| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon |
| Iran, Saudis Agree To Finance Syrian Military Modernization |
| 2003-05-20 |
| Hat tip to LGF Iran and Saudi Arabia are said to have agreed to finance an ambitious program to modernize Syria's military. Gulf industry and Russian sources said Riyad and Teheran have pledged several hundreds of millions of dollars over the next five years for the upgrade of land-based systems in Syria's military. They said the money would also be used to help finance advanced Russian anti-aircraft systems. Since 1997, the regime of President Bashar Assad has pressed Saudi Arabia for financial aid to modernize Syria's military. But for most of that time Riyad, plagued by a severe budget shortfall, refused to commit itself. Russian sources said Saudi Arabia changed its tune earlier this year. They said Iran and Saudi Arabia discussed a joint investment to help Syria purchase Russian upgrades and new equipment. Well, seeing as how it's Russian-made equipment, it's only half-worrying, but I don't recall this being part of the discussion of "our friends, the Saudis", Sounds like we need to start pre-occupying these SA/Iranian bastards with a little insurgency on their own lands |
| Posted by:Frank G |