Breaking: Syria Now A Russian Protectorate (?) Can we confirm this?

[elehhhhna]

Russia to defend its principal Middle East ally: Moscow takes Syria under its protection


by Ivan Safronov

July 28, 2006
Kommerzant, Moscow (original Russian) - 2006-06-02

The following report was published in the Russian daily Kommerzant in early June. It points to Russian military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as support in the modernization of Syria's air defense system, the modernization of Syrian tanks and ground forces. The question is whether in the current context, this military build-up of Syrian capabilities, supported by Russia, will act as a deterrent to an attack on Syria by Israel.

Global Research, 28 July 2006

According to our sources, Russia is deepening the port of Tartus ( Syria) where it has a naval materiel and technical supplies center. This may be regarded as evidence of Russia's determination to make Syria a bridgehead for boosting its influence with Middle East.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=IVA20060728&articleId=2847

[chibi]

1. the neoCONs say 'BRING IT ON'

:nuke:

[bryant69]

2. Interesting development

If they are doing this openly, it can only be seen as a challenge to the US and Israel.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[elehhhhna]

5. Challenge, or protecting their assets? Hope Condi's brushing up on her

Conversational Russian Fluency (which was a fat lie, btw...she is FAR from fluent.)

[bryant69]

21. whatever their motivation, it's clearly a challange

it seems like most nations buy into the larger narrative that Syria and Iran are problemattical nations, which is certainly the Bush Administations opinion - they differ on what to do about it (fortunately very few if any support the Neo-Con invade as soon as possible strategy). Russias actions here are a challenge to that theory, if they are doing it openly.

[elehhhhna]

37. The USSR went BROKE fighting in the ME, so it's uner-

standable they'd take a different tack from now on.

When will we learn? History can be our FRIEND...but only if we KNOW some.

[cool user name]

43. Russia is only "reacting" to preemptive war doctrine.

It's natural for nations to start consolidating their defenses.

Preemptive war and perpetual war ... it'll never stop now.

[cool user name]

41. You should read this:

The New American Cold War

Contrary to established opinion, the gravest threats to America's national security are still in Russia. They derive from an unprecedented development that most US policy-makers have recklessly disregarded, as evidenced by the undeclared cold war Washington has waged, under both parties, against post-Communist Russia during the past fifteen years.

As a result of the Soviet breakup in 1991, Russia, a state bearing every nuclear and other device of mass destruction, virtually collapsed. During the 1990s its essential infrastructures--political, economic and social--disintegrated. Moscow's hold on its vast territories was weakened by separatism, official corruption and Mafia-like crime. The worst peacetime depression in modern history brought economic losses more than twice those suffered in World War II. GDP plummeted by nearly half and capital investment by 80 percent. Most Russians were thrown into poverty. Death rates soared and the population shrank. And in August 1998, the financial system imploded.

No one in authority anywhere had ever foreseen that one of the twentieth century's two superpowers would plunge, along with its arsenals of destruction, into such catastrophic circumstances. Even today, we cannot be sure what Russia's collapse might mean for the rest of the world.

Outwardly, the nation may now seem to have recovered. Its economy has grown on average by 6 to 7 percent annually since 1999, its stock-market index increased last year by 83 percent and its gold and foreign currency reserves are the world's fifth largest. Moscow is booming with new construction, frenzied consumption of Western luxury goods and fifty-six large casinos. Some of this wealth has trickled down to the provinces and middle and lower classes, whose income has been rising. But these advances, loudly touted by the Russian government and Western investment-fund promoters, are due largely to high world prices for the country's oil and gas and stand out only in comparison with the wasteland of 1998.

More fundamental realities indicate that Russia remains in an unprecedented state of peacetime demodernization and depopulation. Investment in the economy and other basic infrastructures remains barely a third of the 1990 level. Some two-thirds of Russians still live below or very near the poverty line, including 80 percent of families with two or more children, 60 percent of rural citizens and large segments of the educated and professional classes, among them teachers, doctors and military officers. The gap between the poor and the rich, Russian experts tell us, is becoming "explosive."

