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U.S. reps: Send Israel missile defense

By · July 10, 2008

Two U.S. congressman are urging President Bush to send Israel a missile defense radar system.

The members of the House of Representatives, Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Jane Harman (D-Calif.), made their request in a letter to Bush following Iran’s missile tests this week.

Their letter echoed a May 5 letter signed by more than 70 members of Congress pressing the president to deploy the AN/TPY-2 system, a U.S. ballistic missile defense early-warning radar system, to Israel as soon as possible.

Iran has tested “nine long- and medium-range missiles, including an upgraded Shabab-3 capable of reaching Israel,” Kirk and Hayman wrote this week. “The new missile reportedly has a range of 1,250 miles and carries a one-ton conventional warhead.”

The two lawmakers also noted the House’s recent passage of the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, which urged the Department of Defense to launch discussions with Israel about deploying the radar system in Israel as soon as possible to defend against threats from Iran and Syria.

“More than two months after our first letter, we strongly urge you to deploy the AN/TPY-2 radar to Israel as soon as possible,” Kirk and Hayman wrote.

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