BINGO --- This is why the WH wants Syria sooo bad

[cthrumatrix]

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday he has been informed by President Vladimir Putin that Russia will go ahead with the sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, despite Israel's misgivings.

Sharon said he was unhappy about Russia's decision. Israel fears that the missiles will reach militant groups in Lebanon.

"We are not pleased with the sales of weapons to Syria," Sharon told a news conference.

Sharon said Putin had promised him in a meeting more than two years ago that the missiles would not be sold to Syria. Sharon said he has not yet seen Putin's letter, received Tuesday, but said he understood that "they are going to sell that kind of weapon to the Syrians."

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/02/16/018.ht...

what do you think?

[librechik]

1. no doubt

although that may be only one of many factors. Caligula has many plans swimming around in his fictional brain.

[Mikimouse]

2. Well, I think that the rest of the nations in the middle east...

aren't too happy with Israel getting nuclear weapons technology from the US either, so I guess what's good for the goose...

[Minstrel Boy]

3. I think you've got something there.

The weapons deal is making Syria seem more of a perceived immediate threat to Israel than Iran, and it seems easy pickings to the neocons. (But of course, everything does.)

[Vox_Reason]

4. I think we and the Israelis can't occupy all 3 countries at once.

Even with the full engagement of the Israeli military, a very formidable force, there's no way we can successfully occupy Iraq, Iran, and Syria.

Things are getting out of hand... This kind of overreaching could have very disastrous consequences. I wonder what hidden motivations the Russians (and possibly the Chinese) may have in all of this?

I am still concerned that we may be much closer than we think to a combined Russian/Chinese force competing with us for military control of the middle east--and if it comes to that, sheer numbers favor the Russia/China team. THAT would be a serious WW III, and it would be very messy indeed.

If only we'd gotten serious about alternative energy when Jimmy Carter said we should........

[cthrumatrix]

5. ALL countries by and sell arms to each other. Europe is with China...they

rebuffed the US on Condi's trip.

So Europe can sell arms to China....but our tone seems different with them.

[wadestock]

6. Thanks for this post and a great reality check.....

Yes...the entire situation ....from Daddy going in to push back Saddam in Desert Storm...to the present ....revolves inextricably around Israel....

The American public is dumb to the fact that we support Israel as a nuclear power, with some 100 nukes and subs in the area....yet we talk in circles about the rest of the region being a threat.

Have you ever seen ONE program on TV about Israel being a nuclear threat ....in any way shape or form?

Funny ...they are nuclear "PURE"

[cthrumatrix]

9. I did last night....where they talked about the Israeli reporter who went

public in the mid 80's about Israel's nuclear plans (with photo's) and had all published in the London Telegraph

The reporter was kidnapped by the Mossad and taken back for a secret trial.

It was a Discovery Channel show...quite interesting on how spys used "sex" to get their person.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Hey those are OUR ARMS SALES you Ruskie, you Stalinist, you Kruschev

clone, you fair weather friend, you critic of terrorism, (when you aren't the one applying it) you you you... bwaaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa, I want to sell missiles to Syria dammit..... later on of course when I have firmly entrenched my henchmen within their beaten and bleeding countryside.

[CHIMO]

8. Seems Like A Defensive

Weapon to me.
Thus one probably wouldn't want an axis of evil type to have a stronger defense.