US informed of Russian plans to sell advanced ground-to-air missile batteries to Syria despite Western pressure to hold off.
Israel warned the United States in recent days that Russia plans to sell advanced ground-to-air missile systems to Syria despite Western pressure on Moscow to hold off on such a move, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The newspaper said US officials had confirmed they were analyzing the Israeli reports but would not comment on whether they believed the sale of S-300 missile batteries was near.
No comment was immediately available from officials at the Pentagon or US State Department.
The government of Syrian President Bashar Assad has been seeking to purchase the advanced S-300 missile batteries, which can intercept both manned aircraft and guided missiles, from Moscow for many years.
Western nations have repeatedly urged Russia to block the sale, which they argue could complicate any international intervention in Syria’s escalating civil war.
The Journal said the information provided to Washington by Israel showed that Syria has been making payments on a 2010 agreement with Moscow to buy four batteries for $900 million, including a payment made this year through Russia’s foreign-development bank, known as the VEB.
The paper said the package included six launchers and 144 operational missiles, each with a range of 125 miles (200 miles), with an initial shipment expected in the next three months.
While the effectiveness of Syria’s aging air force is unclear, most experts believe that its air-defense missile system, which was upgraded after a 2007 Israeli strike on a suspected nuclear site, remains quite potent.
Source: jpost
“While the effectiveness of Syria’s aging air force is unclear, most experts believe that its air-defense missile system, which was upgraded after a 2007 Israeli strike on a suspected nuclear site, remains quite potent.” This being the case . one needs to ask the question .Why didn’t Syria use this system against the Israeli planes ?? This info is very similar to Libya’s so called anti aircraft armament . which [ To my knowledge] was not used against NATO /US / Israel air craft that illegally attacked it ?. Is Russian technology to difficult for the Arabs to use or perhaps the Russians have the final say on when the weapons can be used ?? Used strategically , these weapons would put that little cancer country back in the hole they come out of and the sooner the better for world peace!!
Poor little s–hole isra-hell,worried that Syria might be interested in shooting down interloper aircraft bombing their country.Isra-hell has no chance against the power of Russia since Russia controls the little jews among them.Go Russia …….
This is like a shrew telling a hawk to stop killing rodents. Russia has the power to wipe Israel off the map. Putin is not likely to put up with much of this grandstanding. He know the U.S. military is depleted by ten years of wars in the Middle East and selling its weapons to Israel and others. The civilians in Israel will throw the war shrews out once they start living the Palestinian experience.
Sorry, that comment goes under the Benghazi article!!
It was totally obvious that Obama swept all this under the rug before the elections. There was enough info back then for the people to see the writing on the wall last year. The govt allowed the investigation to be delayed unt now knowing full well delays would get Obama reelected. I don’t see why Benfazi was not a larger part of the election campaign arguments. It’s about time the facts come out.