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US to Russia: Selling S-300 missiles to Syria – mistake
Yitzhak Benhorin
Published: 28.05.13, 23:27
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17 Talkbacks for this article
1. The hypocracy of the U.S is amazing..
Chris.B ,   Australia   (05.29.13)
they were happy to arm Saddam when he kept the oil flowing cheap,have no problem funding jihadis to invade Syria and now they have they have infernal impudence to complain because its not progressing as planned.Russia aiding Syria with the S-300 is about bringing stability.
2. Well ....
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (05.29.13)
Everyone who matters has done the best they could. If Russia decides to tango with Israel, they will find themselves mightily embarrassed. I guess it is up to Russia if Russia wishes to be humiliated now .... or later. It would be wise for Russia to think of the lost revenues from future sales of their missile system that will not happen after Israel defeats their supposedly advanced system with little or no trouble. That's a lot of revenue which the Russians will lose -- instantly. I think the ball is in the KGB's -- sorry, Putin's -- court. He challenges Israel very much to his peril. Didn't work out terribly well for the Soviets in Afghanistan, did it? Not to mention the Russians floundering in Chechnya. Should be interesting. Or -- from Israel's point of view -- laughable. Bring it on, Russia. Bring it on. Watch what happens -- to your inept missile defense system and to the Russian naval fleet berthed off Tartus, too. Wouldn't be the first time Russia's been humiliated. Might be the last, though.
3. Which tyrant will emerge victorious?
BUILD BABY BUILD !!! ,   United States   (05.29.13)
How many Muslims will have died until and including then?
4. In the mean time.....
DavidR ,   USA   (05.29.13)
As obama continues to contemplate his navel, what is going on in Iran? It seems to me that only a few months ago that is all you heard from obamma and Netanyahu. Now, nothing. Hmmmmm.. Just making plans for Syria that will never materialize. Putin has obamma on the run.
5. the real mistake
Cipora Julianna Kohn ,   Z   (05.29.13)
the real mistake has been obama's absolute conviction that he could persuade mortal enemies to become friends.
6. #2 why involve Israel?
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (05.29.13)
While Obama is arming Jihad, he is also trying to force Israel to make suicidal concessions. Obama is not only openly hostile to Israel, he has openly allied himself with Israel's greatest enemies and is doing his best to spread anarchy and death. The Russians are supporting Assad against Obama and his Jihadis, not Israel. Russia, although no friend of Israel, is currently the only stabilizing factor in the Middle East. Israel should remain neutral, not intervene, and hope that the Obama regime falls sooner rather then later.
7. 6 "Israel's greatest enemies"
Cipora Julianna Kohn ,   Z   (05.29.13)
all muslims are israel's greatest enemies. however, iran with its nuclear weapons program and threats to destroy israel make it at this point israel's greatest enemy. the syrian muslim brotherhood will not have the military muscle of assad who is supplied by iran. international forces are exercising in jordan to thwart the global jihadists from establishing a force on the israeli-jordanian-lebanese border region. obama is not a friend to israel. however, he will not be able to impose a pax americana on israel. the congress would not allow it. furthermore, he would not start a war with one of america's last remaining allies in the middle east.
8. To: Israel Israeli at No. 6
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (05.29.13)
Honey, Obama is a hopeless, inept cause. Everyone knows it. If the Russians are helping Assad -- who, in turn, is using Russian largesse to attempt to arm Hezbollah -- well, the Russians need to be taught a lesson, too. I guess several hundreds of millions of dollars going up in smoke in a Syrian warehouse wasn't enough of a wake-up call for Putin. NO transfer of game-changing weapons, said Israel. Russia is defying Israel's dictum. So -- the Russians having ratcheted up the ante (doubtless trying to save face), Israel must react in kind. No game-changing weapons systems. I think Israel made that pretty clear. If Russia chooses to ignore the message .... Israel must make it more abundantly clear. Do you suppose all that vodka has completely addled the Russians' minds? Well .... let's sober them up a bit.
