Arrow is Operational – Bravo! How come Israel can defend itself and America can’t?
The Washington Times wrote September 24, 1998:
As an important ally of the United States and one residing in a particularly rough neighborhood, Israel stands doubly exposed. The irony of all this is that Israel could have a missile defense years before similar protection is afforded [to us]… [because] the Clinton administration refuses to move aggressively ahead to counter the threat. Furthermore, the Clinton administration continues to cling to the outdated Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.
The Washington Times wrote September 24, 1998:
As an important ally of the United States and one residing in a particularly rough neighborhood, Israel stands doubly exposed. The irony of all this is that Israel could have a missile defense years before similar protection is afforded [to us]… [because] the Clinton administration refuses to move aggressively ahead to counter the threat. Furthermore, the Clinton administration continues to cling to the outdated Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.
“Good for the Israelis that they have a government determined to protect them from a real and growing danger from abroad. But could someone please explain why Americans do not deserve as much?”
Two years later, Israel has a missile defense, but we still don’t have an answer to the question. Israel’s Arutz Sheva news service reported on September 14, 2000:
A successful test-launch of the Arrow anti-missile was conducted today. A Scud-like missile was fired towards the ocean, and the Arrow, which received the target’s vital details by electronic means, was dispatched at the missile and exploded it in mid-air. A Pentagon delegation was on hand to observe the experiment. The director of the Arrow project for IAI, Dr. Danny Peretz, said today that the trial launch was conducted under total combat conditions, and showed that the Arrow is now ready for action.
And it’s a good thing. The Jerusalem Post reported on September 26:
The radar from the Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile system succeeded in detecting the weekend test launch of a longer-range Scud-D by Syria. “It is not a secret that we have technical capabilities. We were able to detect this test launch with the radar of the Arrow 2,” Chief of General Staff Lt.Gen. Shaul Mofaz told reporters yesterday. “We have the necessary capability of giving an answer to these sorts of threats.” Syria reportedly tested the missile over the weekend, just a week after Israel successfully tested its Arrow 2 system. The Scud D was picked up by the Green Pine radar system·rushed into deployment during the last Scud crisis with Iraq in late 1998.
Arrow isn’t the answer to all threats for all times – upgrading and improvements will be needed and Israel’s enemies won’t stand still in their attempts to create better offensive weapons. However, the Israeli government decided that defending the population is crucial to meeting the proliferation threat in its region; entered a cooperative relationship with the United States – both financial and technological; pursued the goal and met it. Bravo!
The same should be true for the United States. While the technological challenges in developing a national missile defense may be greater for us, defending the homeland and population from threats developed abroad should be our government’s highest priority.
Why isn’t it?