Posted on 09/23/2015 9:53:03 AM PDT by Trumpinator
September 23, 2015 3:45 pm
Russia’s Syria build-up takes Iran by surprise
Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da2bc14e-61e2-11e5-9846-de406ccb37f2.html#ixzz3ma7Pkrmp
The US is not the only country puzzled by Moscow’s recent military build- up in Syria. The leaders of Iran, supporters of Damascus alongside Russia, are also scratching their heads about President Vladimir Putin’s intentions.
...snip....
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da2bc14e-61e2-11e5-9846-de406ccb37f2.html#ixzz3ma7TkRcP
But the decision by the Kremlin to deploy fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles inside Syria, and the subsequent US announcement last week that it welcomed a role for Russia and Iran in bringing Mr Assad to the negotiating table, have baffled Iranian officials.
“There are concerns in Iran that Russia intends to leave us behind and become the key to finding a solution for Syria in co-operation with the US,” said one regime insider, who added that Russia “has reassured us that this is not their intention”.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
Keep asking.
I too would like better, confirmable information about Russian force strength. You’re right- if they have an Army on the ground, then Syria is just a beachhead. They’d blow through ISIS like it wasn’t there and go after the Saudis.
Interestingly while digging for hard numbers, I’m seeing articles that indicate that some Russian troops are refusing orders to Syrian deployment, while understanding of the consequences of doing so.
Apparently in the Russian forces, a formally acknowledged combat deployment brings eligibility for death benefits for the widow. A combat deployment without formal acknowledgement and written orders does not.
I see a lot of this as Russia vs. Saudi Arabia over access to European energy markets. The Russians can block the pipeline to Europe if they control Syria. It would be a bold move to go after the Saudis militarily. I remember hearing that a lot of Saudi money went into propelling Obama into the Presidency. If he’s their sock puppet, AND if there’s that kind of Russian strength on the ground in Syria, then we risk a major war.
With global energy prices where they are, will blocking a pipeline be enough for Putin and Russia?
What are we prepared to do about it- the ultimate question in a worst-case scenario. More aptly- what is *this administration* prepared to do about it in it’s last months in office?
Odd that the Russians have a top-notch anti-air control mechanism...which would necessarily complicate any attempt by the Israelis to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities.
On another note, didn’t President Putin recently open a giant mosque to show support for the Iranian regime?
If this were the old days, the Russians would have supplied the labor to build the mosque, half of whom would have been intelligence operatives. I seem to remember them building us an embassy or something that was so full of bugs that it was totally unusable.
haha, Iran surprized? Bull sht. these two have been cooperating for eons.
Russian boots on the ground are there because of Kerry's and Zero's surrender document with Iran. Now we just sit back and watch, there will be a little something for everyone.
A large part of the reason Zero was hot to get this done was to take advantage of the fragility of the Russian-Iranian relationship, as well as emphasizing the incompatibilities between the Assad regime and the Iranian mullahcracy. The Iranians and Turks have common interests (for now) and the Russians and Turks are old enemies. The Russians and at least one of the Kurdish factions are linked, and neither Iran (and its Iraqi proxies) nor Turkey (or for that matter, Syria) wants an independent Kurdistan. Iran's been working for years to destabilize and dismantle Arab polities; it got its way in Lebanon and Iraq, then Syria, and now Yemen, and after the fall of its ally Morsi in Egypt, has rededicated itself to pulling Egypt apart.
I seem to remember that embassy too: good point! :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.