Most tragic and telling, the nation continues to suffer wartime death and birth rates, its population declining by 700,000 or more every year. Male life expectancy is barely 59 years and, at the other end of the life cycle, 2 to 3 million children are homeless. Old and new diseases, from tuberculosis to HIV infections, have grown into epidemics. Nationalists may exaggerate in charging that "the Motherland is dying," but even the head of Moscow's most pro-Western university warns that Russia remains in "extremely deep crisis."

The stability of the political regime atop this bleak post-Soviet landscape rests heavily, if not entirely, on the personal popularity and authority of one man, President Vladimir Putin, who admits the state "is not yet completely stable." While Putin's ratings are an extraordinary 70 to 75 percent positive, political institutions and would-be leaders below him have almost no public support.

(snip)

Extremely long but well worth the read ....

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060717/cohen_charlierose_video

[dogday]

3. If this is true, then I wonder

how China is sitting as well?

[Mandate My Ass]

4. oh crap

I knew Russia wasn't going to sit by and watch the US and Israel carve up the ME for their own gain. Deterrant to the deranged American and Israeli leaders? Methinks not. :scared:

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[shadowknows69]

10. My anniversary is in 3 days George

could you just hold off the nuk-ular war until then please?

[Greeby]

6. Good going, Shrub

Your legacy is going to be restarting the Cold War all over again :eyes:

[Henny Penny]

42. I think we'll be lucky if it stops at cold war Greeby.

But fingers crossed!

[cool user name]

44. It never ended for Russia ...

As we encircled them with NATO forces and placed bases on her perimeter.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060717/cohen_charlierose_video

[Horse with no Name]

7. Brrrrrrrrr.....

[htuttle]

8. They used to be a Soviet ally -- what's the surprise?

Their military uses Russian equipment, and has for many years. There are long term ties between Syria and Russia, even today.

What's the shock?

If anything is surprising at all, it's Putin picking up the pieces of an old Soviet alliance, but given current events he'd be remiss if he didn't.

[The Magistrate]

17. Indeed, Mr. Tuttle, That Is All This Is

The relation is very old. In the past, it has neither prevented fighting between Isarel and Sryia, nor eventuated the involvement of Russian armed forces in any but an advisory capacity. This is someone hoping to sell newspapers by flaming headlines: a laudable goal for a journalist, but nothing of consequence to anyone else.

[chibi]

27. it's the turning back of the clock that makes this news

those who are paying attention to these sort of things are certainly not surprised but they all have taken note.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Maybe

Maybe Syria will fare better than they did in their first five wars against Israel, when in four of them, they were backed by a infinitely more powerful Soviet Union.

[lovuian]

12. Russia knows Bush & Co are really wanting Syria

Now the gauntlet has been thrown by a country who DOES have nukes!!!

[frankieT]

13. nothing new

Syria was in the Russian sphere for decades. Egypt was under the Russian umbrella (USSR derailed France-UK-ISrael Suez expedition by threatening a nuclear retaliation), then it switched to US.

US owns in its middle east game Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon (at least the government and the rich/powerful).

[PATRICK]

14. Whatever the armaments

a real Israeli attack would turn them all into scrap metal as before. The price might be ruinously high, who knows about that?

A REAL protection policy is a mutual defense pact. Would Russia actually engage Israel? That has never been done. We supply lots of stuff to all sides and one can still pretty much determine strength by the nation not by its material.

Still looks like nothing but a decimating madness until the oil runs out and then they can simply have at each other with sticks and stones for all their "allies" care.

Crazy. After crushing Islamic extremism in Chechnya Russia is allying with non-extremist Arabs who are currently threatened as part of a terror provocation. Maybe we are getting back to a big surrogate free for all like during the Cold War except that the shot up American army is right there to...do what? As far as the Russians see it, probably to continue to get shot up into non-existence like what happened to them in Afghanistan- with OUR help.

