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© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Israel tests system to shoot down Iranian missiles
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CZAR202030
Mr.Netanyahu was definately keen to strike Iran's nuclear program, that was his stakes!
neverknow2
Whats the difference between NK and Israel?? NK has never attacked another nation. Israel has attacked many in both nation's equally brief histories. Maybe if NK became buddies with the US, the tables would turn.
I recommend that NK swallows it's pride, becomes an ally of the US, then it can have as many weapons as it likes with no pressure from the international community. Just like Israel.
SuperLib
What's the difference between pizza and the moon? Both are round, right?
Except South Korea. Other that that, you're bang on.
skipthesong
Israel has attacked many in both nation's equally brief histories" NK has attacked South Korea many times.
Are you trying to tell us Israel has never been attacked?
smithinjapan
skip: SuperLib is bang on with the 'South Korea' comment, you are exaggerating. We are talking about war, not skirmishes, and NKorea attacked South Korea at the outset of what is known as the 'Korean War'.
I'd like to know more details about the interception. For example, was the target programmed and that program fed into the interceptors? Until they fire a dummy missile at a time unknown before hand, with coordinates and size, etc. unknown as well, it will never be a TRUE test of the system.
WilliB
neverknow:
Is that what they taught you at school? Israel has been attacked by is muslim neighbours from the second the state was founded. They will definitely need the missile defense, as Ahmedinejads nuke gets ready. About North Korea... does South Korea ring a bell to you?
sharky1
A proper view of history will show that Israel's attacks were in response to being attacked. There have been preemptive strikes based on confirmed intelligence. If they do take out Iran's nuke capability, they should also take out Iran's oil production capability as well, to prevent the severity of counter strikes.
skipthesong
smith, what are you talking about, NK had most of the Korean Peninsular, all the way down to Pusan.. They were pushed back.
Now, you of all people who was in support of Iran obtaining Nukes is upset that Israel is concerned? They feel that Iran is their biggest and most powerful enemy. Who are you to say they are over reacting? For cs, you have a problem if they shoot down missiles that come falling on them?
Just because you want to chummy up with such a right wing led country like Iran doesn't mean everyone else does.
neverknow2
Any source on that claim?
neverknow2
No doubt that Irael has been attacked many, many times. Why not work at solving the root of the problem rather than promoting weapons for one nation and pushing sanctions against another for doing the same thing?
sabiwabi
You mean Israel has attacked many, many times, don't you?
No, Israel's biggest threats are its own leaders, constantly committing war crimes.
WilliB
neverknow2:
The root of the problem is islam and the unwillingness of the islamic world to accept existance of the Jewish state. Now what do you want to do about that? Islam is not going away or going to change.
Sabiwabi:
Thanks for giving us the standard islamist propaganda line.
Dennis Bauer
I don't like Israels Political strategy but their army is one of the best in the world, and their designs are made to work, not for money as some other manufacterers
sabiwabi
Indeed, shooting at small targets (children and infants) does sharpen one's skills. But then again, they got their butts kicked (4 times?) in Lebanon, so they ain't that great, despite all the military aid from the West.
taniwha
Israel may have "got their butts kicked" but their belligerence and role as the US proxy makes them very very dangerous, and liable to kick off a major war in the Middle East.
An attack on Israel by Iran will pull in the US. Any strike on Iranian targets by Israel is likely to result in counter attack by Iran. The government just formed in Israel is of an extreme right wing character, it is not boding well for the future. But, this is precisely the kind of developments at a national level that one might expect as the decay of capitalism at a global level sees it become a lurching and stumbling zombie consuming itself.
sabiwabi
taniwha,
I agree.
And considering the current financial meltdown, I feel some are dying to start a major war. The ME is one center of the conflict, and I fear something might happen between China and Japan (provoked by a third party).
smithinjapan
skip: "Now, you of all people who was in support of Iran obtaining Nukes is upset that Israel is concerned? They feel that Iran is their biggest and most powerful enemy. Who are you to say they are over reacting? For cs, you have a problem if they shoot down missiles that come falling on them?"
No offense, bud, but perhaps you ought to be addressing this part to someone else, and NOT me! I asked simply to know whether the test is accurate or not, and you've gone off on some rant.
As for the Korean War, I know all about it, North Korea attacked and began the war. They haven't attacked South Korea since, and never did before that, either. So my statement that you saying 'they have attacked many times' is false is not at all incorrect.
Moderator: Readers, North Korea is not relevant to this discussion. Please stay on topic.
Madverts
There will be no strikes on Israel by Iran.
