CNN Anchor Charges Israel Intentionally Allowing Hezbollah Rockets to Hit

Camera.org ^ | 8-7-06

[SJackson]

In the course of a hostile interview on July 30 with Israeli spokesperson Miri Eisen, CNN International anchor Rosemary Church actually charged that Israel could shoot down the Hezbollah Katyusha rockets that have rained down on the country, but has chosen not to try:

ROSEMARY CHURCH: But they’re crude rockets aren’t they, and after all their impact has been minimal compared to the impact of Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Explain something to us, why would you not try to be shooting these missiles, these Katyusha missiles, or rockets, we should say, they’re not missiles at all, they’re rockets. Why would Israel not be trying to shoot them out of the sky? They – they have the capability to do that.

 

 

Before dealing with the implications of the CNN anchor’s assertion, let’s first dispose of the technical issue – can Israel shoot down Katyusha rockets?

The answer is unfortunately no. Israel and the United States have been jointly trying to develop such a system known as MTHEL (Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser), and even tested a prototype at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. But according to MTHEL is still only in the development phase, and is not scheduled for deployment until at least 2007.

So Ms. Church was misinformed – at this time neither Israel nor the United States has the ability to shoot down Katyusha rockets on the battlefield.

But far more disturbing than Ms. Church’s perhaps understandable ignorance about missile defense was her implied charge that Israel could shoot down the Katyushas but has chosen not to. Clearly, a country that could defend against Katyusha rockets but instead allows its citizens to be killed by them is capable of anything, no matter how monstrous. Which raises the question of what exactly is the culture in the CNN International newsroom that such extremely hostile and distorted views about Israel can apparently exist? And how heinous would an anti-Israel charge have to be for Ms. Church and her editors to think it worth fact-checking before broadcasting it?

[CheneyChick]

What a maroon!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Shoot them down? With What? Does this CNN puke have any idea how fast these rockets travel? I guess not.

[Sarah]

Preemptive strike due to the Reuters meltdown

[river rat]

They're far worse than nuts...
In a sane world - they would be considered traitorous..

In a sane country at war for its very existence -- a Leader would declare Martial Law -- gather up several bastards from CNN, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, New York Times, LA Times, Code Pink, ACLU, etc....and charge them with TREASON or Giving Aid and Comfort to the Enemy......

Tolerance of divergent opinions can go only so far..
Loyal Opposition means something -- but too many of the leftist bastards and Islamists have crossed the line...

Semper Fi

[Gimme]

Outrageous accusations but what do you expect from CNN.
Lots of word games and disinformation .. out there.

[RainMan]

I dont expect that the IDF has any Phalanx systems, but it seems to me that they would be effective, but there would essentially have to be one about every half kilometer on the border. The Phalanx is basically the same gun that is in the Warthog.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-15.htm

All this being said, I restate, I dont think Israel has these, and I know they dont have them set up on the border.

[MonroeDNA]

Dear Rosemary,

If we indeed had missiles, or lasers, that could target incoming rockets from 25 miles, well...

For starters, we would target your head. Especially the lasers.

The lasers are almost ready. They are massive diode pumped YAGS. Close to 10KW continuous.

It means little to you, because you are stupid, but basically, we can use a low power infrared laser to target your forehead. The atmospheric distortion occurs in the low level beam. We adjust it, and put it right on your forehead.

Then we let loose with a 500 (or more, he, he, heeee..) joule pulse right down the same ionized path. Tiny hole. Runs right down the ionized path.

Instant lobotomy. Tiny, tiny hole in your forehead, size of a pinhead. Sunburn around it, from the targeting laser.

We can hit you from a mile away, with no sound. You just drop.

And if you think a mile is the limit, I lied.

They can shoot 100 miles.

Scared?

[HawaiianGecko]

Yes but since ICBMs have a ballistic trajectory you have a pretty good idea where it will be at any moment in time. These little rockets wiggle all around.

Actually up to and including the MK-11 on top of a Minuteman II, that's a reasonably correct statement. Although with the penetration aids first used on the MK-11 you had to shoot and be accurate with 10 ABMs to insure a kill.

That all changed in 1970 starting with the MK-12s loaded with multiple W-62 warheads on top of Minuteman III missiles. The W-62 warheads are loaded on top of a PBV (post boost vehicle) that have ten gimballed thrust motors, 6 for pitch and yaw and the other 4 for roll that allow it to maneuver around for independent targeting, hence, the ballistic trajectory is eliminated. Couple that with the new penetration aids and radar indicates over 100 credible threats.

The Katyusha is on a ballistic arc as it only has a burn time of about 2 seconds.

[Little Ray]

Israel has the Phananx, but the Phalanx is a naval system. There was one on the Saar corvette that was damaged by the Silkworm missile. However, I have never heard of a land-mounted Phalanx system. It certainly would not have the range to protect much (Phalanx engagement range starts at about 2 miles...).

Israel has missiles that might be be able to intercept a rocket, though it could be (as another posted) that these rocket's trajectories are outside the parameters for engagement by Arrows or Patriots. In any case, these missiles are VERY expensive, and deploying them against 122mm rockets that are lauched scores at a time, would be stupid and wasteful.

I was wrong about the laser. A laser is being TESTED but has not been deployed. The test rounds that they shoot at are the same sort of 122mm rockets Hebollah uses.

In any case, there is no way that Israel can mount an effective defense against these rocket, except by exterminating the people the launching them.

[HawaiianGecko]

Tracking the MTHEL Laser

That was an interesting article. I wasn't aware of it's success. I'd always been led to believe that it wasn't successful.

[timestax]

[Political Junkie Too]

This is just like Katie Couric last year asking if Air Marshals should have shot to wound a person fleeing a plane on the jetway instead of killing him.

-PJ

[Diddle E. Squat]

"Jane Rosemary, you ignorant slut!"

[OldEagle]

"...these Katyusha missiles, or rockets, we should say, they’re not missiles at all, they’re rockets."

I would think that a rocket would be considered a missile, albeit an unguided missile.

[okie01]

They are worse than dumb. They are evil. Even stupid people have some sense of right and wrong.

The MSM produces results which would be applauded by evil, to be sure.

But, while I believe the terrorists are evil, I believe the MSM might be better described as amoral. And dumb...

[timestax]

[Salem]

This is incredible. Just incredible.

---

Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.





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[dervish]

Does Rosemary Church report on CNN in the US or just International?

[timestax]