1. Russia has Europe's energy, the oil and the gas. 2. Russia does not depend on Israel's copy-cat technology as you suggest, they can get the same from China, and most likely already do. 3. Yes many Russians emigrated to Israel, most likely to escape poverty. 4. It may not be a cold war as per 20 years ago. It is most certainly a Covert war. 5. Finally, Russia is not going to publicly disclose it arms sales to the world regardless.

Those are incredible figures. The Russian stock exchange's RTS index decreased by 32% as a result of $12 billion being removed from their banks. Those are quite sobering figures.

You are absolutely right. Syria is an important country in the Middle East and we will see it in the future. Don't forget that Assad is an eye doctor therefore has a clear vision. You right Syria doesn't have too much hight -tech however they have the best hummus in the world. If you compare Israeli hummus to Syrian hummus you will be surprised. Syrian hummus has only NATURAL COMPONENTS. Israeli hummus has only plastic... Even if Israel puts all kind of chips and "bugs" into their hummus it will be impossible to make it as good. It shaws that Syria has a future.

Have Happen to a nicer guy!!!!!!!!!!!

Just as the article says, Russia is not interested in cold war policies. Ain't gonna happen again. Russians want Baccarat stemware, Cartier watches, Gucci clothings, Krug champagne, Jaguar cars, Swedish girlfriends and son on. And this is very very good for all.

Arab states have had a long history of getting their hands on Russian hardware, yet being notorious for deferring payment by using every trick & manipulation they could dream up. They equipped Saddan for many years with every toy he asked for, yet the dictator, with more oil revenue & cash than he knew what to do with, very cafefully strung them along for decades with out making financial payment. Have heard the Russians are still very bitter about completely losing any chance of ever being paid the many hundreds of millions they are owed, once we toppled that punk into the dust. Now, its going to be "cash on the barrelhead". Putting a good capitalist slant on The Great Game. Interesting, but not surprising.

Assad was not slapped in the face. If you want to be informed, don't read newspapers from the Middle East (Israel or Arab countries). Read the Russian press. Putin's Russia has the same Middle East policy as the Soviet Union in the worst days of the Cold War.

It is no secret that this Syrian leader Assad is a leftover idiot from his father's horrible regime. As far as Russia goes, they need to be kicked out of G-8 and any people in the free world that have stocks in the Russian stock market should pull out immediatly!

The Russians are still sore losers, Germany, USA, even Japan in 1904! Yeah, they like their vodka, trophy girlfriends and jewelry, sure, but the 'elites' and the newly reorganized security services still have a Western itch they need to scratch. These ideologies span decades, and like the Chinese Marxists, they are very patient, setting the groundwork. These countries are still unstable and can turn on a dime. I wouldn't stand-down just yet, Gucci and Escada not withstanding.

Did you not notice that it is the Russians that are helping to build a nuclear reactor in the most volatile region of the surface of planet earth? It is partly for that reason that a fool like Assad thinks he is at liberty to pose these questions to Medvedev. You are very wrong.

If there was a prize for stating the most amount of garbage using the least possible quantity of words, YOU'RE A WINNER, KID !!!!!!!!!

While Russia didn't make a deal with Syria right now, they didn't exactly rule out future deals. Russia is not the old Soviet Union. They are not trying to start another Cold War. The crazy Americans are trying to do that to revive their failing economy. What the Russians want is security in their "near abroad". The Israeli government knows this. That is why the Israelis quit selling arms to the Georgians right after the Russians complained about it. The Israeli government may have let their ex-generals and armament industry make a few sheikels off the Georgians but when the Bear growled, your government realised who they were dealing with. Israeli oil is being routed through the BTC pipeline through Georgia. The Russians could cut that oil pipeline at the snap of Vladimir Putin's finger. So all the bluster of the writer is just that, bluster and nothing more. The Russians don't want a naval base on the Med right now. But should the Russians desire to have that naval base they'll think again about the deal Assad has offered. Assad could very well get the anti-aircraft missle systems and ground-to-ground rockets he wants. As far as capital fleeing the Russian stock market? That was Russian Jewish oligarch money. The Russians don't need it. They have plenty of oil revenue money coming in from the Europeans, India, and the Far East. $32 billion is chicken feed to the Russian economy.

Europe, will it take the embargoing of your oil and gas this winter before you see the light about your 'friend' to the East, Russia? You chose to such at the tit of Putin. Did you not see the price you will have to pay for that sweet milk? Oppose Putin and his annexations and that will be your fate. Cast your lot with a dictator...that's your prize. Maybe now you will understand and appreciate the sacrifice of the US in deposing Saddam and that of Israel or the US soon to be deposing Ahmadinejad. Unlike the brainless libs in the US and abroad who insist it was "Bush Lied," Saddam's agenda was - as the monkey president's continues to be - hegemony over all Middle East oil. Recall the invasion of Kuwait. That was Saddam's first foray towards that goal. We deposed Saddam to ensure the free market's continued access to ME oil. Had we not, he would by now be pulling the word's strings much as Putin will soon be doing. Ominous parallels, but you brainless Euro-appeasers will continue to tell the US to negotiate with Iran until the nukes fall. Then you will blame us for 'inaction.' What wisdom from you hypocrites, getting in bed with another dictator, Putin! You will sing Putin's tune or pay the price this winter. Get your fur coats and cut your firewood now!

Amazing to see such an Islamist-Jihadist state more concerned with wasting money on armaments instead of nation building. As Islamist-Jihadist scholar, Omar Abdel Rahman, declares, "Jihad and killing are the head of Islam. If you take them out, you cut off the head of Islam." (p.24, "Islam and Terrorism" by Mark A. Gabriel, PhD). It is their religion that makes them belligerent.

I used to be a missionary in israel for 12 YEARS! Therefor I can be objective unlike you. As a proud gay American Catholic I say please be polite and respectful. Jesus used to say that Earth expell garbage but grows fruits and gives light and olive trees. Shalom.

The biggest number of Israelis who immigrated to Israel in the past decade or so from the former USSR are not from Russia, but the Ukraine has been the largest source. Many of the immigrants were Slavs, Russian or Ukranian or other, but most were Jews, and Jews are not Russians, especially when they come from the Ukraine!

as always, also in IDC and in your articules, you always bringing a clear scenarium to the world. Syria is desesperate to get help to change the internal scenarium, but even her " best friend" is not willing to bring this in reality. Very good Guy, see you at class room.

not everybody looks deep into my reasoning. I can bet $5 nobody on this board knows that Bashat Assad was an eye doctor. I read lots of newspapers in English and in Irish and write lots of useful posts in order to educate and learn at the same time. I hope I can help Humanity to develop their abilities to recognise good and evil. I hope it helps. Shalom.

but I an going to donate $5 for a good coase. I know a homeless women who sits under my window for years and I am going to buy her a Subway sandwitch. I hope you don't mind.