On Katyushas and SCUDS

Today's post has nothing whatsoever to do with bikes but the memories sparked by the growing crisis in the Middle East. This morning I woke up to the news that Hezbollah has widened its katyusha attacks. Missiles have rained down on more cities in northern Israel including Tiberias on the shores of the Galilee.

I was in Israel in January 1991 when Saddam Hussein, responding to allied air bombardments on Iraq, launched SCUDs against Tel Aviv and Haifa. Although these modified Soviet missiles were wildly inaccurate, they brought daily life in Israel to a standstill because of fears that they might be carrying chemical or biological warheads.

The Israeli government issued everyone with gasmasks which we were told to keep with us at all times. We were also urged to seal off at least one room with plastic sheeting ...

... more later.