---
aliases:
- Robert McNamara
born: 1916-06-09
category: Nuclear Scientists & Programs
died: 2009-07-06
location: San Francisco, California, USA
summary: Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and Johnson who was pressured by pro-Israel
  fundraiser Abraham Feinberg not to interfere with Israel's nuclear activities.
tags:
- Person
- Nuclear
- Israel
---

Robert S. McNamara served as the Secretary of Defense under President [John F. Kennedy](/people/john-f-kennedy/) and later under President [Lyndon B. Johnson](/people/lyndon-b-johnson/). He was involved in discussions regarding [Israel](/places/israel/)'s nuclear program and the sale of advanced U.S. fighter aircraft to [Israel](/places/israel/). [Abraham Feinberg](/people/abraham-feinberg/) directly intervened with McNamara, insisting that the [United States](/places/united-states/) should not interfere with [Israel](/places/israel/)'s nuclear activities. McNamara cryptically acknowledged the basic problem of [Israel](/places/israel/)'s existence as a question mark in history, which he understood as a reason for [Israel](/places/israel/)'s desire for a nuclear bomb.[^1]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 8.