Israel testfires anti-missile system in 'message' to Iran

[Logan13]

Israel testfires anti-missile system in 'message' to Iran
AFP
02/12/07

Israel carried out a successful night-time test of its Hetz (Arrow) anti-missile missile system in what public television described as a "message to Iran".
A Hetz fired from the Palmahim base, south of the commercial capital Tel Aviv, intercepted a missile fired from a high-altitude aircraft, the television said.

Public radio said the missile firing was designed to imitate Iran's Shahab-3, which has a range sufficient to reach Israel.

A defence ministry spokesman said a statement would be released later.

It was the first test of the anti-missile missile since early December 2005, when the military announced the system was fully operational.

For the first three years after its launch in 1988, the United States paid 80 percent of the project's cost, but now the costs are shared equally.

Since the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, the project's primary focus has been Iran, which Israel now sees as its main threat.

[DTBusta]

Good they have the right to defend themselves..just no pre-emptive wars..those get ugly. Pre-emptive defense sounds good.

[Logan13]

Good they have the right to defend themselves..just no pre-emptive wars..those get ugly. Pre-emptive defense sounds good.

agreed

[Teabagger]

I'm telling ya...Iran really doesn't understand what its messing with. Israel is fighting for it very survival, its existence, and that is a mighty motivator.

[DTBusta]

I agree, they can't mess with Israel without getting their asses handed to them. But like N.Korea they may be emboldened now to get a nuke so they get the respect they want. Who knows Bush labeling them 'axis of evil' may have sent them both over the edge, specially if they saw Bush invade one of those 3 'axis of evil' countries.Iran is next and they may get what they want just like the koreans. Hopefully they will do the same as N. Korea and broker a deal to disarm after they are seen they can make one. After all in this regaurd remember always hearing'experts' on the news saying both countries were years away from obtaining them, and so far they were pretty wrong on Korea.Ahhh hopefully President of Iran won't be so stupid to provoke America any more because Irans religious leaders are starting to see well if the americans can't win a war they certainly can overthrow a government pretty fast, these Iranians don't want that.

[mcpeepants]

I agree, they can't mess with Israel without getting their asses handed to them. But like N.Korea they may be emboldened now to get a nuke so they get the respect they want. Who knows Bush labeling them 'axis of evil' may have sent them both over the edge, specially if they saw Bush invade one of those 3 'axis of evil' countries.Iran is next and they may get what they want just like the koreans. Hopefully they will do the same as N. Korea and broker a deal to disarm after they are seen they can make one. After all in this regaurd remember always hearing'experts' on the news saying both countries were years away from obtaining them, and so far they were pretty wrong on Korea.Ahhh hopefully President of Iran won't be so stupid to provoke America any more because Irans religious leaders are starting to see well if the americans can't win a war they certainly can overthrow a government pretty fast, these Iranians don't want that.

If the US isn't putting ground troops into Iran, I don't see how they could overthrow the government. Bombing Iran would cause a rise in nationalism and support for the government similar to the 9-11 attacks.

[juicedOUTbrain]

If the US isn't putting ground troops into Iran, I don't see how they could overthrow the government. Bombing Iran would cause a rise in nationalism and support for the government similar to the 9-11 attacks.

Are you talking about a rise of nationalism inside the US or Iran?

[mcpeepants]

Are you talking about a rise of nationalism inside the US or Iran?

In Iran

[juicedOUTbrain]

In Iran

Indeed, there is a growing democratic movement in Iran right now, so bombing them would just be counter productive to our goals in the region, IMO...

[singern]

I have to agree, Although the US certainly has the ability to send Iran back to the Paleozoic age, the best course of action is to support, and enable a political change in Iran, To impower true democracy and get rid of the Ayatollah and his "supreme leadership" once and for all.

[Logan13]

Indeed, there is a growing democratic movement in Iran right now, so bombing them would just be counter productive to our goals in the region, IMO...

did we bomb North korea to the negotiation table? No, but we pressured them to it, very similar to what we are doing with Iran.