9. #7
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (05.29.13)
I appreciate your posts, but this time I must disagree. A nuclear-armed Iran is dangerous for Israel because before they fall, they might attack Israel as a last desperate measure. Sadly, Israel is not capable of stopping Iranian nuclear development, and Obama has made it clear he will not do it. But remember: Iranian leaders are not stupid. A nuclear attack on Israel will end the very profitable racket they are running but nuclear capability will allow them to increase their profits. Obama's strategy of turning Lebanon, Syria and Iraq into a weapons-saturated continuum of anarchy is a critical threat to Israel. It will be orders of magnitude worse than Lebanon, Gaza or Sinai. Unlimited psychopathic groups spread out in a huge geographic area, armed with chemical and strategic weapons, will be able to attack Israel but the "International Community" will prevent any Israel defensive action. The evidence that Obama means ill for Israel is his continuing insistence on pushing negotiations with the Fatah terror group when he knows that they represent no one, agreements they sign are meaningless, and the only way to guarantee Israeli survival is holding Judea and Samaria.
10. russia to usa
anton ,   istanbul   (05.29.13)
sure :)
11. #8 - poor delusional Sarah living safe in the US
spyguy ,   Seattle   (05.29.13)
Sarah delusionally thinks Israel is more powerful than Russia. That would be hilarious unless Israelis start thinking that too. Any SANE Israeli would know that Russia can squash Israel like a bug, just like it squashed Georgia. And do not count on the US protecting Israel from Russia. Remember how much the US protected Georgia? When Israeli aircraft start falling from the sky over Lebanon and Syria, Israel is just going to have to put on a fake smile and say "thank you" to Russia.
12. To: No. 11
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (05.29.13)
Did you find it hilarious when tiny Somalia -- actually, a handful of barefoot warlords using World War I vintage Garand rifles and a couple of rusty old RPGs -- kicked the United States to the curb? Israel isn't Somalia, honey. And we don't count upon the United States protecting Israel. The United States cannot even protect itself. We've seen how well you've done in Afghanistan and Iraq. We can protect ourselves. You might not like the outcome -- judging from your post, you won't like it at all -- but trust me: we can handle the Russians. We saw what happened to them in Afghanistan. Better learn how to say "Toda rabah, Eretz Israel." We're gonna pull your chestnuts out of the coals .... yet again. Last time. You'll be on your own going forward. And we've all seen how well that has worked. You cannot even shut down a fat boy in North Korea. Best shut up and let those that can, do.
13. well
Zachary ,   Canada   (05.29.13)
I dont blame Israel for not being happy about anti-air missiles, but is it reasonable for america to show such a pro-rebel bias.. The rebels are essentially at this point dominated by the Al-Qaeda faction. As well, Im sure the west is opened up the arming game with the rebels. I would hope some sort of compromise is met to disallow accurate rockets from reaching Lebanon and small arms equipping the secular elements(who are largely SAA) Let's not decieve ourselves into the idea that the FSA are the good guys here.
14. Summed it up beautifully
Zachary ,   Canada   (05.29.13)
People need stability, agreed. Assad might have strong concerns about the area 3 etc... but at the end of the day the man is secular. I think the problem is good old Bibi over thinks, doesn't help that likud is ridiculously paranoid. His silliness has widened the conflict and pulled Israel into an issue in which Israel has no place in being.
15. everyone calm down
zach ,   Canada   (05.29.13)
Likud's foreign policy, and Bibi's paranoid Sheldon Cooper angle, is causing problems. The Syrian issue is tricky. The country needs to stabilize, the sane and sensible dissidents have been wholly marginalized and the power structure of the FSA is now essentially islamists. Russia is not an enemy of the Jewish people, though if Russian interests are threatened Russian pride will likely mean Israeli infrastructure will be damaged. It's an anti-air missile, with the goal to control the skies. If Israel's concern is accurate rockets flowing via smugglers to Hezbollah(a reasonable concern considering they seem to like targeting civilians and not military structures.. then surely a compromise on the matter can be met.
16. #15 Unlikely any compromises here
Get Real ,   UK   (05.29.13)
Russia, keen to see Assad retain power and the West deterred from implementing a no fly zone, will supply the missles; whilst the West will supply the rebels with armaments. Assad indebted to Hezbollah for its military support will wish to transfer weapons to the terror entity. Hopefully Israel will never compromise over security and will know how to act if Russia supplies the missles, Syria supplies Hezbollah or the rebels threaten Isael. Meanwhile the terrorists can keep slaughtering each other whilst the Syrian people suffer.
17. Response to 16
Zachary ,   Canada   (05.30.13)
Indebted, Hezbollah has no choice, Assad can welch without fear. Israel has no choice to compromise, the politics demand it, just like when Saddam started clocking scuds. The involvement of Great Powers requires little powers like Israel to remain passive. Little powers who quarrel with Great Powers never do well.
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