In its most recent provocation of the West, Iran test-fired its most advanced missile yesterday, the Sajjil-2. The missile is capable of traveling about 1,200 miles, placing Israel, U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf, and parts of Europe within reach.
According to the English-language Tehran Times, the Sajjil-2 is equipped with anti-radar shields. This feature, combined with its high speed, makes the missile almost undetectable by anti-missile systems.
In response to the missile launch, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for “moving further on sanctions.” However, as Daniel Pollak and Joshua London note in the winter 2009 issue of inFOCUS, sanctions have failed to deter Iran. The futility of sanctions, coupled with the Obama administration’s unwillingness to threaten military action against Iran, “leaves the West without many options.”
