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| International |
| Turkey To Join ABM Club? |
| 2002-12-23 |
| Israel's top soldier, Chief of General Staff Moshe Yaalon, flew into Ankara to meet his Turkish counterpart, Hilmi Ozkok, Monday, talking about the building of a joint anti-missile defensive shield. This is the result of the unpublicized American offer to bring Turkey into the anti-missile club, probably the most important of the many sweeteners offered to Turkey to secure its backing for U.S. military operations against Iraq. Israel brings as its dowry to the deal its Arrow missile, co-developed with the United States. The Arrow is designed to shoot incoming short- and medium-range missiles -- like Iraq's Scuds -- at a far greater distance (up to 60 miles) and altitude (up to 20 miles) than the obsolescent Patriots. There are two hitches: First, production is slow. Israel has deployed only two batteries, and may not be able to provide any to Turkey in time to be useful against Iraq. Second, Israel is counting on exporting the Arrow, but needs U.S. approval, less for export to a NATO ally like Turkey than for the really juicy market, India. The deal seems to be that if the United States wants Israel to provide the Arrow for Turkey, it will also have to approve sales to India. Works for me. India is a much better long term partner for the U.S. than the Paks. The prospect is ringing alarm bells in the U.S. State Department. Another point in its favor Giving India an anti-missile capability (evidently aimed against Pakistan) would undermine President Pervez Musharraf and escalate India-Pakistan tensions to a new pitch. How dare those Indians defend themselves! |
| Posted by:Steve |