“We are just very honored and proud of Israel. Shalom. Getting involved, I had a personal visit in 1983 in January, stayed on a Kibbutz at the end of the Lebanon War and have been to Israel over 40-plus years to see the movement of missile defense more than any other country in the world. And going back to the 1983 SDI speech, President Reagan put the first MOU with Israel to create missile defense capability.
And Israel took that and we backed them. And the shift that happened in the late 90s during the wars, the ability for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to support and create weapon systems for Israel with them. From the Green Pine, the Iron Dome, THAAD, the love of it, the active participation in spending the funding of tax dollars to defend the sacred country has been at the forefront of our missile defense evolution and development.
So we’ve had a shift in warfare. And I think you can start right away looking, we had a podcast on this with the Ukrainians attacking the Russian bombers. And that was a preemptive left of launch and left of missile defense launch, a missile defense campaign to be able to defeat these weapons before they come. On June 13th last week, we saw Israel take it to another level in left of launch type thought process and campaign in combat. But for Israel and Ukraine, the essence of having an ability to defend against a counterattack, to be able to do that, enabled them to do that. And the missile defense capabilities that have protected their population from volumes and volumes is astonishing to see and to take great gratitude for Israel to be able to protect its people.
So we’re seeing a shift with that type of fight now. And it’s a missile fight to be able to attack and be able to defend.”
Closing Remarks:
“And anybody that says we shouldn’t be supporting Israel is wrong in the missile defense capabilities that we are working with you on. And we’re going to have to be together for the whole thing, for crises that are going to happen in Europe, in CENTCOM, in Asia. Your friendship, your partnership, your trust, your ability to work with us to be able to defeat and win because you want it. That is the cornerstone.
And I think from all the investment that we’ve ever given your country to do what you’re doing now and continue to go with us. So, thank you for the time and the opportunity to hear your perspectives. Everybody here was a great discussion. So, thank you very much for being part of it. Thank you.”
Mr. Riki Ellison, MDAA Founder and Chairman
Speakers:
Mr. Tal Inbar
MDAA Israel Fellow
Brig Gen (Ret.) Shachar Shohat
Former Commander, Israel Air Defense Forces
LTG (Ret.) Jamie Jarrad
Deputy Commanding General for the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC)
Mr. John Rood
Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Mr. Riki Ellison
MDAA Founder and Chairman
