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US Officials Urge Russia to Stop Syria Arms Sales
Topic: Protests in Syria
Situation in Syria
© AFP 2013/ Dimitar DilkoffRelated News
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WASHINGTON, May 10 (RIA Novosti) - US officials on Thursday reiterated their call to Moscow to cut off arms sales to Syria, hours after media reports suggested that Russia was ready to sell advanced ground-to-air missile systems to the country.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the day that Israel had informed the United States about the suspected sale of Russia’s S-300 missile batteries to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. According to the information the Israelis provided in recent days, Syria has been making payments on a 2010 agreement with Moscow to buy six launchers and 144 operational missiles for $900 million.
Commenting on the media reports, US Secretary of State John Kerry said earlier in the day that “the missiles are potentially destabilizing with respect to the state of Israel.”
"I think we have made it crystal clear that we would prefer that Russia is not supplying assistance," Kerry said told reporters after a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino.
During Kerry’s visit to Russia earlier this week, an agreement was reached between Moscow and Washington to convene international talks on Syria that will include both representatives of the Syrian government and opposition. The conference, expected to be arranged by the end of this month, will be aimed at facilitating a solution to the Syrian crisis through political dialog.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that “the provision of additional weapons to the regime will not hasten a political solution.”
“I would say that we have consistently called on Russia to cut off the Assad regime’s supply of Russian weapons, including air defense systems that are destabilizing to the region,” he said.
The sale of Russian weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has been a source of bilateral tension between Moscow and Washington, with US officials accusing Russia of arming a regime the United States says is killing its own citizens in Syria’s raging civil war.
Russia, however, has insisted that the deliveries are legal under international law and that it is not supplying Syria, the largest importer of Russian arms in the Middle East, with offensive weapons which can be used to kill civilians.
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- Michael JohnathenWhere were US restraint when....07:21, 10/05/2013When it came to placing missile systems in turkey? Or US condemnations on Israel for striking Syria now multiple times?
The Rebels are losing and Israel is trying to draw us americans into a war, I say good on Russia, send more weapons.- mrgenieIsraelies don't want to drag anyone into war12:06, 10/05/2013Let us stick with the facts. Assad was the person interested in the status quo, and he still is! Assad has no intentions to start a war with Israel. For Israel, the rebels are the one they are concerned about since they will pose a new threat of unknown origin to the Israelis. Therefor, Israel has asked NATO and the US to stay out of this conflict giving free hands to Assad and Russia.
Turkey is a NATO member, there's nothing wrong positioning any defense systems there.
it would be the same as if you ask Moscow to criticize when placing Russian defense systems in Russia. There is really nothing wrong with that.
Also, there is nothing wrong with placing air defense systems in Syria, especially not the S-300 which is very easy for modern jets to take those defensive systems out of the way. It's politics, Israel wants to play the poor bastard who needs help. I think the biggest issue for Israel is they need Syrian airspace for any attack against the nuclear facilities against Iran. If they would have to take out the S-300 in Syria first, it would compromise their actions against Iran and give Iran a huge advantage of knowing when it will begin.
The Rebels are losing? You're not really following latest news are you?
Currently it looks like everyone is losing! People getting killed by both parties. Neither group can make a decisive strike against their opponents. Assad is supported by Iran and Russia and some terrorist groups while the opposition is supported by Turkey, Arab countries and terrorist groups. There can only be losers to this conflict!
- mrgenieIsraelies are funny10:11, 10/05/2013They know because of the huge radar signal footprint of the S-300 they can take them out very easily, but they still want their puppets in Washington to use their voice against Russia to point out to Russia and Assad that the USA is 100% backing Israel. Probably this diplomatic theater isn't even for Russia but for all the world:"We Israelis are backed by the USA unconditionally!"
Since the measures to take out S-300 defense systems are very simple and even low technology grade countries as India, Iran, etc can take them out I don't see the problem. Assad can't use these weapons against his own people and he can't use them against modern Air forces either.
Russia has far better developments like the S-400 and the currently under development S-500. Those systems could pose a thread to the Israeli air force if they wouldn't upgrade they forces. But the answer to the S-400 and even the not yet ready S-500 are already out, so even that wouldn't be a problem if the US would supply their most current anti air defense missile systems with the Israelis.
Make no mistake, the S-400 is up to date the most modern anti air system. The S-500 will even improve it. But up to this date, every air defense system still has the huge disadvantage that it exposes itself within 20cm to GPS guided missiles of both NATO, Russia and Chinese forces and it will be hit within 30-40 seconds. Due to the basic laws of physics, those anti aircraft systems can't disassemble and drive away far enough within this short period to avoid a total kill.
Thus, air defense from the ground can only be effective if it's supported by a strong and modern air force up in the air. As of today, only Russia, China, NATO and some smaller countries like Israel, Taiwan, Japan have such a "roundup defense system"
Even if Syria would buy 100 S-300 or even S-400, it would still need a powerful air force to support it's ground-air defense systems.- sohelsaheenmrgenie and S-30017:44, 10/05/2013Stop bullying. Israel begged to Russia not to sell s-300 to Iran so it is nothing related to sell those s-300 to Syria could give big advantage to Iran.Even the US general told that to get s-300 means significant improvement of air defense. So to whom we will follow ? You or US general of Army? Besides this Iran has developed Bavar -373 which is better tha s-300 and can intercept stealth air craft too.So still s-300 is a big threat even without Mig-31 etc.
- mikaelforsbergIsrael is the aggressor12:34, 10/05/2013It is Israel and the zionists like John Kerry that are the armed and dangerous aggressors in this conflict. Syria is a sovereign state that has the right as well as the duty to it's people to protect the country from intruders.
The Al-Qaeda terrorists in Syria has to be dealt with and foreign attacks by air must be defended from by using air defense like the S-300 and there is no reason for Russia not to sell defense systems to any fiendly country that are under attack.
The USA should stop supplying the terrorist state of Israel with aggressive weapons systems instead.
BTW. I am not sure the S-300 is useless, and if it was, why would anyone want to buy it?
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