[catbert836]

15. Well, there's a little confusion of terms.

I doubt any protectorates in the original, colonial sense exist anymore, but this is comparable to the relationship between the United States and Israel.

[bemildred]

16. Nature abhors a vacuum.

The US has been emasculated by the Bushites' folly. Others will fill the void: Iran, Russia, Turkey. It would be interesting to know about this issue how much Turkey and Russia are coordinating their efforts.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. Turkey Is A NATO Member And Is Trying To Get In The EU

It's hard to see what they would gain by allying with Russia.

[bemildred]

30. Syria's Foreign Minister Receives Two Phone calls

DAMASCUS, (SANA)- Syria's Foreign Minister Wleed al-Moallem received Friday a phone call from Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on the deteriorated situation in Lebanon in light of the constant Israeli brutal onslaught on Lebanon and the deliberate targeting of civilians and infrastructures.

The conversation also dealt with the necessity of collaborating the international community's efforts for reaching an immediate cease-fire and pull out of the Israeli troops to beyond the blue line.

---

Another telephone call was made between al-Moallem and Italy's Foreign Minister Masimo D'Alema during which al-Moallem and D'Alema stressed that " priority is for a ceasefire in Lebanon and withdrawal of the Israeli troops to beyond the blue line as well as for refusal of any political solution that doesn’t get all Lebanese consensus."

Al-Moallem praised Italy's stance D'Alema has expressed in his statements yesterday in which he demanded the international community to seriously work to tackle roots of the problem in the Middle East through the establishment of the just and comprehensive peace in the region.

http://www.sana.org.sy/eng/21/2006/08/04/54679.htm

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. The Original Topic Alluded To A Russia-Syria Alliance

Russia wasn't even mentioned in the article you cited.I am sure Turkey discusses the situation with other Islamic nation. I'd be surprised if they weren't.

I still see no evidence of a Turkey-Russia alliance in the sense you suggested.

[The Magistrate]

33. That Is An Interesting Thought, Sir

Particularly considering the depth and duration of their traditional hostility, and the degree to which prevention of any Russian domination of Turkey has been a leading object of policy for just about every country of Western Europe throughout the last two centuries.

[elehhhhna]

38. Let's ask Hastert about Turkey. They own him,

per Sibel Edwards

[Purveyor]

18. Article from Kommersant...

The Syrian Stake

June 02, 2006

// Russia takes its main Middle East ally under its wing

Russia is dredging the Syrian port of Tartus, where a maintenance station for the Russian Navy is located. That station has been there since Soviet times. Kommersant learned of this work from Vladimir Zimin, senior economic advisor at the Russian embassy in Syria. Russia is also widening the port at Latakia. That may be evidence that Russia is considering Syria as a base from which to expand its influence in the Middle East. In that case, the maintenance station at Tartus may be converted into a naval base in the future for Black Sea Fleet warships when they are withdrawn from Sevastopol.

The Russian Defense Ministry and Navy General Headquarters are not officially commenting on the developments in Syria, but a Defense Ministry source who wished to remain anonymous confirmed those plans for Kommersant. The source said that Moscow wants to form a squadron of ships led by the missile cruiser Moskva that will be a permanent presence in the Mediterranean Sea and take part in naval antiterrorist exercises with NATO members. Thus the facilities being developed in Syria may be needed for the Black Sea Fleet and the Northern Fleet, if necessary, for reinforcement. So far, Moscow has only announced the construction of two bases for the Black Sea Fleet near Novorossiisk.

---END OF EXCERPT---

http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=678771

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. This means that the USSR era treaties are still active

nothing new here

[The Deacon]

22. Just Another Case

Of Putin trying to make Russia relevant in today's world. The Russians can't afford to buy new tanks for their own Army - how could they give them away to Syria? When Yeltsin tried this same bluff in Kosovo (moving troops to the Kosovar-Serbian border so that Milosovic's "Special Police" could continue to control much of Kosovo during the NATO deployment) NATO told them to go home & they had to scurry back with their tails between their legs.
Putin's empty threat (which Israel knows is empty) probably only serves to decrease Syria's security - nothing is to be gained by bluster.

