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Page added on July 11, 2012
Russia sends warships to Syria
Russia despatched a flotilla of warships to its naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus on Tuesday in an apparent show of support for President Bashar al-Assad.
Two destroyers and three amphibious landing vessels carrying marines set sail from Russian bases in the Arctic and the Black Sea, according to Russian military sources.
Russia’s defence ministry insisted that the mission was part of a previously scheduled exercise in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea and at least one of the vessels in the flotilla has patrolled waters off Syria earlier this year.
But Western diplomats say the purpose of the mission is to show tangible support for Mr Assad, to warn the West against military intervention in Syria and to prepare for the possible evacuation of Russian nationals from the country.
Russia renewed naval patrols in the Mediterranean in 2007 – after a 15-year hiatus – with a wider aim of expressing the country’s military resurgence.
It was unclear whether the ships were carrying weapons supplies or large numbers of marines.
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Despite the demonstration of military strength, speculation has been mounting that Russia is subtly realigning its once unquestioned support for Mr Assad, although its public position is unlikely to change.
This week, Moscow announced that it would halt the delivery of new weapons to the Syrian armed forces, while some of Mr Assad’s leading opponents have been invited to the Kremlin for talks.
Meanwhile, Kofi Annan, the UN and Arab League special envoy to Syria, sought regional support for his faltering peace plan as he held talks with senior officials in both Iran and Iraq.
Mr Annan, who said this week that he was working on a new proposal to end the fighting in Syria, said he believed that Iran could play a “positive role” in ending the crisis, despite its close relationship with the Assad regime.
The United States has accused Iran of propping up Mr Assad, by giving him arms and logistical support.
Mr Annan has said that he will brief the Syrian opposition on a new approach he has agreed with Mr Assad earlier this week. Although he would not be drawn on the specifics of the proposal, he said that his new plan involved ending the conflict on a step-by-step basis, beginning with districts that have suffered the worst violence.
5 Comments on "Russia sends warships to Syria"
BillT on Wed, 11th Jul 2012 1:22 am
This is not new news. The Russians are protecting their Syrian port. The Empire is chewing off more than it can swallow with it’s continuing aggression against Russian and Chinese allied countries like Syria, Iran, Pakistan, etc. Does anyone in DC have a brain? We all know that Hilary doesn’t and the guy living in the White House is doubtful, but if the decisions are left to the military…it’s the old “for the owner of a gun, everything is a target’ disease”. There is no draft so everyone should refuse to signup. Send the generals and admirals to do the actual fighting and dying. I bet we would have zero wars.
Flamierd on Wed, 11th Jul 2012 1:30 am
Grow your hair exceedingly long, cultivate some marijuana and go back to the 60’s Bill. If you were in charge we’d all be standing in mile long lines to buy toilet paper and teaching our kids to speak either German or Russian (you pick the masters).
BillT on Wed, 11th Jul 2012 2:16 am
Flamierd, we only got into WW2 when it was to our FINANCIAL advantage, not for humanitarian reasons. We knew that we would take over Europe financially when we won, but we waited until the enemies were already softened up before we went ‘over there’. Likewise every ‘police action/war’ since then. All for financial gain not democracy. How many of the countries we fought since then are democratic? ZERO. How many of them did we win? ZERO. Who gained? The Military Industrial Establishment.
BTW: Our banks/elites financed BOTH sides of that war, or didn’t you know that? Wars happen to make the rich wealthier, not for some proposed democratic goal. Our soldiers believed they were dying to protect America but they were dying to make others rich and powerful. Take off the blinders and look at the real history. Iraq pumped trillions into the hands of the banksters. Ditto Afghanistan. Ditto any other ‘war’ we cause in the future.
DC on Wed, 11th Jul 2012 6:01 am
I wonder if the US will get its mercenaries to attack the Russian ships or personnel?
Naw I didnt think so, there job is to help topple one of the few countries left not under US control, not to pick a fight with Russia. Though im sure the US would do that too if they felt they could profit from it. I sure am glad Putin and his govt see the amerikans for what they are, a ceaseless threat to world peace. If only the Russians had sent some ships to Libya, it would still control its own oil and gold, and would not be getting carved up by the US oil, IMF, WB, BIS cartel right now. Not to mention the violence and instability the average person there has to contend with now they have ‘democracy’ US-style. I have little doubt the average Syrian knows a US puppet govt would mean a life of poverty and constant danger, Libya proves that in spades..not to mention Iraq……
MrEnergyCzar on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 2:24 am
They want to be nearby for the next oil war in the region….
MrEnergyCzar