Colorado, were made public when the US published over 1000 pages of documents, including key information on location, design and vulnerabilities to attack.

McClatchy and other Western media sources spun the story. Misinformation was published. Claiming the new facility is for defense doesn't wash.

Israel wants first-strike capability. Russian-supplied S-300 missile systems render conventional warplanes useless. They can be intercepted far from targets and destroyed.

Washington and Israel are longstanding partners. Both prioritize state-of-the-art WMDs and intercontinental delivery systems capability. Doing so threatens humanity.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is titled How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/

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