Message to our enemies
Thursday’s missile test a reminder to Israel’s foes: Adventures come with a price
Do not despair. We have some too. Better ones and with a longer range. So let’s show them, so they will be careful.
The unusually clear atmospheric conditions that prevailed Thursday morning lifted the veil, for a moment, over a fascinating and secret world of Israeli military capabilities. For a moment, Israeli citizens were exposed to, all across the sky, cutting-edge technology being developed here that places Israel among world leaders in the field.
Not only Israel’s citizens watched the test. Anyone who has an interest in what goes on in the Middle East and who watches us from space, from the sea, or from hills in the region could see it. Interested parties of this type will apparently analyze the firing of the missile and reach the reasonable conclusion that this capability enables Israel to produce long-range ballistic missiles.
Particularly, this capability enables Israel to produce missiles that can launch satellites into space, and also missiles aimed at thwarting incoming ballistic missiles fired at Israel from great distances at very high altitude.
Perhaps this was why Israel decided to undertake this display, which was carried out in clear weather conditions. The “strip show” presented by Israel Thursday is an explicit signal: Those who are playing with their own missiles, such as the Shehab, or pursuing nuclear weapons, should know they are not alone in this game. Adventures come with a price. This is also known as “deterrence.”
Morale booster
These capabilities, which Israel has been building up for long years under a heavy veil of secrecy, cost plenty of money. Those who viewed the missile in flight Thursday should know that a significant part of the defense budget hides behind the trail left in the wake of the missile.
We tend to complain about the growing defense budgets, we look at the equipment given to reserve soldiers, and we scrutinize the pay slip of career officers, yet all these years the big money is found elsewhere.
And if we can be a little conspiratorial for a moment, the clear atmosphere that enabled us to see the missile in flight also enabled the government to try boosting our morale. They are firing Qassam rockets at us? Big deal. There, we have something much better. Yet it is doubtful whether that made anyone in Sderot happy.
