To Hit a Bullet with an Arrow

Ballistic missile defense is a crucial issue for JINSA. At the JINSA Board Meeting on 17-18 September, a three-part resolution was passed unanimously: a) Calling for priority to be given to creation and deployment of a defense system capable of protecting the people of the United States; b) Urging the U.S. to declare the ABM Treaty null and void or, in the alternative, to take immediate steps to withdraw from the treaty; and c) Declaring that appropriate military action should be taken to ensure that adversarial countries are unable to field WMD that threaten the U.S., U.S. interests and U.S.

Ballistic missile defense is a crucial issue for JINSA. At the JINSA Board Meeting on 17-18 September, a three-part resolution was passed unanimously: a) Calling for priority to be given to creation and deployment of a defense system capable of protecting the people of the United States; b) Urging the U.S. to declare the ABM Treaty null and void or, in the alternative, to take immediate steps to withdraw from the treaty; and c) Declaring that appropriate military action should be taken to ensure that adversarial countries are unable to field WMD that threaten the U.S., U.S. interests and U.S. allies abroad.

During that meeting, JINSA members met with an Israeli Knesset delegation in Washington to inaugurate the U.S. Congress/Israel Knesset Inter parliamentary Commission on National Security. The Israelis represented political parties from Likud to Meretz, and agreed on the absolute necessity of ballistic missile defenses for both the United States and Israel. The four Israelis also met with The Washington Times Editorial Board, which wrote (in part) on 24 September:

“Not only is Israel working on the Arrow program, which targets incoming Scuds at relatively low altitude, it is also working with U.S. assistance on a boost-phase intercept system, the purpose of which is to destroy missiles before they get much off the ground – this on the principle that blowing up warheads over the other guy’s territory is much to be preferred over blowing them up above your own…

“With several hostile Middle East regional powers working overtime on their missile programs, if ever there was a country that needed such a defense, it surely is Israel.

“Members [of the Knesset delegation] who spoke to The Washington Times expressed deep concerns over the findings of the Rumsfeld Commission [report on the ballistic missile threat to the United States, which] determined that any number of players could have ballistic missiles within five years of undertaking a program. Nor would we necessarily have the means to know at what time the clock had started ticking in rogue states around the world.

“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 the U.S. …[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?”

Good for The Washington Times.