US warns Russia on selling missiles to Syria

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=4&u=/afp/20050113/ts_afp/russiasyriaus_050113005440

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States warned Russia against selling missiles to Syria amid reports that Moscow was ready to provide Damascus with a sophisticated weapon that could hit any target in Israel.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington could consider sanctions against Moscow if it went through with reported plans to sell Syria its SS-26 Iskander missile. snip

The Russian media carried reports of the planned sale as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prepared to visit Russia on January 24 for talks with President Vladimir Putin.


The press accounts said Israel was furious at the prospect of Syria obtaining the missile, an updated version of the Scud used by Iraq (news - web sites) in the first Gulf War (news - web sites), that could strike almost anywhere in the Jewish state.

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[Florida_Geek]

1. let me hear again how Bushie looked

into Putin heart. They are both greedy men.

[aquart]

2. Yeah, and what're we gonna do about it?

Pitiful helpless giant.

[VegasWolf]

4. Exactly. I guess we'll just whine like the impotent nation we have become

[DELUSIONAL]

3. Hummm -- MAD -- mutual assured destruction

is what some say kept the old USSR and the old US from attacking each other.

It almost sounds like the US is the puppet of Israel -- they complain and the US "warns" or invades. This is how it could appear to the world.

[Deja Q]

5. It's a free world. Russia can do what it wants, especially after the US

renegged on its deal with Russia to dismantle its nukes, claiming it cost too much for the US to do.

I'm not treating with the enemy - I'm pointing out past US history and a basic fact of this world. The US has no right to dictate terms, especially when it makes big claims of help and then does a 180 using, as usual, money or the lack thereof as a primary excuse.

[Hardrada]

8. We have no right to dictate.

You are correct. But Russia is not an enemy for this. Just another capitalist country wanting to make a few bucks on an arms sale. Just the way we do although the Russians maybe DO make a buck and don't subsidize countries so they can afford the weapons. Which is the real capitalist country here?

[sweetheart]

6. Golly, sounds like israel is being a priss

Is not israel the nation that is the aggressor these days, threatening
air strikes and whatnot with its occupation of the golan heights.

Geez, what a buncha whiners.... Israel's got nukes aimed at syria, and
why is it not fair for syria to aim some weaponry back or to prepare
to defend itself? Bush is a incompetent idiot and he's only made the
world more dangerous.... now that he's made it unilaterally OK to sell
weapons to whomever you want and make up bogus claims of democracy
whilst supporting dictatorships in saudi arabia, pakistan, and egypt.

Bush wants to play hardball without a mitt... ouch, it must hurt!

[russian33]

10. ditto on your post

I'm all for independent Israel...but c'mon...does that mean disarm every country around, just in case and because Israel "doesn't have" nuclear weapons?

get real

[NNN0LHI]

7. Flashback to 1986: USSR warns US on selling missiles to Afghan mujahideen

Reagan/Bush administration spokesman says yea sure, no problem old chums. (As the US begins shipping Stinger SAMS to Afghanistan by the hundreds via a back door intermediary to the mujahideen.)

Don

[peterh]

9. My first thought was…

Wait…we want those sales….and we’ll even let Russia be the intermediary (with a modest cut of course)….profitable sales will trump security every time…

[UpInArms]

11. I just thought that mobsters hated

having interlopers in their territories. :evilgrin:

[peterh]

12. Ya know…

It’s just a game in semantics….kinda like values… :hi:

[Mike Niendorff]

13. yeah ... but ... y'see ...

... when Islamic radicals are fighting against Soviet interests, they're "brave religious freedom fighters". But when they're fighting against American interests, they're "dangerous Islamic terrorists".


MDN

[alexisfree]

14. Putnin I hear a challenge.