Posted on 02/16/2005 12:18:22 PM PST by Bald Eagle777
Russia's decision to sell anti-aircraft missiles to Syria is a "wrong deal to the wrong country at the wrong time," a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Wednesday.
Sharon revealed on Tuesday that he had received a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin informing him of Russia's decision to go ahead with the sale of SA-18 shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to Syria.
Both Israel and the U.S. had voiced their strong opposition to the sale.
"We are not pleased with the sales of weapons to Syria, particularly sophisticated weapons that Russia intends to sell to Syria, weapons that may end up in the hands of terror organizations," Sharon told reporters in Jerusalem.
Sharon said he had discussed the issue with Putin more than two years ago and was given assurances that the SA-18 would not be sold to the Syrians because of the possibility that the weapons could be passed on to Hizballah in southern Lebanon or Palestinian terrorist groups.
The SA-18, known in Russia as the Igla, is lightweight and small enough to be smuggled in a suitcase even into Israel.
In the letter he received, Sharon said that he was assured that the weapons sold to Syria would not find their ways into the hands of terrorist organizations.
"We worry about that," Sharon said. "We are in constant contact with the Russians in order to settle this issue and to ensure that these weapons do not reach terrorist organizations in Lebanon. Lebanon is the center of terrorism and regional instability."
Israel is still hoping that Russia will not go through with the sale, Sharon's spokesman Dr. Ra'anan Gissin said.
If it falls into the hands of terrorists, it could be used against low-flying aircraft in Israel but also in Iraq, Gissin said.
"It's the wrong deal to the wrong country at the wrong time," Gissin said.
The Russian Defense Ministry denied on Wednesday that it intended to sell the shoulder-fired missiles to Syria, which presumably would be more attractive to terrorists.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement that talks were underway to sell to Syria "Strelets air defense short-range missile systems."
The Strelets missiles are not "man-portable" and can only be used if they are attached to a heavy vehicle, the statement said.
Putin and President Bush are due meet in Bratislava next week where they are supposed to sign an agreement to control the sale of shoulder-fired missiles.
Analysts have noted that beyond the issue of the kind of weapons Russia wants to sell to Syria, that any sale signals a political shift. This is the first time in 14 years that Moscow has been willing to sell weapons to Damascus, its former Cold War ally.
Moscow is keen on reestablishing its influence in the Middle East. Syrian President Bashar Assad visited Moscow last month, and Russia agreed to write-off a large part of its Soviet-era debt.
,,, it's time for some venture capital for the Russian Mafia's expansion to be advanced from Tel Aviv.
North Korea next? ......Cuba?
Am I mistaken or didn't Pres. Bush recently ask Putin via some news network, that he din't want this sale to take place?
It's the 21st century! Selling weapons to tinpot dictators is, like, so yesterday!
If you want influence in the region, help the societies move forward out of barbarism. They will thank you for it later.
Nobody seems interested in that line. I find it reassuring. Must just be me.
Which countries do you suggest they sell them to?
no one.
Russia needs hard cash and their arms exports are lucrative. Being a capitalist society makes it even easier for them to justify.
The question isn't "Why are they selling them when we asked them not to" the question is "How do we make it more advantageous/profitable to them not to..."
Russia needs hard cash and their arms exports are lucrative. Being a capitalist society makes it even easier for them to justify.
The question isn't "Why are they selling them when we asked them not to" the question is "How do we make it more advantageous/profitable to them not to..."
Apologies for the double post...
Then maybe Stingers for the Chechnyans?
The Stinger idea could be tricky. We did that in Afghanistan after the 'short' little Russian 'hiking trip' that started in 1979 ... Look where we are now. (former proxies are now the Opfor).. Once exported, miscellaneous "items" are harder to control once in play.
However, the concept of putting "R" on notice is sound.
In my analysis, for starters, we should have some custom-tailored information warfare treats cooked up for them to eat and maybe an appropriate heaping plateful of symmetrical (manageable/managed assets) proxy strategies. Hmmmmm....
Is Russia playing nice, or are they just like the mischievous brat that just took out some windows with a sling shot and promptly shot the cat with a squirt gun and says "na ah!" when confronted?
They are definitely playing a Dangerous Game and, yes, we need to find ways to respond appropriately if they don’t cut the BS.
Agree. We do need to explore our options. THhey want influence in the mideast. Maybe they should get on the side of creating a stable mideast instead of causing trouble.
Androcles wrote:
The question isn't "Why are they selling them when we asked them not to" the question is "How do we make it more advantageous/profitable to them not to..."
--> How about we put that new "Smart gun" technology where the missile will only fire reliably 90% of the time, and only useable by the operator that still has all 5 fingers intact and their hand hasn't been altered in the way they pull the trigger...
Exactly...there's the nice advantages and the nasty advantages. They're all good...
Russia is being foolish. They are looking at short term gain and long term loss. If they were on the right side of the issue, they could have access to a large market of new democracies seeking to arm their new armies. Instead, they want to arm terrorists. Wonder how they'd like it if we armed Chechnya?
We need to let the Russians know that if they continue down this road we will be selling F-16s and missles to the Chechnyans and Georgians as well as expediting Ukraine into NATO. Two can play this game.
Russian concept of influence is to direct the local barbarism in the right direction - in this case, against Israel as an ally of Russia's perceived archenemy. America.
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