Posted on 08/05/2002 7:48:03 AM PDT by bat-boy
JERUSALEM — Israel's military has projected that Iraq could launch nonconventional missiles strikes should President Saddam Hussein feel his regime is endangered by the United States.
The threat of an Iraqi attack has led to a revision of Israeli combat doctrine, the sources said. They said Israel has upgraded its early-warning alert of any Iraqi attack despite U.S. pledges to supply such a warning.
In all, the sources said, Israel cannot expect advance warning of more than eight hours of any U.S. attack on Iraq, Middle East Newsline reported. They said this will demand increase satellite reconnaissance and intelligence operations to determine Iraqi military movements.
Military sources said the Israeli intelligence estimate is that Iraq could use medium-range missiles with biological or chemical warheads against Israel amid any U.S.-led war against Baghdad. The sources said the intelligence estimate has concluded that Iraq has several dozen extended-range Scud B missiles capable of reaching the Jewish state.
The prospect of an Iraqi WMD strike against Israel is not certain, the sources said. They said the prospect depends on whether he feels any chance of surviving a U.S. attack and Iraqi capability.
"Iraq has apparently production capability of biological weapons and chemical," Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said. "We can't allow these weapons to be left in the hands of one man."
In that case, the sources said, Saddam could try to fire missiles or place weapons with biological weapons meant to destroy wide areas of Israel.
This could include the use of anthrax, VX or lethal strains of virus. Already, the sources said, Israeli authorities have been stockpiling vaccinations against smallpox.
The Israeli estimate asserts that Iraq could use Palestinian insurgents to launch a nonconventional weapons attack on Israeli facilities.
Military intelligence believes that Iraq has been training Palestinians to assemble such weapons and designate targets in Israel should the United States strike the Saddam regime.
[In London, the Times daily reported that the British government has assessed that Saddam plans to provide biological weapons for attacks against American or Israeli targets. The newspaper said Saddam is trying to develop a range of biological agents that can be launched via an aerosol system.]
So the point of writing this article is titilation and fear-mongering?
And I don't think that Israeli intelligence services have suddnbly taken to having their REAL assessments published in the daily press. The U.S. seems to be the only nation that does that.
I know, its a zionist conspiracy! That's it! They want to live in a free society! How utterly selfish of them! [/sarcasm]
Which means Israel has developed a contingency plan. IMHO the contingency plan would include the use of tactical nuclear weapons on Iraq and, if necessary, any other Arab nation that feels the need to attack Israel. The war on terrorism may be coming to a swift and sudden end.
No, I don't think so. Just think for a minute (an Atlas of the Middle East open in front of you may be helpful). Which country currently involved in conflict (I exclude the Emirates) has the LEAST land area, and the MOST densely concentrated population? Which country could be eliminated utterly with the smallest number of nuclear weapons?
Now, here is the tough question: if Israel actually used nuclear weapons on any of it's neighbors, how long could it survive?
The answer is: a few days at the very most.
Nuclear weapons are a DETERRENT- if they are used, the game is over for Israel.
June 6, 2000, White Sands Missile Range, N.M. -- The Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) demonstrator successfully tracked and destroyed a single rocket for the first time and during the first attempt today at approximately 3:45 p.m. EDT.
The test was the first of a series of shoot-downs before the THEL is handed over to the Government of Israel.
The THEL is a joint Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program between the United States and Israel designed to negate the threat posed by Katyusha rockets to populated areas in northern Israel.
“We’ve just turned science fiction into reality,” said Lt. Gen. John Costello, Commanding General, U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command. “This compelling demonstration of THEL’s defensive capabilities proves that directed energy weapon systems have the potential to play a significant role in defending U.S. national security interests worldwide. It also gives the Government of Israel an avenue for protecting its citizens actively and effectively against cross-border rocket attacks.”
In July 1996, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMoD) signed a memorandum of agreement which spelled out the development and functional testing of a THEL demonstrator. The THEL consists of subsystems that include a laser, a pointer-tracker, a command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) center, and a fire control radar. TRW, Inc., is the prime contractor.
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) is the Department of Defense’s executive agent for the joint THEL/ACTD program.
OK, let's say, for the sake of argument, that this is true (it's not, but let's say it anyway). Do they also have an impenetrable shield against the combined military forces of ALL of their neighbors, including probably a truly huge number of enraged civilians, attacking simultaneously in a suicidal fury? Because that is what you would get.
LOL! Just like the Ranger Airborne! You look at a map and all you see is land. Take another look. Now if you were a Marine you would notice the land portion of the map but you would also take note of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and Mediterranean Sea?
Do you know what is under that water? Type 800 Dolphin class submarines built in German shipyards for the Israel Navy. Extremely modern submarines with the most advanced sailing and combat systems in the world. According to more than one source these submarines are carrying nuclear-armed Popeye Turbo cruise missiles for the expressed purpose of deterring an enemy from trying to take out its nuclear weapons with a surprise attack. Under a system of rotation, two of the vessels would remain at sea: one in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, the other in the Mediterranean.
Now, here is the tough question: if Israel actually used nuclear weapons on any of it's neighbors, how long could it survive?
The answer is: a few days at the very most.
Not so tough. Israel would survive as long as the Arab nations wanted to survive.
Nuclear weapons are a DETERRENT- if they are used, the game is over for Israel.
Israel's naval nuclear weapons remain a deterrent in every scenario you wish to discuss. I do not think for a moment that any Arab nation will come to Iraq's defense. To do so simply means the last strike will be Israel's and the matter will be settled. No Israel? Maybe. But no Arab world either.
Still, I see no chance that Israel would ever use nuclear weapons, except as retaliation for the use of such weapons against her. Thus my argument is unchanged by the presence or absence of Israeli submarines, laser anti-missile systems, or anything else that comes to mind.
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