US Supplies Israel With Bunker-Busting Bombs

A confirmed military hardware sale from the United States to Israel will not only strenghten the Jewish state's security, it is expected to bolster President Obama's odds of luring more American Jewish voters in 2012.

As reported in The New York Times, the el-Defense Security Cooperation Agency confirms the United States government has sold to Israel bombs which have the ability to incinerate buried targets, including suspected sites in Iran which are believed to be part of Tehran's nuclear weapons program.

The agency said in a statement, "This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country."

Of the sale, Defense Department spokesman George Little told the Times, "We're not going to comment on these press reports, but make no mistake about it - the United States is committed to the security of Israel and Israel's ability to maintain its qualitative military edge."

Plans by the United States to transfer so-called "bunker busting" bombs were initially reported by Newsweek in 2009 but the idea of supplying Israel with the bombs dates back to 2005 when the Bush White House informed Congress of a pending deal to send them.

President Obama is struggling in the polls among the American Jewish electorate and Washington insiders believe this deal could signal to those voters the president is standing firmly behind Israel.

The Times report came to light Friday - a day in which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas implored the United Nations General Assembly to support statehood and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu took the U.N. stage to make clear his country would be "the first" to sign on to a Palestinian state but only when a peace deal is first is achieved.

American officials point out that as a measure of the sensitivity of the matter, the report underlines that Israel had requested the United States not make public any paperwork concerning the arms transfers, including if such documentation would have been requested under the Freedom of Information Act.