Iron Dome

I've  been traveling this past week and happened to listen to several different reports about activities going on around the world. Talking about it is a bit challenging, but there is one that definitely comes to mind as being very interesting:

Israel's Iron Dome. (Fox News)

This happened to be the best example I could find of their missile defense system in action. It is amazing. Now, I personally have absolutely no desire in any shape, way or form to live in an area that is under continual threat of being attacked by crazy neighbors who happen to think launching rockets at a city populated by over 1,000,000 residents as being "Okay." In fact, I have no sympathy for the Palestinians living in Gaza. (If they want to live in peace, then they need to start putting social pressure on those who are launching rockets at a general populace).

Israel gets load of criticism from the public by being this massive oppressor. But, the majority of their attacks on the Gaza strip are in direct retaliation to rocket attacks on their citizens (which the Palestinians are well aware of how Israel will respond; it is no secret). These attacks are targeted as best as possible on militants who are trying to use/hide/transport these rockets which will be launched into densely populated civilian areas in Israel.

Honestly, if Palestinians want peace, then they need to get their radicals under control. They have no right being outraged at being attacked by a military force when they decide to send a barrage of rockets over the fence at Israel. It's not as if these rockets happen to be filled with nice presents for the small kids. They are meant to kill. What else is Israel supposed to do, happily say "thanks for killing our populace, you've proven how wrong we are by killing us, we'll leave now"? I think not.

In all of this, I believe that Israel has show great restraint in not just bulldozing Gaza. They have the means. Just look at how they decimated Egypt/Iraq in the 6-day war. (wikipedia) They know how to take out an opponent. The people living in Gaza should be thankful that Israel has not gone to more permanent measures to protect their citizens.

The video above shows the extreme measures that Israel has to resort to in order to protect life. They could easily wipe out all of their opponents in Gaza; instead they are protecting life. I doubt many dissidents out there realize how grateful they should be to Israel for the grace they have been shown... especially at the great expense of Israeli security.