US is warned of Russia 'arms sale to Syria'

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Yahoo News / AFP

Israel has warned the United States that Russia plans to sell sophisticated missile systems to Syria that would complicate any foreign intervention there, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Journal reported late Wednesday that Israel had provided information to Washington about the imminent sale to Syria of Russian S-300 missile batteries, advanced ground-to-air weapons that can take out aircraft or guided missiles.

Syria has been a close military ally of Moscow for decades, and Russia has blocked international efforts to isolate President Bashar al-Assad's regime over its brutal crackdown on a two-year-old rebellion.

The Israeli report said Syria has been making payments on a 2010 deal to buy four batteries from Russia for $900 million, according to the Journal.

Read more: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/us-warned-russia-arms-sale-syria-090806776.html#BgSd3As

[Earth_First]

1. So remind me why we send so much foreign aid to Israel

when they are out shopping the world market for $900 million missile systems?

[melm00se]

3. Did I miss something in the article?

I don't see where Israel is looking to buy $900 million missile batteries.

According to the article:
Syria yes.
Israel, no.

[Earth_First]

6. Oh my...

Yea, you are correct.

This is the result of reading DU before coffee.

Thanks for the correction!

[John2]

7. You do not

have to miss it. All you have to do is look at Congress. Isn't Syria an Ally of Russia the same as Israel is an Ally of Congress? I stipulate Congress not me. And shouldn't the paid for Politicians in Congress, now consider Russia in the same light as Iran, when it comes to supplying what they perceive to be Terrorists? So when will they call for a resolution to sanction Russia like they did with Iran? The Republicans can introduce a Bill anytime now.

[bahrbearian]

11. Israel doesn't buy missile batteries , we give em to them Free.

[naaman fletcher]

2. God forbid

anyone besides us be allowed to sell weapons into a combat zone!

[bahrbearian]

4. Pot meet Kettle

[jakeXT]

5. S-400 would probably work

Going back to the S-300 shortcomings: How can an air defense system with state of the art phased array radar designed for multiple engagements including incoming ballistic missiles be so easily defeated?

The answer is that the systems in operation in Syria are actually little different from those first brought into service by Soviet Union in 1985. Another problem is that Russia sold Cyprus the S-300PMU-1, which was then extensively tested for weaknesses by Israeli air force.

Russia stopped the sale of the weapons to Syria in 2012, but batteries of the system are employed in and around the capital Damascus, and the very “research center” bombed by the Israeli air force.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/02/01/286781/raid-on-syria-raises-serious-questions/

[RitchieRich]

8. so who ARE they trying to use these against?

Maybe they'll get lucky and Iran or Pakistan will attack them with some 1985 jets.

Like, hello, the 80's called, and they want their air defense system back.

Why? They could have bought half our congress with that money and done some real damage.

[Bosonic]

9. I can't think of any reasons why Syria might want extra air defences

[Turborama]

10. Well, that sort of outstanding bill would explain their votes in the Security Council n/t

[Sunlei]

12. what Americans have investments with the russian corp that sells weapons to syria?

Those investment corps, the gunrunners should be the 'people' dunned by the world to fund the humanitarin aid now needed. Someone backs the russian corp weaponsellers and they need public exposure.

And when is someone gonna target Assad? the man will not step down, he has been given long enough. Remove him.

[John2]

13. I want to be clear on this.

by whose authority you suggest have the right to tell another country's President to step down? That is only for the Syrian people to decide. And that means all of the Syrian people by whatever means they choose. I think they are in the process of doing that. Whichever one wins shouldn't matter to Americans. I do not like the neocons or the Right deciding our Foreign Policies either. We will be fighting Wars forever, just because of the rightwing rhetoric. If you are another american citizen, I definately disagree with you. I'm totally against Wars for regime changing. I think other Americans who are against this agenda need to start speaking up too.

[Sunlei]

14. Hes killing his own people!! sending random missles into his cities.

The man is crazy evil!! he should begone off his perch.ASAP! He has been given enough time. Then the people of Syria can elect another leader with a FAIR, no cheating election.

Someone should have done the same exact thing to Hitler early on and the entire world would have been better off.

