Opinion Editorials, April 2011

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, April 18, 2011

 On April 10, 2011, Ynet published an exceptionally stupid review of the economy behind the Iron Dome, Israel’s new anti missile defence system. The article attempts to present the ‘reasoning’ behind the new anti missile system. Believe it or not, it compares the running  cost of the system with the potential loss caused by the death of an Israeli.

“The Iron Dome system is very good for Israeli economy”, says Dr. Adam Reuter, a ‘financial risk management’ expert.  “A 25 year-old Israeli citizen should yield an average of 40 years of production … In other words, the death of an Israeli citizen at age 25 could cause a potential loss of economy of some 1.2 million dollars.”

According to Dr Reuter, the economy is pretty clear; the cost of a battery of Iron Dome which includes 100 missiles is about $100 million. The cost of each missile is about 50 thousand dollars.  Reuter's logic is simple; if you spend $50.000 on a missile, you may save a young Israeli who could potentially contribute 1.2 million dollars to the Jewish State’s economy for the next 40 years.

In the Jewish State they seem to like reducing everything into numbers. The Israeli  citizens are valued according to their contribution to the Jewish capital. However, here are some points the Israeli ‘expert’ didn’t take into account:

1. Dr Reuter calculates how much it may cost to ‘save’ Israelis, yet he fails to tell his readers what is the cost of ‘peace’. Surely, ending the conflict would lead to an immediate growth of Israeli economy.  I guess that peace doesn’t have a price tag in the Jewish State. Yet, war is totally commodified. 

2. Home-made Palestinian missiles cost less that $500. It may be possible that the Gazans have found a very cheap method to exhaust the Israeli economy. By the time Palestinians launch ten rockets that cost up to $5000, Israel would spend at least half a million dollars on Iron Dome missiles with only a limited success.

 3. Palestinian militants do not seem to be interested in killing Israeli civilians, as we know, most Palestinian missiles land in open fields. I guess that militants actually regard resistance in general and the rockets in particular as a message. They are there to remind the Israelis that they are dwelling on stolen land. If I am correct here, then Dr Reuter calculation is completely superfluous for Palestinian militants  (unlike Israelis) are not interested in indiscriminate killing. 

  4. Assuming that Palestinian ballistic technology will keep improving, every Israeli city would soon need the protection of the Iron Dome system. I guess that at least financially, it is much cheaper to build a concrete roof over the whole of Israel rather than spreading anti missile batteries around each Israeli neighbourhood.

The Jewish State already surrounded itself with concrete walls, so it may be the right time to add a concrete ceiling.  They may even want to call it the Iron Kipa (skullcap). 

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Update:  (Ynet 11.4.2011) WASHINGTON –

The United States vowed to provide Israel with $430 million worth of security aid in the near future which will include $205 million allocated for the development of Iron Dome batteries. According to an agreement between the US and Israel for the next 10 years, 2011 aid was slated to grow to $3 billion (from $2.77 billion) in addition to an extra $205 million for the development of the Iron Dome system.

Exactly, Jim. What you included below was was added to http://America-Hijacked.com via http://america-hijacked.com/2011/04/16/u-s-house-passes-budget-including-205-million-addition-to-israel/ as it was an honor to have the call for you linked via the video at:

http://neoconzionistthreat.blogspot.com/2008/09/talking-about-israel-lobby-with-brig.html

--- On Sat, 4/16/11, BGJDAVID@aol.com <BGJDAVID@aol.com> wrote:

Subject: U.S. House passes budget including $205 million addition to Israel Date: Saturday, April 16, 2011, 11:35 AM

When the House passed the budget this week, it included an additional $205 million for Israel.  President Obama came on television shortly thereafter and announced that all Americans will need to make sacrifices.  While Americans are being asked to make sacrifices, our corrupt politicians are protecting their careers by approving more aid to Israel.  These same politicians along with the media have kept this news as low key as they can.  If you want to get the news on it you must go to Israel's leading newspaper, Haaretz.

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Barak: U.S. aid significantly bolsters Israel's missile-defense capabilities - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

Published 23:47 15.04.11 Latest update 23:47 15.04.11

Barak: U.S. aid significantly bolsters Israel's missile-defense capabilities

Defense Minister's comment comes after U.S. House passes budget including $205 million intended for developing Iron Dome anti-missile system.

By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news US Ehud Barak

Defense Minister Ehud Barak welcomed Friday a decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to approve a budget which includes $205 million intended for continuing development of the Iron Dome anti-missile system.

Barak said the decision is a "significant reinforcement of Israel's defense capabilities against missiles."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minster Ehud Barak visit the Iron Dome defense system in Ashkelon, April 10, 2011.

The U.S. Congress also voted to continue aiding Israel to fund defense projects such as Arrow 2, Arrow 3, and Magic Wand. U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the budget on Friday evening.

Earlier this month, the Iron Dome missile defense system successfully intercepted for the first time a Grad rocket fired at Israel from Gaza. The achievement marked the first time in history a short-range rocket was ever intercepted.

The Israeli-developed system uses cameras and radar to track incoming rockets and is supposed to shoot them down within seconds of their launch.

Last weekend, Israel-Gaza violence heavily escalated when Gaza militants launched a rocket at an Israeli school bus, which left a teenager critically wounded.

Moreover, southern Israel suffered a heavy barrage of rocket and mortar fire for several days, as IDF forces launched strikes in Gaza which left 19 Hamas militants and two civilians dead.

Last weekend's escalation was followed by five days of relative calm when two rockets hit the southern Israeli city of Ashdod on Friday, in a move which may spark further violence.

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah & ccun.org.

editor@aljazeerah.info & editor@ccun.org