Israelis wary of a US radar base in the Negev

Cheyenne Mountain's NORAD, the central collection and coordination center for a worldwide system of satellites, radars, and other early warning systems watching for threats to North American security from both aircraft and ballistic missiles. George Steinmetz/Corbis

When a contingent of U.S. soldiers opens a radar facility on a mountaintop in the Negev desert next month, Israel will for the first time in its 60-year history have a permanent foreign military base on its soil. And despite the early warning that the American radar would provide if Iran launches a missile attack on Israel, some senior Israeli officials are nonetheless wary about its presence. Complained one top official, "It's a like a pair of golden handcuffs on Israel."

Yea, it is - and that's exactly the intent! Did you know that ONLY American troops are allowed to operate the system, that all missile tracking data will be transmitted to the US and NOT Israel, and that the system allows the US to keep watch on Israel as well as Iran? I knew you didn't...