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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israel Prepares Joint Exercises With U.S.
Aired January 16, 2003 - 05:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Israel is now in its final stage of preparations for any possible U.S. war with Iraq. Joint air defense exercises with the United States could begin as early as this weekend.
Our Kelly Wallace reports on the operation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Final preparations for possible fallout from a war with Iraq, Israel moves upgraded American patriots in to position for a high-stakes joint exercise. The goal: to see how effective the U.S. patriots, along with Israel's new Arrow Missile Defense System would be in shooting down any incoming missiles.
GERALD STEINBERG, BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY: The Arrow, by itself, may have some limitations. The patriot definitely has limitations. The merger of the two is designed to provide the best combination.
WALLACE: During the 1991 Gulf War, Israel did not have the arrow and the U.S. patriots proved to be a major disappointment, failing to prevent 39 Iraqi scud missiles from hitting Israel. Two Israelis died in direct hits in those attacks. Twelve years later, Israelis seem to think the country is much better prepared.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The technology is -- it's way better than 1991. It's -- I feel that -- very secure about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those who went through the first Gulf War, if we here are going to go through a second one, I think we all feel much safer today than we did then.
WALLACE: Israel did not retaliate then, but it's threatening to respond now if Saddam Hussein attacks. Hoping to prevent that, the U.S. is beefing up its coordination with Israel. An American military liaison team will remain at the U.S. Embassy indefinitely. Many of the approximately 500 U.S. troops in Israel now for exercises will stay, along with the improved patriot batteries. And a U.S. team was on hand earlier this month for a test to see if the Arrow system could strike more than one missile at once.
(on camera): Israeli officials say the exercises were planned long before there was any talk of a possible war with Iraq. But they also say the test should send a message to Saddam Hussein, and analysts agree.
STEINBERG: In some ways, the message now from both Jerusalem and from Washington in sending these American forces here is don't mess around with Israel, it will complicate your life even much -- to a much greater degree.
WALLACE (voice-over): The exercises continue through the beginning of February. Final tests on the eve of final decisions about if and when there will be a war.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 16, 2003 - 05:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Israel is now in its final stage of preparations for any possible U.S. war with Iraq. Joint air defense exercises with the United States could begin as early as this weekend.
Our Kelly Wallace reports on the operation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Final preparations for possible fallout from a war with Iraq, Israel moves upgraded American patriots in to position for a high-stakes joint exercise. The goal: to see how effective the U.S. patriots, along with Israel's new Arrow Missile Defense System would be in shooting down any incoming missiles.
GERALD STEINBERG, BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY: The Arrow, by itself, may have some limitations. The patriot definitely has limitations. The merger of the two is designed to provide the best combination.
WALLACE: During the 1991 Gulf War, Israel did not have the arrow and the U.S. patriots proved to be a major disappointment, failing to prevent 39 Iraqi scud missiles from hitting Israel. Two Israelis died in direct hits in those attacks. Twelve years later, Israelis seem to think the country is much better prepared.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The technology is -- it's way better than 1991. It's -- I feel that -- very secure about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those who went through the first Gulf War, if we here are going to go through a second one, I think we all feel much safer today than we did then.
WALLACE: Israel did not retaliate then, but it's threatening to respond now if Saddam Hussein attacks. Hoping to prevent that, the U.S. is beefing up its coordination with Israel. An American military liaison team will remain at the U.S. Embassy indefinitely. Many of the approximately 500 U.S. troops in Israel now for exercises will stay, along with the improved patriot batteries. And a U.S. team was on hand earlier this month for a test to see if the Arrow system could strike more than one missile at once.
(on camera): Israeli officials say the exercises were planned long before there was any talk of a possible war with Iraq. But they also say the test should send a message to Saddam Hussein, and analysts agree.
STEINBERG: In some ways, the message now from both Jerusalem and from Washington in sending these American forces here is don't mess around with Israel, it will complicate your life even much -- to a much greater degree.
WALLACE (voice-over): The exercises continue through the beginning of February. Final tests on the eve of final decisions about if and when there will be a war.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
