ABC News reports Russian Troops arrive in Syria!

Biggins

I don't know if this is a good thing - ABC News reports "Russian Troops arrive in Syria!"

A Russian military unit has arrived in Syria, according to Russian news reports, a development that a United Nations Security Council source told ABC News was "a bomb" certain to have serious repercussions.

Russia, one of President Bashar al-Assad's strongest allies despite international condemnation of the government's violent crackdown on the country's uprising, has repeatedly blocked the United Nations Security Council's attempts to halt the violence, accusing the U.S. and its allies of trying to start another war.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/russian-anti-terror-troops-arrive-syria/story?id=15954363#.T2iOv8WqBoo

I can't see this as a good thing if true. They are there apparently to assist Assad with his crack down on his own people!

Russia say finally on one hand, its time for sanctions and they want them too now - then on the other quiet hand, slip their troops into the country?

There is strange goings on and this mess in Syria had just got more complicated and worse!

Moscow has long enjoyed a cozy relationship with the Assad regime, to which it sells billions of dollars of weapons. In return Russia has maintained a Navy base at Tartus, which gives it access to the Mediterranean.

CountryJoe

Moscow has long enjoyed a cozy relationship with the Assad regime, to which it sells billions of dollars of weapons.

Putin really dosent want to loose Assads business it seems!

Stiffler2

No Need to worry Lads - Sure tis miles away...

Dyr

Nothing new, the french and americans send their boys into tin pot african states when it looks like whichever horse they backed for dictator isn't going to stay in power much longer

Usually they're trying to secure or rescue whatever resources they have in the country.

Ghandee

Biggins wrote: »

I don't know if this is a good thing - ABC News reports "Russian Troops arrive in Syria!"


Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/russian-anti-terror-troops-arrive-syria/story?id=15954363#.T2iOv8WqBoo

I can't see this as a good thing if true. They are there apparently to assist Assad with his crack down on his own people!

Russia say finally on one hand, its time for sanctions and they want them too now - then on the other quiet hand, slip their troops into the country?

There is strange goings on and this mess in Syria had just got more complicated and worse!

WW3 Is imminent!

All we need now is the yanks and the Israelis to intervene, with an end result of the Soviets and yanks taking pot shots at each other!

In all seriousness, the Russians entering this fiasco could be a scary process for all involved!

Sindri

Out of all the Western armies the Russians are the worst. They have no qualms with torture or murder.

ejmaztec

Are the Russians pretending to look after the naval base?

Ghandee

Sindri wrote: »

Out of all the Western armies the Russians are the worst. They have no qualms with torture or murder.

I (unfortuanately) seen a video once of a couple of Russian troops who had captured a Chechen rebel, and one lad held his boot to his head while another one slowly took to his throat with a big fcuk off knife....


They really are bad ass!

Chuck Stone

The Russians?

I hope they love their children too.

RichieC

**** stirring swine. Don't they understand only America are allowed carry on like this?

suicide_circus

Ghandee wrote: »

I (unfortuanately) seen a video once of a couple of Russian troops who had captured a Chechen rebel, and one lad held his boot to his head while another one slowly took to his throat with a big fcuk off knife....


They really are bad ass!

Thats not badass, that is gratuitous murder.

Biggins

RichieC wrote: »

**** stirring swine. Don't they understand only America are allowed carry on like this?

Different sides of a same coin?
One sometimes as bad as the other?

---

As for being 'badass' ?

Hell, they don't even treat their own fellow troops too nicely either
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIvCWSMDE74

I won't post the video direct - contains beatings and NOT safe for work.

RichieC

Biggins wrote: »

Different sides of a same coin?
One sometimes as bad as the other?

No doubt about about it. The US just has a better PR department. They've honed public relations in war time down to a science. As well as a propaganda arm masquerading as a film industry.

Dyr

Ghandee wrote: »

I (unfortuanately) seen a video once of a couple of Russian troops who had captured a Chechen rebel, and one lad held his boot to his head while another one slowly took to his throat with a big fcuk off knife....


They really are bad ass!

I think that was the the other way around...russian being stabbed

howsyourtusk

Frightening, mainly because no one gives a ****.

Ghandee

Bambi wrote: »

I think that was the the other way around...russian being stabbed

Could have been...

It was a long time ago, think 2001 or so?

Biggins

Sindri wrote: »

Out of all the Western armies the Russians are the worst. They have no qualms with torture or murder.

No argument about them being the worst at time. I've seen what some of those trained boys can do, right in front of me
...But would they be a "Western Army" ?

