Israel Asks U.S. to Ship Rockets With Wide Blast-State Department seeks to delay supply

IMRA ^ | 8-11-06

[Vaquero]

they need to use these cluster f**k bombs to do damage.

send them lots of them....

[Pukin Dog]

If Israel has ordered cluster munitions, it means that they and the US are playing a coy game with the U.N., and these cease fire negotiations are nothing but a ruse.

Clusters = serious ass kicking time.

[massgopguy]

I want MOABS!

[Enterprise]

This is Israel's last chance for clusters. It's clusters last stand.

[rod1]

Bush should tell state department personel--"send them now or send me your resignation now".

[Alberta's Child]

Why would he do that? The U.S. (i.e., the Bush administration) doesn't want to send these munitions to Israel.

[zippy the razor]

I think these munitions would be highly effective. It's a sick world when a country can't defend itself because some folks want a more "sensitive war".

[Rummyfan]

But some State Department officials have sought to delay the approval because of concerns over the likelihood of civilian casualties, and the diplomatic repercussions. The rockets, while they would be very effective against hidden missile launchers, officials say, are fired by the dozen and could be expected to cause civilian casualties if used against targets in populated areas.

I swear to The Almighty... If I were elected President the first thing I would do is go over to Foggy Bottom with an industrial-sized broom and sweep the building out of every career Stater in there!

[diverteach]

We should give them a full menu, take thier order with a smile , and give them anything they want from our arsenal, at no charge.

[SMM48]

Before we send them all to Israel, we need to drop one on the State Department.

[Santiago de la Vega]

Is there any doubt that Rice is totally incompetent?

The way to win a war is "sudden, resolute, and aggressive action".

This dumbo thinks she can solve the problem with her half-assed diplomacy?

This is a disgrace.

Fire her worthless ass and bring back George Marshall. He'd so better dead that she can alive.

[Wolfhound777]

But some State Department officials have sought to delay the approval because of concerns over the likelihood of civilian casualties, and the diplomatic repercussions

As usual the State Dept. has only the interest of the UN and America's enemies at heart. The State Dept needs mass firings and new people put into position that understand that they are to work for United States interests period! These folks along with the Rats are becoming a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Clinton was afraid to use cluster munitions in Afghanistan. That was a real cluster f---.

[festus]

We should also deliver them and install them on whatever roofs and such that israel specifies.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

"It's clusters last stand."

Good one!

[MadJack]

Any redlegs out there? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe single MLRS rounds be fired at a specific target.


The first MLRS rocket was the unguided M26 rocket. The M26 is spin-stabilized by 4 fins, has a range of 32 km (20 miles) and is armed with 644 M77 DPICM (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions) anti-personnel/anti-materiel grenades. The M77 submunitions are dispensed over the target in mid-air, are drag-ribbon stabilized during free fall, and detonate on impact. The MLRS/M26 was first used operationally during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, where it acquired the nickname "steel rain".

[SJackson]

2006israelwar> 2006israelwar or WOT [War on Terror]

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[reformedliberal]

The only person quoted on this claiming Israel wants cluster munitions is from HRW.

The unnamed State Department person is quoted as saying Israel will get these munitions w/a warning "to be careful."

The Israeli spokesman isn't commenting.

I am remembering that in the Israeli War for Independence in 1947, the Brits blockaded Israel, no one would sell them anything except outdated and nonfunctional hand guns w/o ammo and the founders of Israel, all of them, of course, survivors of the Nazis and the camps,as well as "illegal entrants", bought European scrap and began manufacturing their own weapons.

While I know we supply the Israelis with advanced munitions, the entire Western world is very shy of using cluster rounds. However, I believe the people who invented the Sten gun under extremely adverse conditions could produce cluster bombs if they intended to use them. Since, so far, the Israelis have refrained to their own detriment from using any munitions that could cause indiscriminate casualties, I am suspicious of this article, its sources and its intent.