Graphic shows Hezbollahs larger missiles and their ranges. (AP Graphic)
Posted on 07/18/2006 9:51:29 PM PDT by neverdem
Weapons
WASHINGTON, July 18 — The power and sophistication of the missile and rocket arsenal that Hezbollah has used in recent days has caught the United States and Israel off guard, and officials in both countries are just now learning the extent to which the militant group has succeeded in getting weapons from Iran and Syria.
While the Bush administration has stated that cracking down on weapons proliferation is one of its top priorities, the arming of Hezbollah shows the blind spots of American and other Western intelligence services in assessing the threat, officials from across those governments said.
American and Israeli officials said the successful attack last Friday on an Israeli naval vessel was the strongest evidence to date of direct support by Iran to Hezbollah. The attack was carried out with a sophisticated antiship cruise missile, the C-802, an Iranian-made variant of the Chinese Silkworm, an American intelligence official said.
At the same time, American and Israeli officials cautioned that they had found no evidence that Iranian operatives working in Lebanon launched the antiship missile themselves.
But neither Jerusalem nor Washington had any idea that Hezbollah had such a missile in its arsenal, the officials said, adding that the Israeli ship had not even activated its missile defense system because intelligence assessments had not identified a threat from such a radar-guided cruise missile.
They said they had also been surprised by the advances that Hezbollah had made in improving what had been crude rockets — for example, attaching cluster bombs as warheads, or filling an explosive shell with ball bearings that have devastating effect.
The Bush administration has long sought to focus attention on Iranian missile proliferation, and regularly discusses with journalists intelligence evidence of those activities. But American officials in Washington made clear this week that they...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
It was probably Valerie Plame's job.
Actually, it reveals the DANGER the UN puts the world in. The US and Israel's hands are tied at every turn by the UN.
As always a day late and a dollar short. I am fairly sure that Iran already has some sort of nuclear weapon as well. 10 years off? YEAH RIGHT
Hey, at least they told us Iran and Syria are responsible for arming Hezbullah... ;)
The U.N. WANTS a peace treaty so the terrorists can get back on their feet.
Everytime I the news talking about peace I want to SCREAM. THERE CAN BE NO PEACE until Israel destroys the terrorists. Period.
"the Israeli ship had not even activated its missile defense system"
That was stupid. Let's have a defense system that we don't turn on.
Graphic shows Hezbollahs larger missiles and their ranges. (AP Graphic)
.....I can see the CIA not knowing this..but the Moussad?.. They are the best in the biz.....this one slipping by them must have been a very covert deal....
I'm sure the Mossad knew, they're not the CIA! They are the best around.
Really. I hope we can all sleep better now knowing how accurate our intelligence services have been.
As usual, NYT = Monday morning quarterback.
...I know they are....I said that in my post...but the article stated that Washington and Jerusalem were surprised.....am I missing something?
Well Israel definately was in the dark as far as the
anti-ship missiles were concerned, that would not have happened otherwise. They were unaware.
If this is a suprise to the US and Israel, how come the US pushed for the UN sanction to disarm Hezbollah?
Everyone and their frickin grandmother knew Hezbollah had missiles.
Yep. Though this headline is a little misleading. It hasn't revealed a "blind spot", only that they have more sophisticated weaponry than originally thought.
This leads one to worry whether any of Saddam's WMDs ended up in Syria, and if little boy Assad was dumb enough to give any to Hezbullah.
It could not possibly have been the fog of war?
.but the article stated that Washington and Jerusalem were surprised.....am I missing something?
LOL..it's the NYSlimes. Like they print the truth.
.....well I thought they might get a simple fact correct, like 2 + 2 + 4.....but maybe I give them too much credit..
on the other hand....I do think they were surprised by that silkworm hitting their Naval vessel
Appease appease appease and bizarre social pathologies are permitted to develope that should have been aborted in the womb.
.....oh I believe that....but on the other hand....I just don't believe what Repubs say and disbelieve what others say..have to sift thru all the news, analysis and come to your own conclusions.......
...they were surprised when that silk worm hit the naval vessel...
That is about the only thing we are certain of. I give no credence to reports that the missile defense system was "turned off". There is plenty of reason to hide its real state of readiness. For instance, if the system was active and did not work, I don't think anyone would want to advertise that.
The really surprising thing is that we have only seen one silkworm missile (well, OK, two launched at the same time) so far. Considering how well it worked, why haven't the muzzies didn't pulled out a few more? This is "the dog that didn't bark", and it is a real mystery.
Blatant speculation: Two missiles were shipped in from Iran and tried, just so the Iranians could see what happens. The success was so good they are holding others back for their own use, or possibly the Israeli attacks on the suply chain have been successful.
They said they had also been surprised by the advances that Hezbollah had made in improving what had been crude rockets — for example, attaching cluster bombs as warheads, or filling an explosive shell with ball bearings that have devastating effect.
As far as cluster bombs and shrapnel in a warhead being marvelous military advances goes, they are certainly more advanced than simple explosives, but only in the mind of a NY Times reporter are they on the cutting edge of military technology.
......well ok....that is fine....but I for one want to know what the enemy is saying....being in America or not.. that way I'll know what they are thinking...many here won't read, talk to or discuss what they say....but one needs to know what is going on in the other guy's camp.....
Or more likely, knowing the 'world' wouldn't believe it were the US/Israel to claim this, this action is proving it to the world, who thinks they are discovering it - Now the case against Syria and Iran is 'in your face', world.
I doubt very much this 'slipped by' either one.
See my post #35
Not EVERYthing is printed in the NYT
I think both knew more than these two clowns think they knew.
Totally untrue. For years Bibi Netanyahu has been sounding the alarm about the missile buildup. What surprised everyone was their willingness to use the missiles and really this should have come as no surprise to anyone.
Give this some time.....just as previously, the Times' call for better intelligence of Hezbollah now will be contradicted when they publish our "secrets" on combating them on some future front page.
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"As always a day late and a dollar short. I am fairly sure that Iran already has some sort of nuclear weapon as well. 10 years off? YEAH RIGHT"
I am betting Iran already has a nuke courtesy of Pakistan. I also believe that all Iran is waiting for is for North Korea to get the rocket and launcher over to Iran.
IMHO that is why NK launched those missiles. To show Iran what they are getting. Those short range jobs will hit Israel. Fortunately for us, the long range missile failed.
Knowing that a threat exists to your most expensive assets and not having countermeasures activated doesn't sound like fog of war to me. I suppose extremely likely could be substituted for definately.
Sometimes you have to sail into harms way even when your not fully prepared. There is not nearly enough information here to assess the ships readiness or its CO's decsions.
Sounds like intelligence they are saying publicly the system was off.
Thanks for the AP Graphic!
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I can't imagine the Israelis are that stupid. Maybe they had it on, but don't want people to know it failed to work?
Wouldn't it have been a good idea for them to have notified their own navy, had they known?
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