Posted on 08/07/2006 10:41:15 AM PDT by 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?
OK, someone save this quote.
Isn't this one of the same idiot talking heads that was saying that missile defense was impossible and that the program should be cut?
Must be the new lib talking point:
Tom Ricks, you've covered a number of military conflicts, including Iraq, as I just mentioned. Is civilian casualties increasingly going to be a major media issue? In conflicts where you don't have two standing armies shooting at each other?
THOMAS RICKS, REPORTER, "THE WASHINGTON POST": I think it will be. But I think civilian casualties are also part of the battlefield play for both sides here. One of the things that is going on, according to some military analysts, is that Israel purposely has left pockets of Hezbollah rockets in Lebanon, because as long as they're being rocketed, they can continue to have a sort of moral equivalency in their operations in Lebanon.
KURTZ: Hold on, you're suggesting that Israel has deliberately allowed Hezbollah to retain some of it's fire power, essentially for PR purposes, because having Israeli civilians killed helps them in the public relations war here?
RICKS: Yes, that's what military analysts have told me.
KURTZ: That's an extraordinary testament to the notion that having people on your own side killed actually works to your benefit in that nobody wants to see your own citizens killed but it works to your benefit in terms of the battle of perceptions here.
RICKS: Exactly. It helps you with the moral high ground problem, because you know your operations in Lebanon are going to be killing civilians as well
Oh, and Ms. Church? Israel doesn't have that capability. Neither does the US. Why? Because idiots like you got the funding for missile defense cut back in the 90s to fund things like "midnight basketball leagues" and such.
Israel and the US would have tactical missile defense systems in the field NOW if it weren't for you and people like you.
"can Israel shoot down Katyusha rockets?...unfortunately no"
sheesh. Even I knew that! Are they all nitwits???
i just heard this on Rushand you know what? I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of their strategy, as disturbing as it sounds. Rush thinks its nonesense but strategy wise, it makes a lot of sense. WAr is hell and sometimes difficult decisions need to be made to justify a larger strategy. I am saying they are doing this, but if they are, it wouldn't surprise me. And yes, I am pro Israel even though they spy on us!
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.
CNN would throw a party if Israel were ever destroyed. And Christiane Amanpour would give a big toast! These people are truly despicable and they will never, ever change. There should be a ban on reporters in certain danger zones. Period.
and these same MSM'ers aren't the least bit suspicious of what happened at Qana...
*************
I haven't watched CNN since the week of 9/11. It was then that I finally recognized the overwhelming amount of bias contained in their programs. I suppose that's one reason this seems so shocking to me now. I no longer have an immunity. :)
Well, they say shooting down an ICBM is like trying to hit a bullet with a bullet.
CNN kisses the butt of the international community so the countries will allow them access to broadcast.
This started with Iraq during desert storm. CNN got rights to broadcast from Baghdad as long as it was pro-Iraq.
That is when most of us decided that the Chicken Noodle Network was anti American.
Well, I think this represents a tacit admission that the qana massacre was a lie, because she's trying to draw a moral equivalency with what the hexbos did there.
He should not be allowed to smoke. /s
This is a move by the MSM to try to get Israeli sentiment against the government as a "why haven't you protected us."
This is designed to get Israelis to beg for a cease fire so they will not be hit with rockets anymore.
Rosemary is brain dead.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.