New Early-warning System for Israel

June 4, 2008

The decision came out the same week that Iran’s long-range missile program was again a discussion point in the United States after satellite imagery showed a possible missile facility there. When asked about the Iranian missile threat, US Department of State Spokesman Tom Casey said the missile issue is a longstanding one and a “real threat.”

“It’s one of the many reasons why we have moved forward with missile defense programs, because we want to make sure that we are able to respond in a positive and appropriate way to the threat posed by Iran’s missile program, whether that winds up being nuclear armed missiles or conventionally armed ones,” said Casey. Israel’s agreement to latch on to the US radar system is not the first time. The primary concern before was Iraq, when Israel connected to the system in both US-led wars with Iraq in 1991 and 2003.