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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3063336/posts
Russia sends warship with ‘special cargo’ to Syria
AFP ^ | September 6, 2013
MOSCOW — A Russian warship carrying “special cargo” will be dispatched toward Syria, a navy source said on Friday, as the Kremlin beefs up its presence in the region ahead of possible US strikes against the Damascus regime.
The large landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov will on Friday leave the Ukrainian port city of Sevastopol for the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, from where it will head to Syria’s coast, the Interfax news agency quoted a source from the Saint Petersburg-based central naval command as saying.
“The ship will make call in Novorossiisk, where it will take on board special cargo and set off for the designated area of its combat duty in the eastern Mediterranean,” the source said.
The source did not specify the nature of the cargo.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/80929.aspx
Russian ships heads for Syria raising fears of larger conflict
The Russian step raises fears of a larger regional conflict if the US orders a military strike against Syria
AP , Friday 6 Sep 2013
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3062938/posts
Russian warships cross Bosphorus, en route to Syria
AFP ^ | September 5, 2013
Three Russian warships crossed Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait Thursday en route to the eastern Mediterranean, near the Syrian coast, amid concern in the region over potential US-led strikes in response to the Damascus regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons.
The SSV-201 intelligence ship Priazovye, accompanied by the two landing ships Minsk and Novocherkassk passed through the Bosphorus known as the Istanbul strait that separates Asia from Europe, an AFP photographer reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Nuclear weapons.
One likely scenario.
Our warships launch Tomahawks at Syrian targets.
Russian warships closer to Syria launch interceptor missiles to try to shoot them down.
Our warships see these Russian missile launches and think they are being attacked. They launch missiles at the Russian warships.
The Russian warships see the inbound missiles and launch their missiles at the American warships.
World War Three ensues.
Or, Obama abjectly backs down, and as part of the terms, agrees to remove the U.S. Navy from the Med and Indian Ocean, for example.
Sometimes military paradigm shifts happen violently. Ask the Brits what happened to “Fortress Singapore” and their battleships there.
The Chinese are also sending ships into the Mediterranean, including one of their missile cruisers.
If I had to hazard a guess on the cargo, I'd go with a couple of batteries of SS-N-26 anti-ship missile batteries.