One of the anti war movements favorite defenses for Husseins latest violation of the cease fire terms is that the al Samoud 2 rocket only exceeds the limit by a few miles. It isn't really a threat to the US or our allies, so it isn't worth going to war over.
So much for that theory:
THE missile at the centre of the looming showdown between Iraq and the United Nations may be part of an ambitious secret project to develop a much longer-range missile that could hit Tehran or Tel Aviv, UN and independent missile experts believe. The specifications of the al-Samoud 2 missile appear to have been designed so that it could be fitted with a second engine, making it a much more potent threat than previously realised, the experts have told The Times.
The article goes on to say that not only does the missile exceed the maximum range allowed by the UN, it is also wider than allowed, and uses a rocket engine specifically forbidden by the UN. The wider body would allow the missile to carry two engines, dramatically increasing its range and payload.
Now I uderstand why Blix has been uncharacteristically firm on the matter of the al-Samoud 2 rockets. It isn't just the few extra miles; it's the few extra millimeters, and what they mean.
Posted by Rich at February 26, 2003 11:29 AM | TrackBack