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So, now that we have a moment, and per some objections from smart people like @tomkarako, we can revisit "rockets" and "missiles." Yes, they're similar, but especially in terms of political impact, they're not the same. /1
I was trying to help you all understand that usually, when you hear "missile" on TV, it means "ballistic" missile. You can argue that anything shot from one place to another, powered or not, is a missile, but that's misses important points about range and speed - and intent. /2
The reason I wanted to know if this was a "rocket" or "missile" attack is that a ballistic missile attack from Iran was an unmistakable signal: Attributable and potentially highly destructive. A rocket attack would have had to be from a lot closer, inside Iraq. /3
A rocket attack would also be deniable, by proxy. It could be some local guys a few kilometers away. Firing a missile from Iran into Iraq is easy to see and track. A world of difference. A different message using a different vehicle. /4
If you're an engineer, "rocket" and "missile" aren't that different, and if we were in an engineering seminar, you'd be right, but TV uses these terms in a messy way. As a quick and dirty shorthand, missiles go further and have a strategic message, rockets are local. /5x
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