[John2]

15. What is your

definition of a Civil War? Would that definition include Abraham Lincoln? There was no Civil War in Germany, so why are you comparing Assad to Adolf Hitler?

[Sunlei]

17. sure the people have civil wars over religion for thousands of years, thats not new!!

I do NOT want a war there with any outside country including the USA. No, no more Iraqs or for profit war gunrunners making trillions off any countries federal money.

None should mind if the tanks firing missiles are destroyed! The heles shooting are shot out of the sky. And a neighboring country sets of refugee camps for those wanting to flee. And take out Assad if he won't get out!

Americans still have a right to speak their opinions and that is what this is, my opinion.

You do realize when Abe Lincon was killed the next president brought back 'slavery' using the prison systems, let the KKK and the NRA rise and rule and let the south get rid of reconstruction.

Those southern states oppressed thousands of any free blacks they could get their hands on. Entire counties in many states became whites only. Even today the census still shows how many southern states still have segregated counties. The USA supreme court upheld segregation!!!

A lot of changes happen when a leader good or bad is killed. Any leader who would KILL their own people is bad.

[Comrade Grumpy]

24. Anwar Al-Awlaki and his son. American citizens. Killed by Obama's drones.

Oh, but that's different?

Oh, but they were engaged in a war with the state?

[Sunlei]

31. Assad is murdering his own people!!

So you hate Obama and the USA drone program that drones out terrorists instead of going door to door with thousands of our troops on the ground in wars. Where we lose thousands of our military and thousands more injured for life. Tough luck for any Americans who want to go to other countries and play terrorist. It's not a game!!

This article is about Syria and Assad is murdering his own people. Someone sells him those weapons.

[David__77]

16. Not up to the U.S. or NATO. Obama is right.

The opposition is definitely worse, on balance, than Assad.

[Sunlei]

19. yes, but it should be PUBLIC what country and what investers supply the tanks, heles and stuff like

the super-sized containers of tear gas.

[Aristus]

18. Israel beating the war drums again.

Russian has been selling arms to Syria for decades now. Not like this is a late-breaking development or a game-changer...

[leftynyc]

25. I think Israel proved last week

they don't need the US to do any airstrikes in Syria. They're perfectly capable of doing it themselves and will if they feel the need. As the administration is considering arming the rebels, perhaps this news should be part of that equation. But you just go on thinking it's some nefarious plot - people here are so good at that.

[Aristus]

26. Wow. Okay.

I don't think I deserved that, but......okay...

[Purveyor]

28. What they do best, indeed! eom

[riderinthestorm]

20. K&R for an important story nt

[pampango]

21. Given the effortless success Israel had with recent air attacks

both Russia and Assad have reason to upgrade Syria's air defenses.

Assad is probably embarrassed that despite all the money spent on jets and anti-aircraft systems, Isreal has had no difficulty attacking Syrian targets.

Putin probably thinks that the West is more likely to intervene if they perceive that Syria's air defenses are much weaker than assumed a couple of years ago.

[Sunlei]

32. Where did Israel say they did the 2 carefully targeted air strikes? plenty of countries close or

maybe they had an accident with some of those huge things that exploded after the strike. Maybe it wasn't a strike at all.

[L0oniX]

22. The Russians have had a military base there for years and some arms sales are to be expected...

just like it also happens where the US has its bases. We need to stay the hell out of this.

[jakeXT]

23. It would be like Russia helping the protesters in Bahrain /nt

[Warren Stupidity]

27. We've stoked the fires of this conflagration, the Israelis are active participants

and as far as I can tell, all sides are just about equally vile.

[pampango]

29. There are extremists in the opposition that are as vile as Assad but not everyone who

opposes the dictator is a terrorist. And the "both sides do it" or "both sides are equally vile" is not more true there than it is here.

[Warren Stupidity]

30. the point is that we are fucking hypocrites.

Chem attacks were a red line until it became more or less clear that the vile opposition was the party crossing the line. We are arming groups that are aligned with jihadists, as we did in afghanistan in the 80's, with no regard for the consequences. Assad is a vile fuck too. Hezbollah is almost as ruthless as the Israelis. There are no good guys, none, not in this mess.