Comments on: Protecting Sderot and the murky waters of politics

By: Kain

Kain — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:22:54 +0000

Those sound like excellent suggestions. There has to be consequence, it seems, and yes, of course we don’t want random citizens to pay with their lives (especially children!) Moving the border back makes absolute sense. Destroying a building for every rocket fired makes sense as well. Peace will not be won through concessions, but through strength and consequence.

By: Michael Lonie

Michael Lonie — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:52:01 +0000

Move the border until it is out of Qassem range of Sderot. Let no one build or move in the land between the old and new borders. If the Palis start firing longer range rockets at Israel, move the border further. Explain to the Gazans that if they let Hamas or Fatah continue shooting rockets into Israel the border may end up at Rafah. Tell them that if they do not want that to happen they had better get Hamas and Fatah to stop shooting at Israel. Explain to them that if they make war on Israel, Israel will make war back at them, and they really don’t want that to happen.

By: Herschel

Herschel — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:00:59 +0000

The difference between us and the barbarians is that we would feel remorse if a catastrophe ocurred and many Gaza children were killed by stray
bullets, while the other side would rejoice and give out candy if Israeli children were killed by the barbarians.

There are other defenses [specifically laser technology] in development but are not yet ready to be deployed. The other possibilty is that Phalanx may be usable if the bullets that do not hit the rockets have a trajectory that continues past land and out to sea.
I do not know the width of the Gaza strip where the rockets are being fired into Israel, or the maximum effective distance of the 20mm bullets.
I am sure this is being reviewed by the IDF and they will make the necessary decisions.

My own personal belief, is that Israel should start destroying a Gaza building belonging to Hamas every time a rocket is fired into Israel.

By: Kain

Kain — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:37:29 +0000

Herschel, you state that “you do not want 20mm bullets that do not hit the intended target falling back into a populated area”

I wonder what you believe the alternative to be? There has to be a better place for the bullets to fall than on top of Sderot…

I am not well-informed on the technological options available, and it seems that the only way to provide adequate defense would require some form of collateral damage…

By: Herschel

Herschel — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:20:20 +0000

As I stated before, my firm designs and builds the controller for the Phalanx.
Trust me, you do not want 20mm bullets that do not hit the intended target, falling back into a populated area, even if its hell hole Gaza.

“The gatling gun fires 20mm ammunition at either 3,000 or 4,500 rounds-per-minute with a burst length of continuous, 60, or 100 rounds.”

By: A

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:50:04 +0000

Perhaps it’s a lack of trust? If they use an American system, the Americans can simply shut it down with a backdoor.

By: John M

John M — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:40:29 +0000

Hey, they’re using my Phalanx idea!

A few stray 20-mike shells falling in Gaza is worth ith.