Comments on: Israel’s new security doctrine abuses missile defense

By: Andrew Paul Stuart Hamilton

Andrew Paul Stuart Hamilton — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:52:59 +0000

A hi-tech missile is like any piece of technology. The raw material (metal, propellant and silicon) cost very little but the development of new high tech hardware and software is very expensive. The marginal cost of production is very low but the development costs are very high. The more you sell the less each one costs. The $50k figure is based on production of a certain number of missiles. Once that figure is exceeded the cost will drop a lot. This means that the idea of the terrorists bankrupting Israel by firing millions of rockets is fundamentally false. The margin cost of the terrorists rockets is much higher than the interceptors because the raw materials are the same but sanctions and IDF attacks on supply lines etc vastly increases the delivered cost to Gaza.

By: Gideon Israel

Gideon Israel — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:45:36 +0000

let me try to address things one by one
1. I never said not to use the Iron Dome. the problem is when Iron Dome (missile defense) becomes the spearhead of a defense doctrine. Missile defense should be used to fend off sporadic attacks and to give time for your offensive capabilities to be put in motion. Missile defense should not become the way a country responds to attackers on a daily basis.
2. cost effectiveness is only a fringe problem. the problem is not Iron Dome it's the way it's strategically used. It doens nothing to root out terror and that is the real problem as you mentioned. A country can't sustain a situation where people are getting attacked by rockets everyday.
3. My suggestion is to erase the terror threat coming from Gaza. That could be done in a few different ways – but the main goal has to be hitting the areas in Gaza where the Hamas government will make a calculated decision that it's not worht there while to attack Israel anymore. That could be done by destroying homes from where people shoot the rockets from or their families homes; it could be accomplished by incursions or by other methods – which are many.
4. i dont think the point of war or attacking a country is to get to the negotiating table – so i disagree fundamentally with that principle.
5. terrorist will cease to attack Israel when the repercussions are unbearable. terrorist a respurred to bolder action becuase Israel plays a game of my turn your turn. until it gets so bad that Israel does something big- and then of course stops in the middle before the job is done.
6. Maybe they are planning, but empirical evidence of the last ten years would say otherwise. speculation won't get us anywhere.
7. the international community would no doubt get very upset at Israel for ereadictaing the terrorist from Gaza. they would say, and rightfully so, "you lived with rockets, mortars and attacks for ten years – what suddenly happened?!?"

By: Gideon Israel

Gideon Israel — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:32:27 +0000

Im not sure about that. I remember having conversations with people in the defense ministry who talked about each missile costing that amount with any connection to development costs

By: Andrew Paul Stuart Hamilton

Andrew Paul Stuart Hamilton — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:07:23 +0000

Also this latest upgrade to Iron Dome shows that Israel is advancing its defensive capabilities much faster than the terrorists can adapt. Interceptor cost of $50k embodies mostly development cost which reduces significantly as volume increases (just like an iPhone).

By: Andrew Paul Stuart Hamilton

Andrew Paul Stuart Hamilton — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:00:57 +0000

I think that 6 big craters in Sudan's capital and destroyed weapons convoys all over Sudan says that the IDF has not abandoned pre-emption because of Iron Dome – its just hitting the supply line further away.

By: Lucila Carampil

Lucila Carampil — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:31:08 +0000

Over confident of your strength will only leads to your destruction.

By: Matt Zalen

Matt Zalen — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:48:07 +0000

I think you're right, you don't have an answer. You have a theory that what Israel is doing now is wrong because in the long wrong it's not cost-effective and it seemingly does nothing to root out terror. But that's just a theory, and it's not backed up by any suggestions (other than, don't do it). You don't know, for instance, if this method of neutralizing a threat will prove effective in setting the framework for a new round of negotiations; you don't know if this means of defense will spur the terrorists into bolder action, thus drawing them into the range of drone fire; and you can't be the least bit certain that the defense establishment isn't exploiting this advantage of "downtime" (so to speak) by further developing and planning powerful offensive measures, for when the need arises. But to say don't use the Iron Dome because you need to eliminate terrorists is ridiculous, and it completely ignores the circumstances that are absolutely necessarily in order to justify that kind of action to the international community.

By: Gideon Israel

Gideon Israel — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:00:17 +0000

A country's first and primary job is protect its citizens from harm. That, among other things, is why a citizen is willing to relinquish some of his freedoms, money and rights. It is Israel's job to protect its citizens and not let terrorists terrorize their lives daily. I don't have to answer if Israel should wipe out the terrorists. The onus is on you to explain what is acceptable about 10,000 rockets hitting the south without eliminating the root of threat. How is the government doing its job if this type of situation continues for ten years? Israel must protect its citizens from harm, the rest is details.

By: Matt Zalen

Matt Zalen — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:16:27 +0000

Are you suggesting Israel "wipe out" the terrorists in Gaza? What exactly do you think that would entail?

By: Gideon Israel

Gideon Israel — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:11:14 +0000

that's why we wrote it. i do appreicate your endorsement!

By: Gideon Israel

Gideon Israel — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:10:08 +0000

Israel has not rooted out terrorism from Gaza. Period. They have been willing to live with more than 10,000 rockets lobbed over the border to Sderot and Southern Israel. Operation Cast Lead's purpose was to hit Hamas hard – but not to win and not to destroy the organization. Iron Dome is an outcome of Israel's unwillingness to destroy its enemies. Firing isolated rockets at terrorists groups who are about to launch a rocket is hardly rooting out terrorism.

If you saw another country absorb 10,000 missiles from its neighbor without wiping out that entity – what would you say about a country like that? Aggressively attacking its enemies or complacent and willing to the minimal so as not to completely forsake its citizens?

By: Matt Zalen

Matt Zalen — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:28:50 +0000

I fail to see how they've replaced anything. The only thing Israel has done differently in the year and a half since the Iron Dome was deployed was use it. Israel continues to aggressively attack rocket-launching teams, assassinate key figures involved in the arms trade, and attack convoys of arms far, far overseas. There is still a blockade against Gaza, and constant forays into the Sinai to hamper smuggling.

But they're shooting down rockets. So now they're complacent?

By: Svietka Rivilis

Svietka Rivilis — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:10:53 +0000

i know:( but still-u gota shout it from every roof and spread this analysis every chance u have

By: Gideon Israel

Gideon Israel — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:35:40 +0000

Israel has plenty of deterrent ability- it's just a question of whether they will use it or not. Iron Dome is used as a replacement for deterrent. Missile defense – Arrow 1,2,3 David's Sling etc. – are good ways for Israel to defend against the first missiles coming in from enemy territory until they can counterattack. They are not supposed to replace deterrent strategy.

By: Matt Zalen

Matt Zalen — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:18:56 +0000

Perhaps the only reason why the Iron Dome is gaining so much notoriety is because it's the most visible. Israel is also leading development in drone technology and cyber warfare – and those technologies will definitely impact the enemies abilities to launch their missiles, whenever that may be.