Topic: Air To Air Missile

Journalist Laura Logan reported on alleged Iranian "kill teams" smuggling surface-to-air missiles into the U.S. to target Donald Trump's plane. The discussion evaluates whether these threats are legitimate intelligence or part of a "theater" designed to justify future military action against Iran. Trump has publicly stated he would "blow to smithereens" any country that threatens a U.S. presidential candidate.

The US military utilized an F-22 fighter jet and a single air-to-air missile to destroy the Chinese balloon at an altitude of approximately 58,000 feet. Critics question the necessity of using expensive advanced weaponry for a slow-moving inflatable target. Debris recovery efforts commenced in the Atlantic Ocean to analyze the sensor package attached to the craft.

Curry discusses the release of the preliminary report on the downing of flight MH17. He criticizes the Dutch newspaper *De Telegraaf* for biased headlines blaming Russia before the report was public. The report concluded the plane was hit by high-velocity projectiles from the outside, consistent with a missile strike, but offered no definitive culprit.

Julia Ioffe of the New Republic provides media commentary on the MH17 downing, describing the perpetrators as "boneheads with surface-to-air missiles." The hosts critique her characterization of the conflict and her role in the media circuit. They suggest her rhetoric is part of a broader effort to simplify a complex military situation for American audiences.

Ticket sales for the London 2012 Olympics have reportedly stalled, with nearly 300,000 tickets remaining unsold. Security measures for the games include the deployment of surface-to-air missiles on residential rooftops and naval presence in the Thames. These extreme measures, combined with a 2010 Rockefeller Foundation report predicting a mass casualty event at the 2012 Olympics, are cited as reasons for public hesitation.

London prepares for the Olympic Games with a massive security exercise titled "Olympic Guardian," featuring the HMS Ocean berthed at Greenwich. Security measures include fighter jet training, snipers in helicopters authorized to shoot pilots of rogue planes, and the controversial deployment of surface-to-air missiles on residential rooftops. Officials cite the need to protect against "9-11 style" threats and "lower, slower" targets like drones.

The U.S. State Department is sending former military personnel to Libya to track down surface-to-air missiles following the fall of Muammar Qaddafi. Despite promises that the intervention would last only "days," the conflict has reached its 209th day. The hosts note that the U.S. currently has half a million troops deployed across 150 different nations.

Human Rights Watch reports that approximately 20,000 surface-to-air missiles have gone missing in Libya. U.S. officials express concern that these weapons, including Russian Igla-S missiles, could fall into the hands of Al-Qaeda or other terrorist organizations.