Israel prepares for WMD attacks

Be prepared. With tensions rising between Iran and pretty much every other civilized country in the world (as well as Russia), and with growing anxieties about a possible outbreak of violence this year, Israel and the United States last week completed a joint computer simulation of a non-conventional missile strike. According to Agence-France Presse, the joint air-defense drill tested Israel’s Arrow and the United States’ Patriot missile interception systems, both of which are used by Israel. Of course, as the test was entirely computerized, “No real missiles were intercepted during the computer simulations,” although sources said “both sides were pleased with the results of the exercise.”

While Israel’s military planners readied military defenses, emergency response authorities in the country last week also ran its largest-ever nationwide drill — one intended to test the country’s response to a chemical weapon attack. (The recent use of chlorine bombs in Iraq has some worried Hamas might be taking notes.) Among the eight different exercises taking place over two days were ones simulating “a rocket barrage against the southern town of Sderot, a toxic plume in Beersheba, a missile strike on a Tel Aviv chemical plant, and a ‘mega-terror attack’ on Netanya. 5,000 police officers, or 25 percent of the force’s total manpower, 1,000 soldiers, and close to 1,500 medics and firefighters participated, with many playing wounded civilians needing assistance. “I’m a 49-year-old woman. I’m sweating and crying and I can’t see. I’m salivating. I have pressure in my chest,” said one sign hanging from the neck of a 19-year-old infantryman says. The drill was considered so important that the army pulled troops off West Bank checkpoints to participate.