This is just an update that as a follow-up to my column today, I interviewed Avi Schnurr, the Executive Director of Israel's Missile Defense Association on my weekly program with PJTV. The interview is in addition to my regular weekly commentary on the website.
Both should be posted in a few hours at PajamasTV
Ms. Glick, I’ve read your latest article and the comments with great interest. The video is not posted on PJTV yet.
I believe that practically no one will heed your warnings neither in Israel nor anywhere else, for the specific reason that timing is wrong. This year marks the expiry of START II (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II) and Obama will have to weigh the decision to extend or renegotiate the agreement with Russia (source: http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_12/START ).
The Russians seem to be open to the idea of renegotiating on the proviso that such talks include a ban on deployment of strategic offensive arms outside national territory. This was confirmed early this month by Sergei Ivanov, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister, at the 45th Munich Security Conference following the line of consultations started this past December in Moscow by Henry Kissinger. For an account on the conference, please refer to http://www.securityconference.de/konferenzen/2009/zs_freitag.php?sprache=en&
For an overview of Israel’s ballistic capabilities including its new submarine-launched cruise missile system with a range of up to 900 kilometers and (presumed) nuclear deterrent, please refer to http://armscontrol.org/factsheets/israelprofile . Apparently Israel reportedly seems to have the capability of launching a EMP pre-emptive strike already.
Attending the Munich conference, furthermore, was Ali Larijani, Iran’s Speaker of Parliament and past Chief Negotiator on nuclear talks. Larijani has verbally attacked the United States. He has expressed skepticism, doubting that the United States under President Barack Obama have become more open for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. He has accused the U.S. Administration of having sabotaged all diplomatic solutions so far. “A new tone of voice is not going to change anything about it” Larijani has stated.
Obama is committed to a no-new-nukes policy, but this may be more an ideological commitment than an event, particularly in light of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. There is an estimated 12,500 operational nuclear warheads in the world, 93 percent of which are in American and Russian hands. Specifically, the Pentagon has custody of 5,735 operational nukes of which 3,696 “operationally deployed”, and Russia has 5,830 of which about 3,000 “in service” (source: http://www.armscontrol.org/country ).
The launch of the latest satellite on the part of Iran has not escaped the attention of anybody. Like you said, however, nobody seems to be focusing much on the effects of an EMP attack – nobody but Iran, that is. And that’s too bad.
Here is an article more recent than the one you quote in your post published in Nashriyeh-e Siasi Nezami in 1999. This one is dated February 17, 2009 (yesterday) and can be found at : http://waronjihad.org/nuclear040505.html .
It describes how Iran’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a tour throughout South East Asia has warned the US to stay out of his country’s nuclear business or face EMP retaliation. He has also stated that Iran’s presidential elections in June will not make any difference to its nuclear policy, even if Khatami gets elected.
For an empirical look at the effects of an EMP attack, this video at http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/7102-electromagnetic-pulse-bomb-video.htm is an eye-opener.
Ms. Glick, I read your articles in JP and just stumbled onto your blog! Thrilled to find it! Thank you for your rational, sane voice.
AMEN BABY GIRL I JUST VIEWED YOUR INTERVIEW ON
PAJAMAS TV, AMEN SIS STAY STRONG AND PLEASE
KEEP SOUNDING THE SHOFAR FOR ZION’S SAKE AMEN 🙂
Thy Brother And Servant Timothy Kriete Psalm 144
Mr. Frascati makes excellent points. Please note my Midstream article back in April 1999 The “New” Russia and Iranian “Moderates” detailing Khatami’s role in terrorism while Minister of Cultural Guidance in the 1980s. Indeed, his election will merely offer window dressing (which I hope is not attractive to the American administration) to a continued policy of close relations with Russia as Iran heads for a nuclear weapon, increased missile capabilities and conventional arms and deep support for terrorists, including in Latin America. Note also under Yeltsin Russia had upgraded its nukes to include Topol and MX equivalent missile and now Putin has added a mobile version of Topol and a new nuke sub missile. So reducing at this point will leave Russia with a more modernized arsenal than the US. Israel meantime can hope that its potential sub based second strike capacity in the making will suffice to deter Iran unless other events serve to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Don’t forget China and its support for Iran and its efforts to develop new nukes and its current alliance with Moscow. Rather than weaning Syria from Russia and Iran (won’t happen in reality) US and Israel should continue to woo India but be careful that Russia with its long influence there doesn’t keep its foot in the door.
Latest news for you just came out today, Ms. Glick.
The Administration is scrapping production of the F-22 Raptor, the only aircraft capable of going past the Russian S-300 SAM surface-to-air missile defense system, and chopping 10 percent off the Pentagon’s budget, with 75,000 jobs going up in smoke.
I guess we’ll all have to go back to school and study Farsi pretty soon …
Caroline, I’m asking what may be a silly question, but is there any future for Israel with an Iranian bomb? Is there any MAD in play? I read an article that suggests Israel could do more damage to Iran than Iran to Israel, but I’m highly skeptical. Shouldn’t we all be packing our bags, with only the sliver of hope that Netanyahu manages to accomplish the seemingly impossible? Do you disagree? Won’t everyone desert anyway once the news is leaked that They actually have the bomb?
NICE TO SEE YOU SMILING AGAIN SIS…..TIM 🙂
Dear Caroline:
I couldn’t find the video of your interview with Avi Schnurr.
Maybe they haven’t posted yet? (today is Feb 21 already)….
If you know a direct link to it; could you update the post and include it?
Thanks!
Today Feb 24 and still no interview with Avi Shnurr posted yet. When will our Gov’ts finally wake up and see the rising Islamist threat for what it really is….global domination.