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| Israel, U.S. test air defense against Iran |
| 2009-10-23 |
| Israel and the United States kicked off Wednesday a major air defense exercise that will simulate a missile attack on Israel. Code-named Juniper Cobra, the two-week exercise is the largest drill ever between the two countries. It is the fifth in a series of biennial exercises and will include about 1,000 American personnel and an equal number of personnel from Israel's military. Israeli public radio said the U.S. personnel were set to mesh ground- and ship-based missile interceptors like the Aegis, THAAD and Patriot with Israel's Arrow II ballistic shield. Both nations have denied any connection between the air defense drill and heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear program. Still, Israel radio quoted an unnamed commander as saying that the exercise "served to prepare for a nuclear Iran." Both the United States and Israel argue that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied saying it is only seeking nuclear power. During the two-week exercise, U.S. forces will be deployed to a number of locations in Israel, within the vicinity of civilian areas. The joint exercise will simulate long-range missile attacks on Israel from Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Experts suggest the war drill will test the two countries' missile defense systems, testing technology that could be used to shield Israel from a potential Iran attack. In all, a total of 17 U.S. warships have been deployed, equipped with special radar systems capable of detecting surface-to-surface missiles for the exercise. Israeli media reported that the drill will also include the use of X-band radar technology used to spot incoming missiles from miles away. The X-band radar ranges from 8.0 to 12.0 Ghz. Better than spotting them from feet away ... Deteriorating ties between Israel and Turkey forced Ankara earlier this month to call off a NATO exercise because of Israeli participation. American diplomats have since then been prodding Turkey to mend relations with Israel, explaining that looming tensions between the once-regional allies was hurting United States interests in the Middle East. The Turks have screwed the US royally in OIF. Now it is Israel's turn to be shafted. Turkey will not become a part of the EU. So their only choice to them, it seems, is to throw in their lot with their ME neighbors, like Syria. Some neighbors. Turkey has long served as Israel's closest ally in the Muslim world, acting also as a key partner in security, trade and tourism relations. Those relations, however, have soured since the onslaught in Gaza last December. With the U.S.-Israel drill, said local media quoting Eytan Gilboa, a political scientist at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, the exercise "sends a message to Iran, to Hezbollah and to Hamas that the strategic relationship between the United States and Israel remains solid." |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #2 Compare wid RIAN > WHOM SHOULD FEAR RUSSIA'S NEW MILITARY DOCTRINE? IIUC, Russia's new MilDoctr not re-affirms Russ potens FIRST-USE OF NUKES IN STRATEGIC STRIKES AGZ MAJOR = NUC ENEMY STATES, but now also author SAME IN LOCAL CONFLICTS AGZ NON-NUC ENEMIES IFF RUSS NATIONAL SECURITY IS AT RISK??? ARTIC > reminds how 1999 War Game proved to Russ that ONLY NUCLEAR WEAPONS [includ PREEMPTION] can save Russia from a "powerful aggressor" [read, US-NATO, now also CHINA?]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-10-23 23:46 |
| #1 Be a good time for israel to make it's move. They must at some point. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2009-10-23 16:51 |