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 theyre crude rockets arent 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, theyre not missiles at all, theyre 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 anchors assertion, lets 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. Churchs 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?
The problem with shooting down a Katyusha rocket is that it's burn time is only about 2 seconds and the rest of the flight is a 'cold' parabolic arc. There is no heat signature to lock onto. It's like trying to shoot down an artillery shell. It's just not going to happen. At least not for a few more years. |
I thought I was the only one who caught that exchange..
Unbelieveable. Stay strong.
Speechless (IDF puposely letting Hezbollah kill Israel Citizens???)
You're going have a bomber drop restraining orders on them?
Might be a better idea to use some air ordnance. ;^)
They - they have the capability to do that.That statement right there is the crux of the matter. Because it is the foundation, the presupposition, for the conclusion: Israel is a bunch of heinous evil bastiges.
That the statement comes from somebody who's job it is to know (in that the onus is upon them to have their facts straight), makes the allegation all the much more odious.
That however is merely reflective of that persons absolute stupidity, their ignorance notwithstanding, and doesn't fall to what would be considered the most egregious of errors: lying.
Please watch the following video featuring a report from CBC's Christina Lawand from [Aug 4] National [broadcast]. Lawand follows the Conservatives to Cornwall, Ontario to report on the governing party's caucus meeting. Watch how Lawand takes a Harper answer at a press conference and applies it to her own view of the Prime Minister.
What makes that report so egregious is in the biased presentation of facts through selective reporting of them. Lying can be done three ways: deliberate falsehood, tell the truth (just not all of it), or tell the truth (but in such a manner that you'll be perceived as lying). Clearly the correspondant's biased is framed with the selective reporting of the facts, ergo the reporter is lying.
Pay no mind to these idiots. It's the blame the victim at all costs scenario.
Because if Israel is right about how horrid Hezbollah is, they'll have to wake up from their little dream worlds and acknowledge that evil does exist.
That would put them too uncomfortably close to believing in a divine being, gasp. or pursuing a religion. Communists and ivory tower elites just can't allow that to happen,
because they have already sold their souls to intellectualist humanism.
I don't believe the Hizbo's rockets reach the necessary apogee for intercept.
As for the laser I don't believe it is operational yet (although soon will be)
yes, going to go back to the Clinton way of fighting terrorism and just lawyer them to death with restraining orders.
It's not understandable; the stupid bimbo could've taken a minute to look it up before spreading Hezbollah propaganda on the airwaves.
I suspect CNN is not a very popular news channel in Israel. On the other hand they say FOX NEW is very popular.
Oh, yes; those crafty Jooooz! "Of course, as long as it is only ARAB Israelis being killed..." will be the next part of this despicable propaganda?
visit http://www.PizzaIDF.org and buy some IDF troopers a pizza.
Stupid girl!
:^)
Ok, I just ordered them a canadian bacon pizza.
Unreal, so this is how the left is spinning Israel's inability to spin, i.e., non-spin spin. What's next? War is peace - Strength is weakness - Freedom is slavery? Nevertheless, and that notwithstanding, its an intellectually bankrupt and untenable leftist position. Because if that indeed is the presuppostion, how can anybody conclude that any value would be placed by Israel on civilians anywhere (if they'd sacrifice their own civilians for such purpose)? Or perhaps, its the MSM's understanding that the Hex-Ebolians are preventing civilians from fleeing battle-zone free-fire areas so that they can preserver their moral high-ground to continue rocket attacks on Israel?
Yup....any questions about media bias?
Oh yeah, absolutely true. They're both neat tricks, as the poster said, if it wasn't for the left we'd probably HAVE tactical missile defense by now.
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