"...in the worst case scenario, the system will intercept 92% of the launched rockets." This is great news!!!

In basketball, experts know that a good offense is better than a good defense. Being equal, an offensive player is better than a good defensive. The defense doesn't know the player's offensive next move. Same in this dual of titans, Dome vs Kassem launchers. What happens when the Pals graduate totally to Grads, will Iron be 92% effective? Israel is reacting, at great cost. Barak, Mofaz and Co, should instead strike much harder at the Pals..ex. taking out a Pals city, area by area, would be better..and less costly. Arab PR will say, "Israel is using unfair defenses..it is cruel to stop Kassams while the occupation goes on", or something akin. If 8% hit schools, synagogues, hospitals..AND instill fear, what has been accomplished? Israel is still being defensive, rather than pro-active. It is a band-aid, not stopping the clot causing the problem. Israel still doesn't get it apparently.

The terrorists have thousands of rockets about $10 each. The iron dome rockets cost thousands of dollars each, how long before we just run out of interceptors? This system was such a waste of money. The Americans have developed a rapid fire cannon currently in use in Iraq why not go for somthing along those lines .. off the shelf technology we didnt have to wait years for it and the shells are alot cheaper than the iron dome. Even if something like that cannon only got n70-80% it would still be better than iron dome because we dont have to build expensieve interceptors of which supplies will run out soon enough if they continue to fire 5-6 rockets a day. Iron dome was a glamerous project based on a system that didnt even exist on the drawing board at the time when the decision was made to spend tens of millions of dollars making theory into reality.

Let's see now: Last year it was the upcoming Annapolis conference. Then the upcoming visits by Rice or the President. Then it was the winter. Then it was the possibility of a truce with Hamas. And all along, Israel had to exercise restraint because of Shalit. So now the people in the border communities (and Ashkelon and soon Ashdod) have to just "take it" until this wizz bang system comes on line in two years time, and which may or may not work. Israel's leaders are not only "tired of fighting" but apparently seek any excuse not to fight, even to defend their citizens.

This system can not intercept short range. Majority of rockets fired from Gazza are exactly that. Waste of time and money. Elections now and lets get rid of these fools running the government!

barak and olmert won't allow deployment fearing it would offend their 'peace partners' in hamas egypt iran and egypt

Did you manage to collect 250 million just now, do not you have such money to overcome missle issue before? You are funny, there is no such a system except for Laser intercept systems thrown away by USA By the way 250 million will not suffice to grease bureauracy, pocket money for higher military officers and else

responding to a low-tech threat with high-tech razzle-dazzle is a waste of money! how many shelters, and reinforced roofs, and safe rooms, and sandbags could have been bought for $250 million?

One to down the incoming rocket and the other to hit the source.

'What will we do till 2010?'. Eat matsa in place of bread!