6. Risk is tiny, bigger issue is Egypt violating peace treaty
Dr. L. Brnd , |
San Diego, USA |
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(08.09.13) |
The Gulf of Agaba is 13 miles wide, and an airliner flying an approach to Eilat International straight down the middle, low and 6.5 miles from Egyptian (or Jordanian) territory, is FAR outside the maximum 3 mile range of the
SA-7, SA16 or SA18. Even near touchdown, abreast with the Taba enclave, an airliner would be more than 4 miles away and close to the ground, still way way out of range parameters. This is especially true if the airliner was flying a low "San Francisco Airport" approach pattern, 1000' AGL from 10 miles out - MANPAD shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles are not effective at all when fired at a low angle like this from maximum range (10 degrees up from 3 miles away), only well UP, at least a 30-45 degree angle, and certainly not fired downward, from atop mountain range. The missile hits the ground first. The bigger issue is the phoniness and fraud of the Egyptian "total peace" for "every grain of sand", which they never delivered on once they got the land back, including Taba, which is the only piece of Sinai from which these missiles couldhave even a tiny chance of hitting an off-course plane approaching Eilat (remember, before 67, Nasser had 3-mile-range SA-7s to threaten Eilat airport with from Egypt-owned Taba (and the entire Sinai coast) - and no attacks ever happened. Because out-of-range!). But Israel should inform the US that there will no peace deal, concessions or land give-backs to Abbas, unless the US leans HARD on Cairo to honor 100% of its demilitarized Sinai obligations - or why sign another land-for-peace deal that the Arabs violate with impunity? This is an Obama problem, and he has to deliver on enforcement for Israel NOW (or permanent arms and aid cut-off to Egypt) or there shouldn't be one grain of sand given to Abbas. What - so the PLO "islamists" can shoot at Ben Gurion airliners, too? US must make clear to Cairo that it will support an Israeli armed re-occupation and annexation of the entire Sinai if Cairo doesn't keep its word. The 3rd time will be the last time, Egypt will have forfeited its rights there.
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