r/geopolitics Aug 30 '19

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u/ObdurateSloth Aug 31 '19

Interesting read, thanks for the post!

I hope I am not hijacking the post but I simply have a question about Israel that I doubt warrants a new post. How important and what purpose does Israeli nuclear submarines serve for Israeli geopolitics? If we put this in context of this post then I fail to see Israeli submarines having any relevance to either Syrian civil war or in the Palestine conflict.

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u/RufusTheFirefly Aug 31 '19

Israeli nuclear submarines have no relevance to Syria or the Palestinian conflict. They're strictly a trident-style nuclear deterrent. Israel is small enough that it wouldn't take a large nuclear arsenal to destroy the entire country and it has enough enemy countries close enough to its borders that a devastating first strike might appear tempting to a country like Iran. The submarines protect their ability to respond to a nuclear attack and thus, to retain their nuclear deterrent.

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u/ObdurateSloth Aug 31 '19

Thanks, a very interesting explanation!