Russia Is Sending Attack Helicopters to Syria, U.S. Says

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 06/12/12 | Unattributed

[TonyInOhio]

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration says Russia is sending attack helicopters to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and is warning about a dramatic escalation in the Arab country's 15-month conflict.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the U.S. was "concerned about the latest information we have that there are attack helicopters on the way from Russia to Syria." She said the shipment "will escalate the conflict quite dramatically."

[TonyInOhio]

Time for us to raise our Concern Level from Concerned to Very Concerned. Also, Barack Kardashian needs to go to another dozen fundraisers.

[Notary Sojac]

Actually, launching a wag-the-dog war against Syria is exactly what I would expect this administration to do.

At the very least, the idiot neocon McCain wing of the GOP will fall right in line to support them.

[Sequoyah101]

Not good, not good at all.

This is a provocative act by the Russians. They are testing and the test has no winners.

[sigzero]

And what will the US do? Nothing. Nothing at all. Wait, we mine whine to the UN.

[drypowder]

She said the shipment "will escalate the conflict quite dramatically."

typical good cop bad cop crap; right on schedule and according to their plan.

[OwenKellogg]

Well at least the Russkies aren’t buying into Bain Capital.

[ZX12R]

And what will the US do? Nothing. Nothing at all. Wait, we mine whine to the UN.

With Obama and his administration running things, I DON'T WANT them to do anything.

[ElkGroveDan]

Sounds like they aren’t going to hold their breath waiting for all those post-reelection goodies they’ve been promised.

[muawiyah]

Actually the Russians are (most likely incidentally) protecting Christian rights in Syria.

Obama wants to protect foreign Islamic access to Syria.

McCain is actually on the wrong side.

[moonshot925]

Syria already has 36 Mi-24 Hind gunships. I guess the Russians are selling more.

[ClearCase_guy]

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday demanded an immediate end to the "dangerous intensification" of violence across Syria and called on all countries with influence to urge the parties "to pull back from the brink."

I am reminded of King Canute going down to the seashore to demand that the waves stop coming in. This episode is often misinterpreted -- Canute did not have delusions of grandeur: he was demonstrating to toadies that he was not all-powerful and he knew it.

If the UN wants to demonstrate just how utterly ineffective they are, then I think they are handling the situation in Syria quite perfectly.

[donozark]

And Syria has an approx. equal number of Gazelles (French). Many Fulcrums as well. The brothers Assad have not used their aerial assets against the opposition as Qaddafi tried. Perhaps many dead-lined due to poor maintenance. Or due to Syria's incredibly shrinking military...

Just wonder if Russian pilots may be "substituted?"

[Zhang Fei]

Syria already has 36 Mi-24 Hind gunships. I guess the Russians are selling more.

The Syrians haven't made payments in years. This is a lot more like the Lend Lease program than anything else. I expect the loans for Russian weapons will eventually be forgiven in exchange for basing rights or some equally worthless trifle. This is Russia administering a beat-down to the Sunni Arabs who have been financing the jihad in the Caucasus (Chechnya, Dagestan, et al), along with the associated terrorist attacks on Russian hospitals, schools and so on. Best of all, Sunni Arabs are getting stomped without a single Russian finger on the trigger, or the associated Russian personnel losses.

[who knows what evil?]

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

[yarddog]

As bad as the current Syrian government is, this bunch of “Arab Spring” monsters are far worse.

[Zhang Fei]

And Syria has an approx. equal number of Gazelles (French). Many Fulcrums as well. The brothers Assad have not used their aerial assets against the opposition as Qaddafi tried. Perhaps many dead-lined due to poor maintenance. Or due to Syria's incredibly shrinking military...

Aviation fuel is expensive. Syria is a poor country.

[meatloaf]

You have to love it when the Russians kick the Arab’s asses. As long as our boy wonder imposter-in-chief doesn’t want to join in, we can set back and scoff at the media’s attempt to pluck our heart strings. It might be a good time to sell T shirts with the saying. Screw Saudi Arabia, Support Christians by Supporting Assad!

[paulcissa]

Nothin’ a few Stingers can’t bring down......

[redgolum]

In their internal news they are saying it is to help protect Christian minorities. Seems the rebels like to kill the local Christian population.

Honestly, I don’t want the US involved in anyway. Russia has bases in Syria that are under increasing pressure from both sides. It is in their sphere of influence, let them have some fun nation building.

[Future Snake Eater]

Uh-oh. More stars aligning for the Ezekiel 38 war?

[marshmallow]

Excellent news (if true).

Now if the US can just resist the temptation to intervene on behalf of the Arab ...*cough*....."springtime", it's possible that Assad may just be able to ride out the Islamic revolution, which in turn might save the sizable Christian population in Iraq some suffering.

Bravo Russia!

[marshmallow]

Excellent news (if true).

Now if the US can just resist the temptation to intervene on behalf of the Arab ...*cough*....."springtime", it's possible that Assad may just be able to ride out the Islamic revolution, which in turn might save the sizable Christian population in Syria some suffering.

Bravo Russia!

[musicman]

Not to worry!!! Barry will have “a lot more FLEXABILITY” after he’s re-elected....

