From: "Andrew Crystall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: Killer Bs Discussion <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Killer Bs Discussion <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Question on Israel Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 13:36:08 -0000
On 17 Mar 2003 at 19:35, Gautam Mukunda wrote:
> OK list-members. > While I'm using this to evade finishing up work (it's > only 10:30 - why would I be in a hurry to go home?) > here's my current (among many) nightmare scenario. > > What happens when Saddam launches missiles filled with > VX at Israel? Israel is unlikely to fail to defend > itself this time, as it did in 1991, under any > circumstancse. Israel is likely to have a > particularly strong reaction to poison gas. I would > rate the chances that they would not retaliate against > such a launch in some way to approach zero. When they > do so, the Arab world is likely to go nuts. To put it > mildly. So, what do people on the list think Israel > should do? And what should the US do to try and > contain it?
Interestingly enough, If Hussein uses WMD, it proves President Bush's point, i.e. that he has them in his possession and justifies our war effort.
I think if Hussein uses VX gas, all bets are off. Not even Muslim extremists could justify Israel's not defending itself against a weapon deployed to kill their civilian population in such a horrible manner. I also think that the reaction from the Arab world would be interesting, since large numbers of Muslim and ethnic arab Palestinians would also be killed in such an attack.
I do think that Israel should retaliate in such an event, but not to "save face," as JDG suggested. I think the response should be one using conventional weapons targeting military installations, Hussein's palaces and Hussein himself. If Israel responds by killing the Iraqi masses then they have, on some level, justified Iraq's weapons deployment against Israeli citizens. Let them announce that they are going to avoid butchering Iraqi civilians in response to an attack designed to butcher Israeli citizens and, I believe, the Arab world would probably respect them for it.
Well - I'm not sure of the reaction, but Israel does (unlike in the Gulf war) have a missile defence system up which should block some of the incomming missiles.
They have their own, fairly long ranged "arrow" missiles and the Americans have stationed several batteries of the (much upgraded) "patriot" missiles in Israel.
I don't think the original system worked that well. Didn't some missiles land in a major metropolitan area during the last Gulf War? Even upgraded, I'm sure most Israelis aren't positive that the systems will protect them.
Israel also has a solid anti-gas doctrine, with (at times like this) a sealed room set up in each house, and there's also a pre-prepared bunker under every public and large building.
IIRC, every family member usually also has a gas mask.
There was a news story about a wife and kids who died a few days ago in one of those sealed rooms. Not exactly a rousing sign of support for such measures. :(
Jon
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