You lot on the radical end of each side need to calm down a bit.
grafton
I think some of you need to learn to read, the article says that Israel tested “an anti-missile system designed to protect the country against Iranian attack” yet you somehow go on to equate this with NKs projectile which was more a missile/rocket for attacking rather that defending. Is that the new policy of the anti-Israeli group here that Israel is so good at defending it self that it should be stopped from having the weapons to defend it self? Israel has been attacked again & again & again since its beginning by it’s neighbours. Only in 1956 did it act first & that is one incredibly involved story.
Israel exists today, it is populated with millions of people yet if they were to drop their guard they would be attacked by a collective of Islamic countries that want them all gone, some even want them all dead, not just gone. Is that what some of you want to see, the greatest mass murder in history? Because by objecting to Israel being able to defend itself that is what you are saying. The idea of Israel existed a long time before 1948 but Israel didn’t come into being as a country until that date & only after 1956 did the US start to back Israel & they did so at that time as much in reaction to the British (& to a much lesser degree French) betrayal of 56. Those of you that know nothing but the propaganda that you have been fed from the Arabs & left wing western media need to take a step back from your emotive reactions & do some real reading that avoids preconceived ideas you have picked up from the newspapers & TV. Sabi is back out from under his rock & that can only mean the subject is Israel, why is that? Because there is an army of little Sabis who are so totally indoctrinated that the react rather than think for themselves. Do the work before you comment.
Sarge
"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated calls for the destruction of the Jewish state"
This is a farce.
likeitis
Israel makes a missile shield system for defense (probably does not work, but what the heck). I am fine with that.
But do we have to have it so clearly spelled out that it is specifically designed to thwart Iran?? Do we have be aggravating about defense? Do we have to be accusatory? Do we need headlines and announcements like this to add to the tensions and bad blood?
taniwha
Good sentiments, but unfortunately you are talking about, in the case of Israel, a nation that in less than five years has made how many large scale military strikes upon its immiediate neighbors? and dropped a missile or two on far away neighbors? I can't remember exactly, help me out here.
Not to mention applying the full power of its conventional military on striking on a comparitively defenseless would be state that just happens to constitute one of the most (if not the most) heavily populated urban zones in the entire world. Could also mention here you are talking about a government who during the latter strike have been accused of multiple crimes against humanity by the UN Secretary General amongst several other internationally respected NGOs that have had the opportunity to look at the evidence. Remember too, Israel promised an investigation following reports of war crimes by their own soldiers, and now just 9 days later have closed it down.
Could also mention that you are talking about a country that has just put in place an extremist right wing government, as I mentioned before. That means measurably more extreme than the one that pursued all of the above accomplishments. Just bear witness to what the new FOREIGN AFFAIRS minister has said.
"We are also losing ground every day in public opinion. Does anyone think that concessions and constantly saying “I am prepared to concede,” and using the word “peace” will lead to anything? No, that will just invite pressure, and more and more wars. "Si vis pacem, para bellum" - if you want peace, prepare for war; be strong."
Yeah, that is the words of Israel's incoming foreign affairs minister Avigdor Liberman, right after this: "The claim that what is threatening the world today is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a way of evading reality. The reality is that the problems are coming from the direction of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq."
A strike on Iran by this lot is extremely likely if past behavior is anything to go by. This is the character of the government there. And by the way, the conditions for Israeli working class members of the population have deteriorated rapidly within the state. The manner in which a government deals with its problems without is mirrored by the way it deals with problems within. Dissent in Israel is growing.
mareo2
From a japanese point of view, our only interest on these is that Israel know like us that the USA anti-missile system is unreliable. If Israel made something better, we need to buy it ASAP and then we can stop expend money in keep happy King Kim.
Madverts
"Good sentiments, but unfortunately you are talking about, in the case of Israel, a nation that in less than five years has made how many large scale military strikes upon its immiediate neighbors?"
What, in retaliation for random missile attacks on civillians? Nah, it's tit-for-tat stuff.
"and dropped a missile or two on far away neighbors? I can't remember exactly, help me out here."
Saddam's nuclear plant? Heh, I can't remember that being high on my protest agenda....
I'm not getting into a "poor Palestinian" / "poor Israel" debate. I support neither side.
"Just bear witness to what the new FOREIGN AFFAIRS minister has said."
OK, he's clearly not going to take to well to random rocket fire on his civillians. Can you get me some quotes from the democraticaly elected government of Hamas, please - let's get ourselves a little balance in here Taniwha.
"A strike on Iran by this lot is extremely likely if past behavior is anything to go by. This is the character of the government there."
