Iranian Missile Tests Boost International Tensions and Proliferation Concerns

The Heritage Foundation ^ | July 10, 2008 | James Phillips

[Uncle Ralph]

Yesterday Iran launched nine missiles as part of military exercises designed to accomplish the following:

• Deter military action against its accelerating nuclear program;
• Undermine the international coalition seeking to dissuade Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon;
• Intimidate its neighbors; and
• Boost President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's flagging domestic political support.

While the missile display revealed little in the way of new Iranian military capabilities, it underscored the willingness of President Ahmadinejad's belligerent regime to resort to brinksmanship as part of its hostile foreign policy. Iran's missile-rattling provides one more reminder -- if any were needed -- that the United States and its allies need to cooperate more effectively to contain Iran's rising power, put a higher priority on missile defense and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran's missiles threaten not only Israel, U.S. military forces, and other allies in the Middle East but also Europe, where Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice traveled to sign a missile defense agreement with the Czech Republic the day before Iran's missile launches.

. . .

Yesterday's missile launches are one more troubling sign that Iran is on a collision course with the United States and its allies. Such military exercises underscore the need for more forceful action to stave off Iranian nuclear efforts and the increasing importance of missile defense, not only for the United States but also for its allies in Europe and the Middle East.

[Roccus]

Yesterday Iran launched nine missiles

I stopped reading right there as the author doesn't know what he's talking about. He's just spouting Iranian propaganda.

[stylin19a]

Where did these things land ?
It seems this would have been a golden opportunity to test our missile defense system.

[Chode]