[donozark]

Between the Russian Base at Tartus, and the Iranian Base at Latakia, fuel will probably not be a problem. As for financing? Past debts have largely been written off by Mother Russia.

Russia cannot afford to lose it's only Med. Sea base. No matter the co$t.

[iopscusa]

Interesting how the US/NATO forces have been very disposed towards the elimination of Christians and Jews since the Clinton bombing of Yugoslavia. Same thing in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and now Syria....if I did not know better I’d think the Muslim Brotherhood had captured our DOD!

[Newfy]

According to the Bible Damascus is completely destroyed and nothing but rubble remains.

[TonyInOhio]

As bad as the current Syrian government is, this bunch of “Arab Spring” monsters are far worse.

True. I'd guess the Israelis would rather see Assad survive, too.

[Sequoyah101]

They may be doing just as stated. In my feeble mind I have a hard time figuring out who the good guys and the bad guys are.

If, as the news stories suggest, that it is the Assad government committing the atrocities who are they killing? Muslims or Christians or Rebels?

If the Russians have bases in Syria who are they allied with? Assad?

Like all things Arab it is confused and confusing... once Muslim sect against the other and then subfactions fighting within a sect. The Christians are caught somewhere... not the middle because both sides of the muslims target Christians as targets of opportunity don’t they?

The bottom line of this for me is it is a Syria event and for any power other than Syria or the UN to become involved is provocative.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

And Barry is mouthing something about a “no fly” zone ?

[Mike Darancette]

Of course there will be Russian pilots too. There will not be a no-fly zone for Syria.

[katana]

The Russians and the Soviets before them have been the major backers of the Assad regime(s) in Syria for decades and they are not going to sit by while another of their "clients", this one more strategically important than Libya, is taken over by radical Islamists.

Unlike us, they actually do have a dog in this fight. We would be fools to take either side but certainly not the one that will kill every Syrian Christian they can find and will use every weapon that falls in their laps from Assad's stockpiles, regardless of the consequences, against Israel.

[DoughtyOne]

Tony, I think you are over-reacting.

We here at the White House prefer to refer to this as just Slightly More Concerned, rather than Very Concerned.

Your CIC...

Barack (Kardashian) Obama

/s

;^)

[hitchwolf]

What can they do? Shoot them down? That’d cause the third world war.

[Buckeye McFrog]

of all the dumb things that George W. did,
believing that he could trust Vlad Putin takes the cake.

[treetopsandroofs]

After reading Ace’s “concession” speech in 2008, I find it hard to believe he was ever on the right side.

[skeeter]

Gone are the days when reflexively opposing the Russians was always the wise course.

In fact since the Kosovo debacle I may have more faith in their foreign policy goals than in our own.

[winodog]

Good point. America dropped bombs all over Serbia murdering over 3,000 innocent Christians before Russia stood to Clinton. All in the name of Allah and what did it get us?

[The Sons of Liberty]

We did nothing when the Iranians were revolting. If we have intervened, we might have stopped them from getting the bomb. Syria is another matter - muzzie killing muzzie - I fail to see a downside.

[cherokee1]

No one seems to remember/know that the Ruskies have a naval base in Syria. Most of the Russian actions are understandable in light of their desire to retain/maintain/protect that base. Lavrov has plainly said that they don’t want to alienate anyone who might come to power in Syria and chance losing the base. That, and try to get paid back the money that Basher already owes Russia.

Russian equipment movements might simply be an effort on their part to be able to defend their own base. Since they lost their warm water port in Ukraine they have been really proud of the Syrian base. The Euro news guys report a lot more on the finer points of stuff in Syria than our flakes do. Unless I see some kind of a hand-over ceremony I’ll tend to believe that Ivan is just using the choppers to cover his own buttinski.

[papertyger]

Actually the Russians are (most likely incidentally) protecting Christian rights in Syria.

Along with those brand new Navy bases of theirs....

[Sequoyah101]

And so the point is that the rebels are more likely to kill the Christians than the Assad loyal forces?

Assad is B’aath are they not? I suppose they are more likely to live in some form of acceptance of the Christians than the radical islamist rebel faction.

As stated before, there is no winning is there? No right or wrong possible just losing less than another option.

[2harddrive]

Time for Obama to surrender now.

[Little Ray]

Didn’t work in Libya. Won’t work in Syria. Won’t work in Iran.

[ETL]

______________________________________________________________

Russia's Medvedev hails "comrade" Obama

Associated Foreign Press (AFP) ^ | April 2, 2009 | Anna Smolchenko

"Russia's Dmitry Medvedev hailed Barack Obama as "my new comrade" Thursday after their first face-to-face talks"

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEo4B1heuBvO6KK7EiBHKigO1UrA

April 1, 2009:
"Obama, Medvedev pledge new era of relations":
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/specialreport/news/419496_88/1/.html

[ETL]

Open Mic Catches Obama Asking Medvedev for Space on Missile Defense
March 26, 2012

"In a private conversation about the planned U.S.-led NATO missile defense system in Europe, President Barack Obama asked outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for space on the issue.

“This is my last election,” Obama told Medvedev. “After my election I have more flexibility.”