The Israeli's are survivors - they aren't going to attack Iran, because the Iranans, unlike Saddam, have a mlitary that could pose a decent challenge. It's all sabre rattling.
taniwha
"Tit for tat"? Lets see, three weeks of attacks on Gaza killed 1,400 Palestinians. How many Israelis killed by Hamas rockets over the years? I will let someone find the figure, the one that comes to mind is 4.
Surgeons working in hospitals have reported that the IDF's own rules of engagement have little to do with international agreements, because quite apart from 1,400 Palestinian deaths, the majority being women and children, the numbers of people maimed was far greater due to the weaponry used. These injuries were consistent with stories from people on he ground during the attack that white phosphorus, banned internationally as a weapon, and DIME were used in the seriously built up urban zone that is Gaza. DIME is a new weapon, one that explodes with enough force to literally tear bodies apart when it hits them.
The IDV, just prior to the attack were issued with pamphlets quoting extensively from Shlomo Aviner, a hard-line rabbi who compares the Palestinians to the Philistines, the Biblical enemy of the Jews. “When you show mercy to a cruel enemy, you are being cruel to pure and honest soldiers... This is a war on murderers.” He also cites a biblical ban on “surrendering a single millimetre” of Israel."
Lets also leave aside for the moment Israel's full scale air strike against Lebanon last year, and its more recent missile attack against a target in the Sudan, and talk about Iran.
Who better to go to then the Prime minister himself Benjamin Netanyahu who the very day he was sworn in signaled a break with the 'two state solution' regards the Israeli-Palestinian ongoing conflict, but wait up that came right after he threatened to militarily strike Iran.
According to Jonah Goldberg of the Atlantic, Netanyahy directly threatened Iran. The primeminister's military advisers were quoted as saying that Israel could act "within months" and was capable of carrying out the attack with or without Washington's approval. One adviser had this to say: "The problem is not military capability, the problem is whether you have the stomach, the political will, to take action."
Madverts
There are ivestigations into Israeli war crmes....I've already said I'm defending neither party, and yes, it's tit-for-tat.
Frankly, the fact that Palestinians aren't as capapble as killing Israei citizens is a good thing in my opinion. Heh, and thanks for not providing any quotes from the democraticaly elected government of Hamas in regards to their foreign policy.
Who the hell needs balance when you've an agenda?
SuperLib
...and how many have been killed since Hamas stopped firing rockets? Gee, see a link there?
Helter_Skelter
Dream on, sabiwabi. Israel could have leveled the entire country in an afternoon if it wanted.
grafton
Israel tested a SELF DEFENCE SYSTEM, the media added the word IRAN.
But let’s not miss this golden opportunity to yet again have ago at Israel. I said it before, Israel exists now, today. With millions of Israeli people living there. Now before you all get passionately excited about how horrible Israel have been, for example reiterating the usual propaganda you have been fed. Explain to me just what are your plans for all these people when you give that which is Israel to the Palestinians? The wandering Jew might be an idea, but not for millions of people. Perhaps you are naïve enough to think that they could stay there & be treated well by the butchers you are so happy to support. The simple fact is that Israel has always operated defensively, all be it with a heavy hand. They are there & they defend themselves, maybe if they didn’t need to defend themselves they would be the best neighbours any of these countries around them could ask for, but that has never been tried because from day one they have had to defend themselves. The reason no deal has ever been made is because the Arabs will never accept Israel even though it is there. And don’t pretend that this is racist while saying that Israel has no right to defend itself against Iran, Iran is not near Israel yet has made some very extreme treats against Israel, they are defending their Islamic brothers against the Jews & Iran is not averse to the use of the word Jew. So, supporters of Palestine, what are your plans for all the surviving displaced Jews, where would you like to send them this time?
FromEurope
The biggest threat in the ME is Israel. Not the muslim countries. Israel is the invader and the occupier of the neigbour's territory since many many years, in spite of many UN resolutions.
taniwha
Madadverts
What investigations are you talking of? So far as I know there are none. Israel's military police closed internal investigation after only 9 days. The talk of investigations from the international arena are so far at least just talk.
The nation's military advocate, General Brigadier Avichai Mendelblit, shut down the military police’s criminal inquiry. That was Israel's 'official effort' set up to investigate allegations by Israeli soldiers of misconduct by the Israeli Defence Forces and serious violations of the IDF’s rules of engagement during Israel’s attack on Gaza. Mendelblit himself said the soldier's stories amounted to nothing but "hearsay", and therefore... no need to go into any prolonged/real investigation.
