Colin Powell discussed ‘secret’ Israeli nukes in leaked emails
In a private email exchange last year leaked this week by hackers, former Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed Israel’s nuclear weapons capability with a friend, saying the country has 200 warheads.
Though Israel is widely believed to have developed nukes decades ago, it has never declared itself to be a nuclear state. The existence of its weapons programme is considered classified information by both the Israeli and US governments.
This email was written 10 years after he left government and [Powell] has not received briefings on classified matters
Powell, a retired Army general who has served as White House national security adviser and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Associated Press on Friday through a spokeswoman he was referring to public estimates of Israel’s nukes.
“General Powell has not been briefed or had any knowledge from US sources on the existence and or size of an Israeli nuclear capability,” the statement said. “He like many people believe that there may be a capability and the number 200 has been speculated upon in open sources.” It added: “This email was written 10 years after he left government and has not received briefings on classified matters.”
Powell, 79, would not say whether he still retains a security clearance.
In the March 2015 exchange from his personal Gmail account, Powell was discussing a speech that day to a joint session of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The conservative Israeli leader staunchly opposed the deal then proposed by President Barack Obama to curb Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.