ISRAEL BOMBS IRAQI NUCLEAR REACTOR. On June 7, 1981, The BBC reported the bombing of the Osirak nuclear reactor:

The Israelis have bombed a French-built nuclear plant near Iraq's capital, Baghdad, saying they believed it was designed to make nuclear weapons to destroy Israel.

It is the world's first air strike against a nuclear plant.

...The Israeli Government explained its reasons for the attack in a statement saying: "The atomic bombs which that reactor was capable of producing whether from enriched uranium or from plutonium, would be of the Hiroshima size. Thus a mortal danger to the people of Israel progressively arose."

...The statement said: "We again call upon them to desist from this horrifying, inhuman deed. Under no circumstances will we allow an enemy to develop weapons of mass destruction against our people."

...There have been no reported casualties.

The Six Day War...bombing the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak: Back in the day Israel acted pre-emptively to protect herself and her citizens.

Remember?

[Hat tip: LGF]

UPDATE: Judith A. Klinghoffer shows based on an excerpt from Reagan's diary that his original condemnation of Israel was based on the fact that the outgoing Carter administration did notify him about Israel's concerns about the reactor--which had already been conveyed to the US.

Jason Maoz gives the background on the planning and considerations that went into the bombing.

[Hat tip: Jonah Goldberg/The Corner]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Iraq and Osirak.