Well, as you know, having been reading and posting the board so many years as you have, Taniwha states any personal politics up front. The answer for concerns like those you consistently express is for the world to move on from the zombie capitalism to something truely democratic, rational, and scientific (rather than the present mystic workings of charlatans and pirates). So, no, nothing hidden here pal, apart from the uninteresting personal details kind of stuff :)
The situation in Israel regards the Palestinians brings to mind nothing less than apartheid era South Africa, except of course that the White regime there was somewhat more restrained by comparison. Punishing Hamas for rocket attacks does not justify the kind of butchery we have seen exacted on Gaza, and nothing justifies the systematic repression of an entire people. You don't appear to know the history of modern Israel. Most Palestinians alive today are likely to have members of their family who were actually present in what is today known as Israel when the Kind David hotel blown by Irgun.
taniwha
Sabiwabi
The situation existing between Japan and China is tricky. Before the 'financial crises' I would have been inclined to believe that most of the nationalistic rhetoric from both sides was aimed at coalescing internal support for the present political structure; maintaining the political status quo. So long as the global economy was actually working both countries had been bought together in a totally symbiotic relationship based on trade. Now though things the environment right around the globe means that at this point anything could happen, almost anywhere.
Any major power taking pre-emptive action on some relatively new target nation, even the most seemingly minor remote speck of the globe at this point could spark something much bigger.
I think you are right to note that the parallel between Israel testing its 'anti-Iranian rockets' system, and Japan threatening to use its own 'anti-North Korean rocket' system. I do think though that the whole North Korean rocket launch thing was aimed, all but totally at an internal domestic audience inside North Korea, that is, rather than intended as a warning to its neighbors.
taniwha
Sabiwabi Not sure by "a third party" that you were actually alluding to North Korea but anyway.
teleprompter
Why does Iran need nuke capable missiles?
The mullahs and their allies in the region and beyond have already successfully brainwashed the dying democracies of W. Europe and large swaths of the Left in the US, Canada and Australia.
Helter_Skelter
Israel is tiny, about the size of New Jersey. The Muslim Arabs have 800 times the land mass. Get over it.
sabiwabi
these are Palestinians, there is no reason to pool them together with Muslims.
Who says they are trying to get or make them?
sabiwabi
I wasn't really alluding to NK. Its more a concern that major wars are often (always?) triggered by a false flag and that the great depression did lead to a world war. I can just imagine another Gulf of Tonkin, USS Liberty, or 911-type event to get it all started. The usual crowd seems to be behind these things.
BTW, I do agree with what you've written.
Madverts
"So, no, nothing hidden here pal, apart from the uninteresting personal details kind of stuff :)"
Taniwha knows what Madverts thinks about all that :)
"Punishing Hamas for rocket attacks does not justify the kind of butchery we have seen exacted on Gaza"
If you're not sat on the fence like me then you're supporting butchery on either side. It's a good thing the Hamas aren't equipped with all the bombs and planes and guns the Israeli's are, or the butchery would be a dmaned sight worse than what the Jewish state rains down on them when they get sick of indiscriminate rocket fire.
If Madverts was forced to choose a side, he'd live in Israel though....
Sarge
sabi - "these are Palestinians, there is no reason to pool them together with Muslims."
Yes, we all know very few Palestinians are Muslims.
taniwha
Sarge
Here's a fact that might interest you. Around one third and upwards of the total Arab population in what is now Israel were Christian. That was before Israel declared itself a state and set about freeing up the living space by ejecting or killing the Arabs.
taniwha
Actually, should make that a 'fact' rather than a fact. There seems to be a lot of variation in the percentages of Arabs said to make up the population in what is now Israel, pre-1948. But one thing is clear, since 1948 the numbers of Christian Arabs that make up the population in that particular part of the ME have been in steady decline. Me thinks it rash if one were to assert there to be no association between one and the other.
Moderator: Back on topic please.
SuperLib
I think you're confusing, "I'm angriest with Israel" with "Israel is the biggest threat."
WilliB
Israel will need those missiles, and they´d better be credible. Because the biggest threat from Ahmedinejads holy bomb is not that is going to actually "eliminate the dirty bacteria Israel" immediately by nuking Tel Aviv. Instead, he will continue to threaten and let all Israelis live under permanent death threat, effectively turning all of Israel into a version of Sideroth. That will mean that the wealthier part of the population will start to leave, gradually weakening the country, until it falls.
So those missiles be better credible, otherwise Ahmedinejad wins without firing a shot.
sabiwabi
The Jews already had Birobidjan; there was never any need for a second Jewish homeland. The Palestinians only had Palestine, which as you stated is tiny.