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CNN Sunday Morning

Is Israel Ready for Iraqi Attack?

Aired December 08, 2002 - 09:31   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq fired a number of SCUD missiles at Israel during the Gulf War in 1991. Israel did not retaliate, if you'll recall.
How ready is that country for another barrage, if Baghdad should attack again?

CNN's Chris Burns takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The scenario, Iraq has fired SCUD missiles at Israel, which launches aero missiles like this one to intercept them. Every second counts. It takes just eight minutes for the SCUDs to hit their targets.

Satellite and radar surveillance track the missiles from the moment they're launched. In this exercise, the aero obliterates the missile by exploding near it, high in the atmosphere.

There's a backup SCUD killer. The lower-flying U.S. Patriot missile, designed as a bullet to hit a bullet. This one recently tested successfully in Israel's Negev Desert.

BRIG. GEN. YAIR DRORI, ISRAELI AIR FORCE: We can give Israel and its civilians safety feelings about the next conflict.

BURNS: During the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. Patriot missiles attempted to intercept Iraqi SCUDs, but critics say most Patriots missed their mark and crashed back over populated areas.

The Patriot has been improved over the past decade. And the U.S. and Israel together spent more than $2 billion to develop and build the aero SCUD killers at $3 billion each. Though there have been failures.

DRORI: We are definitely better prepared for the next conflict.

BURNS: Critics say the costly project is largely unnecessary, that U.S. forces can destroy or neutralize Saddam Hussein's SCUDs on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The states will operate the right way and block the ways from the -- the routes from central to western Iraq and dominate all of the area of western Iraq, then it couldn't do it even if it wanted to launch missiles. BURNS: That Israel can track the origins of the missiles could increase the chance of an Israeli retaliation, with the risk of shaking any support from moderate Arab countries.

U.S. officials say they're pressing Israel to show restraint, though Israel insists on defending itself.

Also part of the guessing game, just how many SCUD killers Israel has.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enough.

BURNS: Enough to calm the civilian population here and enough to intercept whatever SCUDs Saddam may send this way. Israelis hope the moment of truth will never come.

Chris Burns, 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 December 8, 2002 - 09:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq fired a number of SCUD missiles at Israel during the Gulf War in 1991. Israel did not retaliate, if you'll recall.
How ready is that country for another barrage, if Baghdad should attack again?

CNN's Chris Burns takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The scenario, Iraq has fired SCUD missiles at Israel, which launches aero missiles like this one to intercept them. Every second counts. It takes just eight minutes for the SCUDs to hit their targets.

Satellite and radar surveillance track the missiles from the moment they're launched. In this exercise, the aero obliterates the missile by exploding near it, high in the atmosphere.

There's a backup SCUD killer. The lower-flying U.S. Patriot missile, designed as a bullet to hit a bullet. This one recently tested successfully in Israel's Negev Desert.

BRIG. GEN. YAIR DRORI, ISRAELI AIR FORCE: We can give Israel and its civilians safety feelings about the next conflict.

BURNS: During the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. Patriot missiles attempted to intercept Iraqi SCUDs, but critics say most Patriots missed their mark and crashed back over populated areas.

The Patriot has been improved over the past decade. And the U.S. and Israel together spent more than $2 billion to develop and build the aero SCUD killers at $3 billion each. Though there have been failures.

DRORI: We are definitely better prepared for the next conflict.

BURNS: Critics say the costly project is largely unnecessary, that U.S. forces can destroy or neutralize Saddam Hussein's SCUDs on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The states will operate the right way and block the ways from the -- the routes from central to western Iraq and dominate all of the area of western Iraq, then it couldn't do it even if it wanted to launch missiles. BURNS: That Israel can track the origins of the missiles could increase the chance of an Israeli retaliation, with the risk of shaking any support from moderate Arab countries.

U.S. officials say they're pressing Israel to show restraint, though Israel insists on defending itself.

Also part of the guessing game, just how many SCUD killers Israel has.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enough.

BURNS: Enough to calm the civilian population here and enough to intercept whatever SCUDs Saddam may send this way. Israelis hope the moment of truth will never come.

Chris Burns, 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