Augmerson

Sindri wrote: »

Out of all the Western armies the Russians are the worst. They have no qualms with torture or murder.

Lol. America with Abu Ghraib. Extraordinary rendition. Guantanamo. Shooting up unarmed civilians. Rape and murder of families in Iraq. The Russians aren't saints but they aren't the worst either.

Run_to_da_hills

Ghandee wrote: »

WW3 Is imminent!

All we need now is the yanks and the Israelis to intervene, with an end result of the Soviets and yanks taking pot shots at each other!

In all seriousness, the Russians entering this fiasco could be a scary process for all involved!

"Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a citie, and it shalbe a ruinous heape". Isaiah 17:1

This prophecy is telling us that Damascus will be nuked, as nukes are the only way in modern times that a city would become a ruinous heap and cease from being a city.

RichieC

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

"Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a citie, and it shalbe a ruinous heape". Isaiah 17:1

This prophecy is telling us that Damascus will be nuked, as nukes are the only way in modern times that a city would become a ruinous heap and cease from being a city.

Yea but only gob****es take biblical prophecies literally.

Sergeant

RichieC wrote: »

No doubt about about it. The US just has a better PR department. They've honed public relations in war time down to a science. As well as a propaganda arm masquerading as a film industry.

We can only be glad that you are here to see through the bullshít and give us the hard facts Richie.

Biggins

Rambo might be back?

*shudders*

:pac:

RichieC

Sergeant wrote: »

We can only be glad that you are here to see through the bullshít and give us the hard facts Richie.

You may wish to bury your head in the sand and that's fine with me.

K-9

Putin putting his boot down on the satellite states, like Stalin did with Hungary et al.

Not a clever move to make, there's a reason even the Americans are very slow to move in that area of the Middle East, just far too volatile even compared to Libya or Egypt.

RichieC

K-9 wrote: »

Putin putting his boot down on the satellite states, like Stalin did with Hungary et al.

Not a clever move to make, there's a reason even the Americans are very slow to move in that area of the Middle East, just far too volatile even compared to Libya or Egypt.

I reckon because even though the media has made up its mind who to support the pentagon are a bit more weary of involvement. With Russia there's huge investments in that country to protect.

Biggins

RichieC wrote: »

...With Russia there's huge investments in that country to protect.

Apparently so - and for China too.

Syria looks to the East for better deals

Few people are more welcome in Damascus these days than Chinese businessmen packing large amounts of Chinese investment dollars. Syrian officials are working overtime to deepen economic relations with the emerging superpower and proposals for a joint Syrian-Chinese investment bank, a Chinese Industrial Zone, a Chinese Telecom Park — not to mention billion dollar oil deals — are all on the table. Syria’s new found interest in her far eastern neighbor is fuelling much talk of a new Silk Road.

China has become Syria’s number one supplier. While figures from Syria’s Bureau of Statistics put the value of Syrian imports from China at 525.48€ million, Syrian officials have said the real figure is more likely to be close to double that at around 0.91€ billion.

What is not in doubt is that China easily outstrips Syria’s other major suppliers Egypt (420.53€ million), South Korea (335.36€ million), Italy (270.72€ million), Turkey (257.03€ million), Japan (241.06€ million) and Germany (234.22€ million). Bilateral trade surged to a record high of 1.06€ billion in 2006 and Syrian officials are predicting it will double by 2011 — a far cry from the paltry 129.28€ million trade balance the two countries chalked up at the turn of the millennium and a 55% increase since 2004.

Trade volume is also likely to be higher than official figures show, given that Chinese products are re-exported to Syria from centers like Dubai and are therefore recorded as Gulf imports.

Long article continues here: http://www.executive-magazine.com/getarticle.php?article=9819


...As for Russia:

Russia, as part of the defunct USSR, played a key role in the development of Syria’s economy where it built about 90 industrial facilities and infrastructure. One-third of Syria’s oil-processing facilities and electric power capacity as well as the three-fold expansion of land under irrigation were assisted by Soviet cooperation with Damascus. The economic tie between Russia and Syria has been robust as Russia’s commitment to free-market policies and Syria advancement towards greater economic liberalization has seen both countries working towards greater trade and investment. Syrians are interested in attracting Russian companies into large economic projects and also in Russian investments, which are rather modest so far. The areas of Russian interest include development of Syrian oil and gas fields, construction projects in power generation, sea ports, and the renovation of Syria’s industrial infrastructure. Russia’s oil and gas companies may also be interested in partnering with the Syrian government in constructing additional refinery capacity.

