Posted on 01/12/2005 7:13:42 AM PST by Alex Marko
Russia and Israel are at loggerheads over Moscow's alleged intention to sell modern missile systems to Syria. Israeli media reports that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held a government meeting on relations with Moscow.
Israel is said to have discussed the issue with the US, but denies Russian media reports that it has recalled its Moscow ambassador.
Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad is expected in Moscow on 24 January, despite Israeli protests.
The visit has already prompted Mr Sharon to hold consultations with Washington on the matter, according to French news agency AFP.
Russian and Israeli media both suggest that among other reasons for the apparent cooling in relations between the countries is Israel's alleged financial support of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, who won the recent presidential election.
Russia had openly supported his rival candidate, the then Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych.
Newspapers also recall a number of recent spy scandals and Israel's determination not to extradite managers of the troubled Russian oil company Yukos, wanted in Russia.
Missile threat
The Russian newspaper Kommersant says that should Russia sell new Iskander missiles to Damascus, Syria will be able to hit any target on Israeli territory, except the southernmost areas.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz adds that in the last few years, Syria has been humiliated by several Israeli air raids, which proved its anti-aircraft systems extremely inefficient.
Russia remains an important player in the Middle East, despite its former influence being eclipsed by that of the US.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian ambassador to Russia, Khairi al-Oridi, told the BBC Russian Service that the newly-elected Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, was likely to choose Moscow as the first foreign capital to visit in his new role. Mr Abbas spent his student years in the USSR.
In the last 15 years, Russia has significantly improved its political and trade relations with Israel, which in turn has been one of the few countries to unequivocally support Russia's "counter-terrorist operation" in Chechnya.
But some commentators say Moscow's approach to choosing clients on the weapons market has often jeopardized these relations.
I TOLD YOU GUYS! I WAS RIGHT! Where are my accolades for breaking a story on here before the media got to it???
Big, big surprise here!/sarcasm off
Tell the Israelis we'll help them keep the russians from selling missiles to Syria just as soon as the Israelis stop selling arms and tech to China.
The big story here is not connected to Israel. It seems we have 150,000 troops that are within easy range of Syrian missiles. With the US threatening to attack Syria if it doesn't change its ways, Russia is checkmating the US. Bush better look into Putin's soul one more time.
Remember that DEBKA (sp?) story that came out yesterday indicating that the US was preparing to attack Syria. Isn't DEBKA an Israeli source? I smell a disinformation campaign to put pressure on Syria not to conssumate the arms deal.
So when do we place sanctions on Russia for selling missiles to a terrorist regime??
The BBC picked up the story too.
Russia is reacting to the US for the Ukraine. All this is cold war talk and tactics enacted by Putin to save face.
That missile being discussed is a nasty one...Multiple warheads making the Arrow systems irrelevant.
It seems the bigger problem is that this system might be nuclear capable:
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/iskander.html
It also has a variety of conventional warheads (including FAE) available and comes "stock" with decent guidance systems:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/ss-26.htm
I am unfamiliar with the current threat of Syrian SSMs. If mobile TELs like this Iskander-mover are new to them, it might mean the IDF/IAF is unprepared in designing a plan to locate and track them.
Thanks
where are the "good job alex for breaking the story yesterday before the media did"? I WANT MY CREDIT! ha ha
Good Job, Alex. I had been trying to track the story the rest of the day after your post was pulled. Man alive, the Russians still have b*lls.
Or the Patriot? Cuz' they will probably use it against the US forces in Iraq before Israel
Good job alex!
Only that... well I posted a similar thread 3 hours before you did lol
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319075/posts
;)
I didn't see post 12! hahaha! I really meant Good Job, it was some breaking news, after all.
Good job to you, as well! ;)
LOL i posted it yesterday around 10 am est..they pulled it after the news got to it and had a link :)
I didn't see it yesterday. But "good job" any way.
Oh sorry then lol
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