“I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir,” Medvedev said, referring to incoming President Vladimir Putin."

http://fox8.com/2012/03/26/open-mic-catches-obama-asking-medvedev-for-space-on-missile-defense/
__________________________________________________

Obama was talking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev when neither of them realized that their conversation was being picked up by microphones. Here is what they said:

Obama: “On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved, but it’s important for him to give me space.”

Medvedev: “Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you ...”

Obama: “This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility.”

Medvedev: “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.”

“This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.” That statement tells us much about the president’s mindset.

The specific mention of missile defense is worrisome enough. Mr. Obama has retreated from the missile defense plan that was negotiated with European allies during the George W. Bush administration. Apparently, he is signaling Moscow that he intends to retreat further. The clear implication from the president’s comments is that he cannot tell the American people before the election what he plans to do after the election.

In addition, there is the phrase “on all these issues,” implying more is at stake than just missile defense.”

Article: Obama plans double cross on missile defense
When it comes to keeping America safe, we shouldn’t be too flexible:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/29/obama-plans-double-cross-on-missile-defense/print/

[Little Ray]

Let the Russians win.
We shouldn’t give a darn about the outcome in Syria. If the Assad regime can slaughter the Moslem Botherhood backed “rebels” that is a good outcome; if the “rebels” can beat the Assad regime, that’s fine.
As long as no American blood and treasure is involved, we’re a winner.

[ETL]

This is Russia administering a beat-down to the Sunni Arabs who have been financing the jihad in the Caucasus (Chechnya, Dagestan, et al), along with the associated terrorist attacks on Russian hospitals, schools and so on.

From Heritage.org, November 27, 2006:

The death of former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko, last week from radioactive Polonium-210 poisoning is the latest in a series of politically motivated attacks on the outspoken opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed112706a.cfm
_____________________________________________________

Blowing up Russia: The Secret Plot to Bring Back KGB Terror
by Alexander Litvinenko, Yuri Felshtinsky, Geoffrey Andrews and Co (Translator)

Synopsis: Blowing Up Russia contains the allegations of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko against his former spymasters in Moscow which led to his being murdered in London in November 2006. In the book he and historian Yuri Felshtinsky detail how since 1999 the Russian secret service has been hatching a plot to return to the terror that was the hallmark of the KGB. Vividly written and based on Litvinenko's 20 years of insider knowledge of Russian spy campaigns, Blowing Up Russia describes how the successor of the KGB fabricated terrorist attacks and launched a war. Writing about Litvinenko, the surviving co-author recounts how the banning of the book in Russia led to three earlier deaths.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Blowing-up-Russia/Alexander-Litvinenko/e/9781594032011
_______________________________________________________

"Appearing alongside high-profile opponents of President Putin, he has continued to make allegations about his former bosses. Perhaps most notably, he alleged that al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri was trained by the FSB in Dagestan in the years before 9/11".

http://www.cicentre.com/Documents/litvinenko.html

[ETL]

From AP via FoxNews.com...

Last Living Beslan School Attacker Sentenced to Life in Prison
May 28, 2006

VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia — AP
A southern Russian court on Friday sentenced the sole surviving Beslan school attacker to life in prison, capping a yearlong trial that survivors and victims' relatives say has left the most essential questions about the tragedy unanswered.

They demand to know just who bore the most responsibility: Nur-Pashi Kulayev and his 31 fellow militants, or the officials whose negligence or even alleged complicity allowed them to seize hundreds of children and parents on the first day of school in September 2004.

Countrywatch: Russia

"I did not go to court to become convinced of Kulayev's guilt, but to reconstruct all the circumstances of the terrorist attack and find the truth," said Aneta Gadiyeva, whose daughter was killed. "But I did not learn anything new and did not get any answers." ..."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,197093,00.html

[Vendome]

This is a great economic expansion plan for Russia.

Putin! You magnificent Bastuhd!

So send them, we’ll shoot them and you can put desperate Ruskies to work building more.

Frickin AwhMazing!

[ETL]

Russia’s military spending soars
February, 2011

Russia has revealed details of its ambitious plan to upgrade its army over the next ten years, planning to spend US$650 billion on the project.

­The unveiled large-scale plans of the Russian defense ministry propose the spending of vast sums of money up to 2020.

First and foremost, Russian defense will focus on the development of strategic nuclear weapons, construction of over 100 military vessels for Russian Navy, including construction of four originally French-made Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, and the introduction into the Air Force of over 1,000 helicopters and 600 military planes, including fifth generation PAK-FA fighter.

Most of the military hardware will be equipped with next-generation weaponry.

http://rt.com/news/military-budget-russia-2020/
______________________________________________________________

China and Russia Launch Military Exercises
April 22nd, 2012

China and Russia launched joint naval exercises Sunday in the Yellow Sea between the east coast of mainland China and the Korean peninsula.

Sixteen Chinese surface vessels and two submarines as well as four Russian warships will take part in the six days of drills. ...

China and Russia have conducted four bilateral and multilateral military exercises since 2005.

http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/04/22/china-and-russia-launch-military-exercises/

China and Russia Launch Military Exercises
April 22nd, 2012