Free Republic

Western intelligence sources said the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad has overseen the accumulation of a huge missile arsenal along the border with Lebanon. The sources said the arsenal included Scud C and Scud D missiles, with ranges of 550 and 700 kilometers, respectively. "The Scuds are kept just inside Syrian territory to avoid an Israeli attack," an intelligence source said. The sources said the Syrian military has been training the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah to operate the Scuds. They said some of the Scud missile infrastructure has been transferred to Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley. "If the Syrians want to, they...

For the last five years, satellite photos have shown continuing constructing of an underground bunker complex north of Damascus, Syria, This is believed to be the control center for the national air defense system. Progress has been slow because Syria is broke and unable to pay for the new missile systems that that the people in this underground complex would control. Earlier this year, Russia suspended its program to upgrade Syria's MiG-31 fighters. In 2007, Russia and Syria signed an agreement by which Russia would provide the country with seven MiG-31 aircraft, as well as equipment and services to upgrade...