July 20, 2010 Iron Dome Decision Needed, BP Libyan Terrorist Release Takse Center Stage?

The Israeli government is now approaching a decision on the deployment of Iron Dome Defense systems, which passed its final operational test this week. In the latest test the Iron Dome system was able to shoot down all the missiles and large mortars fired, even when coming simultaneously from multiple directions. It was also able to successfully determine which incoming missiles were going to land in open fields and which were going to land in populated targets The IDF is still reluctant to deploy Iron Dome. Luckily, the Obama administration has come through with a special appropriation of $250 million dollars to begin the Iron Dome system deployment. As I have written before, the IDF, and particularly, the IAF have always had a bias against defensive weapons. Unfortunately, despite having the one of the best Air Forces in the world; and despite being able to operate without any fear of the enemy having defensive weapons, the IAF was not able to stop the continued launched of Qassams during the Lebanon War.

I repeat what I wrote a few months ago when this question first came up. The Iron Dome system, whatever its costs will give the IDF and the government precious time to prepare and execute a military or diplomatic response to any attack, something they would not have if Israeli civilians were dying or if Air Force bases were being rocketed.

For those who claim Israel should not be firing a $50,000 missle at $500 rocket, they are missing three critical points: First, Iron Dome is only fired when a rocket is going to land in a populated location. The overwhelming majority of Qassam rockets launched during the Lebanon War fell harmlessly into farmlands. Second, the enemy does not have an endless supply of rockets. Third, how expensive do they think the smart bombs that are fired to take out the launchers are. For Israel not to invest the maximum possible in Iron Dome would be a very mistaken decision.

BP’s involvment in the release of the terrorist responsible for the Lockerbie bombing of a Pan Am 747 has become a serious issue in British-American relations. Today, during a visit of the new British Prime Minister David Cameron in Washington, he was forced to answer questions on the matter, criticizing the release. Both President Obama and members of Congress have called for an independent investigation into the matter.

It turns out that Israel has a rather interesting law to protect women. It seems a man can be convicted of rape, if he had consensual sex with a woman, under misleading circumstances. Thus, a Jerusalem Arab was convicted of rape and sentenced to one and a half years in prison for claiming he was Jewish, and not married, before a woman he met agreed to have sex. Seems like a rather dubious law.

Finally, Brett Stephens had an interesting piece in today's Wall Street Journal: "Why Hasn’t Israel Bombed Iran(Yet)?"