[allemand]

23. No, we can't confirm this.

Russian Defense Ministry dismisses Syrian naval base report
18:03 | 02/06/2006

MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Defense Ministry categorically denied Friday a media report that Russia had started construction of a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus.

"This is an absolutely false report that has no foundation whatsoever," spokesperson Vyacheslav Sedov said.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060602/48976466.html

Russian Military Denies Seeking Mediterranean Naval Base in Syria
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW

Russian military officials June 2 denied a report that Moscow hopes to create a permanent naval base in Syria that would give it a Mediterranean outpost and represent a major shift in the regional security balance.
(...)

”This can’t be considered information — this is complete nonsense,” said an unnamed admiral quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency.

”The Russian government hasn’t had and doesn’t have any plans to move the Black Sea fleet from Ukraine. Our fleet is staying in Crimea at least until 2017,” he said.

The agency quoted a “senior defense ministry” official as also denying the report: “One would have to be crazy to leave Ukraine before 2017. So why then sign an agreement?”

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1844520&C=navwar

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. Party Pooper

eom

[The Deacon]

25. Nope

I think Putin was flying a trial balloon.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. Possibly

eom

[Clark2008]

28. If you've got a link to any Russian newspapers, I'll

be happy to have my husband translate.

Surely Russian newspapers are reporting this - they have more freedom than our own corporately-owned fluff-mongering media does.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. Really

Press freedom list: Russia ranked 121st out of 139



http://www.eng.yabloko.ru/Publ/2003/I-NET/030910_rbc_ru.html

[Clark2008]

31. Technicality here:

No matter what that link states, the media isn't really "free" here in the United States.

Yes, under the provisions of the First Amendment, it's given the potential of being the most free press in the world, but since 90 percent of our media is owned by war-mongering corporations, limitations on these First Amendment freedoms is vast. These corporations don't allow for free discussions regarding the true state of the working class and are more than happy to drum up support for wars that make them money. They also would rather cover inane entertainment news rather than offer their viewers/listeners/readers any in-depth coverage of the world around them.

Sure, we can find sources that discuss these things, but they're most certainly NOT in the "mainstream," and most certainly STILL not viewed/listened to/read by the majority of Americans.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. I Grant Your Point. I Am Familiar With The Manufacturing Of Consent.

But unlike in Russia the constraints aren't institutional. Bush* isn't going to arrest nor has the power to arrest a publisher or television executive he has a disagreement with, as Putin has.


The Americans are getting the news they want or they would look for alternative sources of news and the large providers of news, the major newspapers and networks , would cater to their wants or go broke.

[Clark2008]

35. Most of the networks/cable news are so similar, people really

don't have much of a choice.

But, it's worth noting that all of the cable stations are bleeding viewers like hemopheliacs. Why? Because Americans are tired of being feed shit and told its caviar. More and more Americans are getting their news online, generally from English-speaking newspapers in other countries.

P.S. In regards to Bush and Putin. Sure, Bush doesn't have the right to arrest publishers he disagrees with, but what he DOES do is freeze them out and/or demonize them. And, in the journalism profession, being frozen out of coverage is almost worse than sitting in a Russian jail (well, not really, but you get my point).

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. I Don't Think The Average American Pays Much Attention To The News. Period

And I suspect if you did a survey which consisted of asking folks about current events the evidence would bear me out.

[mmonk]

39. Delete

Decided to make this a post of its own.

[Solo_in_MD]

40. Nope...more of a client

Russia supplies weapons and training for a price, presumably oil or hard currency. They were also doing that with Iraq prior to the US going in.

Part of this is to help shore up their arms exports. Right now Russian equipment is seen as inferior to even the French. By discounting and training, they hope to do better in the world market. Foreign sales are the key to making advanced weapon systems affordable for the originating nation. Its why Desert Storm crippled the French arms industry. Not every nation is run by ideologues like Chavez, some want the best out there.