Posted on 09/21/2015 3:57:20 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, U.S. officials said on Monday, in what appeared to be Moscow's first military air operations there since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base.
The beginning of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of U.S.-led coalition planes and Russian aircraft operating within Syria's limited airspace, without agreeing on coordination or objectives in Syria's civil war.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria. But Washington opposes Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driving force in the four-and-a-half year-long civil war.
The Pentagon declined comment at a news briefing when asked about the Reuters report on Russian drones, saying it could not discuss intelligence matters. But it said the U.S. Department of Defense was "keenly aware" of what was happening on the ground in Syria.
The White House acknowledged that Moscow's intentions were unclear and that the prospect of deepening Russian military backing for Assad was troubling.
"We've made clear both in public and in private that doubling down on supporting Assad is a losing bet," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
We’ve been arming ISIS...so they’ll make great souvenirs.
Just remember that Russia got Assad to give up his chemical weapons....and we supervised it.
[Just remember that Russia got Assad to give up his chemical weapons....and we supervised it.]
I think we paid for most of it. What Assad gave up was a lot of obsolete ordnance that was marginally stable. He saved millions by allowing the U.S. and U.N. to take on this dangerous mission. It’s likely that he retains some newer weapons but he can turn to industrial poisons like chlorine gas.
His and Saddams.
Moscow will reportedly provide Russian troops in Syria with an advanced antiaircraft missile system as part of its military support for Syrian president Bashar Assad.
"This system is the advanced version used by Russia, and it's meant to be operated by Russians in Syria," a Western diplomat who is regularly briefed on US, Israeli, and other intelligence assessments told Reuters.
And as The Daily Beast's Michael Weiss points out, any antiaircraft missiles deployed by Russian troops in Syria won't be directed at ISIS, since ISIS has no air force.
In fact, none of the rebels do — only government forces have access to aircraft.
Russia has substantially increased its military presence in Syria over the past two weeks under the guise of helping the embattled Assad fight ISIS and other extremists. ..."
(Excerpt) Read more at Business Insider ...
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