On its part, Syria hoped to increase its presence in Russia’s agriculture and textile sectors, while, in turn, Russia could supply Syria with equipment and machinery. It is therefore clear that Russia and Syria have much to offer each other. Enhanced cooperation with Russia is taking place in other areas too. Syria signed an agreement to allow Russia to modernize port facilities at Tartous and Latakia, to provide the Russian navy with Mediterranean berthing. This gives Russia its only access to the Mediterranean sea. No fewer than 50 Russian naval officers are reported to be deployed in Tartous to maintain and supply ships in the Mediterranean. In September 2008, it was agreed that Tartous should be developed into a full a naval base and the first stage of development and modernization will be completed in 2012. As a naval base, it could serve as a base for guided-missile cruisers and even aircraft carriers.

Its only naval base in Mediterranean is located in Syria. Moscow is aware that if Assad’s regime is toppled, its weapons sales, naval base and strategic national security interests could be jeopardized.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/understanding-russia%E2%80%99s-interest-in-syria%E2%80%99s-conflict/

RichieC

Syria also has national debt owed to Russia.

Biggins

RichieC wrote: »

Syria also has national debt owed to Russia.

Aye, they have SERIOUS reasons why to keep whatever hold and/or influence there.
With the Assad governmental system possibly gone, ALL that is 'up in the air' and being truthful, a complete possible further unpredictable financial mess is created alone as well as strategic reasons getting more lost.

pragmatic1

Ghandee wrote: »

I (unfortuanately) seen a video once of a couple of Russian troops who had captured a Chechen rebel, and one lad held his boot to his head while another one slowly took to his throat with a big fcuk off knife....


They really are bad ass!

In fairness the Chechens aint no angels themselves.

dougieruggie

Ghandee wrote: »

Could have been...

It was a long time ago, think 2001 or so?

There were chechen fighters cutting off the heads of 18 year old Russian conscripts.

RichieC

Biggins wrote: »

Aye, they have SERIOUS reasons why to keep whatever hold and/or influence there.
With the Assad governmental system possibly gone, ALL that is 'up in the air' and being truthful, a complete possible further unpredictable financial mess is created alone as well as strategic reasons getting more lost.

Yea, if the states got there first and "liberated"** Syria they would be kissing it all goodbye.

*The US does not liberate, it liberalises economically.

MungBean

Augmerson wrote: »

Lol. America with Abu Ghraib. Extraordinary rendition. Guantanamo. Shooting up unarmed civilians. Rape and murder of families in Iraq. The Russians aren't saints but they aren't the worst either.

They are all the fcukin same as far as I see. Any nations military engaged in foreign war will always have a good proportion of atrocities to their name.

Russia interfering to protect their own interests is no different than what America are trying to do. Neither side gives one fcuk about civilians.

MisterEpicurus

No surprise the Russians are denying the whole thing, describing it as "fairy tales";

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/russia-denies-it-sent-anti-terror-unit-to-syria/

Russia’s Foreign Minister today denied news reports that a team of Russian anti-terrorism troops had arrived in the Syrian port of Tartus.
At a press conference in Moscow today Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the reports “fairy tales” and said the Russian tanker Iman that arrived at the Mediterranean port had a security team on board only to guard against pirate attacks as it transited the Gulf of Aden.
“Like any other civilian support vessel taking part in the counter-piracy operation, this tanker is carrying security units that will not allow pirates to seize this tanker or any other civilian vessel in the Gulf of Aden in the event of an attack,” the minister said, according to the Russian Interfax news agency.

wendell borton

Augmerson wrote: »

Lol. America with Abu Ghraib. Extraordinary rendition. Guantanamo. Shooting up unarmed civilians. Rape and murder of families in Iraq. The Russians aren't saints but they aren't the worst either.

There have been some pretty shocking atrocities carried out by the US but in the end the truth usually comes out and people are held to account for their actions.

But Russia has been involved in sustained abuses of the laws of war and human rights with blatent disregart to international opinion.

Biggins

MisterEpicurus wrote: »

No surprise the Russians are denying the whole thing, describing it as "fairy tales";

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/russia-denies-it-sent-anti-terror-unit-to-syria/

To be expected to be honest.
The earlier report mention that it was actually Russia new reporting that let it be known that troops were sent there.
Now apparently its "advisor's".

Russia's Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov denied reports that Russian special forces were operating inside Syria. He did say, however, that there are Russian military and technical advisors in the country.

It all sounds very familiar - be it just a different country supplying these advisor's - back up by two Russian warships by pure coincidence (one docked and one apparently sailing just off shore presently).

Hande hoche!

Would assume they're in Syria to protect the naval installation at Tartus.