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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US warns Russia on selling missiles to Syria
2005-01-13
Follow-up on Steve's report yesterday.
The United States warned Russia against selling missiles to Syria amid reports that Moscow was ready to provide Damascus with a sophisticated weapon that could hit any target in Israel. But Russia denied it had any such plans.
"No, no! Certainly not! Say, you guys are still gonna sell us oil drilling equipment, right?"
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington could consider sanctions against Moscow if it went through with reported plans to sell Syria its SS-26 Iskander missile. Secretary of State Colin Powell also raised the reported sale in talks here Wednesday with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, according to a State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity. "The US policy on this is very clear," Boucher said. "We're against the sale of weaponry to Syria, against the sale of lethal military equipment to Syria, which is a state sponsor of terrorism." He said the United States was aware of reports a deal was brewing and "we think those kinds of sales are not appropriate. ... The Russians know about this policy. They know about our views."
Diplospeak for don't cross this line.
The Russian media carried reports of the planned sale as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prepared to visit Russia on January 24 for talks with President Vladimir Putin. The press accounts said Israel was furious at the prospect of Syria obtaining the missile, an updated version of the Scud used by Iraq in the first Gulf War, that could strike almost anywhere in the Jewish state. However, Ivanov categorically denied any plans for such a sale. "We have no talks with Syria about such missiles," he told reporters here. "There are no negotiations under way with Syria." Meanwhile, Boucher declined to elaborate what action the United States would envision against Moscow if the deal went through. "There are potential sanctions under US law," said the State Department spokesman. "But that would have to be looked at, if and when, such a sale should occur."
Posted by:Steve White

#16  And Russia is also reportedly also now offerring BACKFIRE and BEAR bombers to China, while China itself is reportedly converting older destroyers and other vessel types into APD fast attack troop transports, still buying up Russki heavy-lift aircraft and tac AFV's for its Airborne Forces, and sending underwater surveying teams around the PACRIM disguised as ordinary fishermen or afloat traders. Pro-China posters on military forums are claiming that the USS SAN FRANCISCO SSN sub actually suffered damge vv COLLISIOn WITH A PLAN SUB, NOT AN UW MOUNTAIN, WHERAS PRAVDA > ALLUDING TO A KURSK-STYLE TORPEDO/WEAPONS ACCIDENT!? NO MATTER THE FACTS OR PC, the anti-USA International Leftism-Socialism-Communism-Progressive agendists is desperate for power and Socialist/Commie World Order [SWO/CWO] and OWG - they want SOCIALIST GLOBAL EMPIRE/OWG by any means necessary! Between now and their own 2020 maxima timeline for the USA to be under SOcialism and OWG, IT CAN NO LONGER BE "BUSINESS AS USUAL" FOR ANYONE - the Lefts will NOT accept or tolerate the USA or the GOP-Right NOT
waging war for empire nor being warred against for empire. EITHER WAY IS THEIR PLAN TO WIN AND EMPOWER SOCIALISM IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD! AMERIKA MUST CREATE NEW GLOBAL EMPIRE WHILE NOT BEING ALLOWED TO GOVERN ITS NEW EMPIRE.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2005-01-13 10:54:35 PM  

#15  Boy that you're name thingy is quite entertaining today.

Russia has 1/3 of all the minerals in the world, just no equipment to extract them.

I never knew there was Russian marble until I visited the geological museum in Yekaterinberg.
Posted by: Chinese Unomoger1553   2005-01-13 2:53:34 PM  

#14  The Ruskies are just trying to scam money from the Arabs and Persians and get free beta testing.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-01-13 2:48:15 PM  

#13  the thing that got my attention was ' Could the Iskander be designed to destroy deployments of Patriot batteries? If so, marketing it to Syria and Iran would seem to indicate a clear purpose of negating America’s own attempts to counter the menace of those countries’ ballistic missile arsenals.'
Posted by: MacNails   2005-01-13 2:27:55 PM  

#12  headline should really read 'US warns Syria on buying faulty Russian wares '

All joking aside . Here is some info on this missile . ( I had to look it up as hadnt heard of it b4 .
Posted by: MacNails   2005-01-13 2:25:48 PM  

#11  Seafarious - if you have a fishing boat you'd better keep that information to yourself. Our little 'ol hearts just wouldn't be able to take it!! :)

(Monitors - ima thinkin we should have a pegged "what a girl!!" meter for Emily)
Posted by: Doc8404   2005-01-13 1:34:36 PM  

#10  They came for the ca$h and now can't wait to come back to the US & Canada..

Even tho I play hockey on a regular basis recreationally and am a big fan of the sport, these jerks can all go phuque themselves. If money is what they wanted, they can go to/stay where it is. Bunch of greedy twats.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-01-13 1:00:34 PM  

#9  Emily - you read/edit RB, AND listen to sports talk - I LOVE YOU!

LOL
Posted by: Frank G   2005-01-13 11:19:23 AM  

#8  Right now Siberia also has lots of NHL hockey players, playing for teams owned by Russian oligarchs. They came for the ca$h and now can't wait to come back to the US & Canada...(via sports talk radio this morning)
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-01-13 11:15:28 AM  

#7  Everything but Russians, who can't get out fast enough. The Chinese will get it through squatters rights. Russians won't do jack for fear of revealing even their reduced military is empty uniforms.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-01-13 11:04:56 AM  

#6  yep, and timber and oil....
Posted by: Frank G   2005-01-13 10:57:53 AM  

#5  Don't they have a bunch of gold and diamonds up in Siberia and all kinds of ores? If I remember from my geography class, that area is loaded with resources for commerce.
Posted by: Jules 187   2005-01-13 10:55:47 AM  

#4  Siberian resources will always be kept in the Russian sphere, by war if necessary.

"All that ice and frozen dirt is ours. Ours, I say!!!"
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-01-13 10:52:23 AM  

#3  Israel's Sharon has also advised Russia that selling missiles to Syria will de-stabilize the region. The question is" "Will diplomatic pressure alter the course of Russia selling missiles to Syria (and Iran). Russia is becoming a large pain in the butt in this region.
Posted by: John Q. Citizen   2005-01-13 10:05:44 AM  

#2  Siberian resources will always be kept in the Russian sphere, by war if necessary.
Posted by: Frank G   2005-01-13 10:05:34 AM  

#1  Yesterday's comments never touched on it ... but ... what ever happened to the speculation a few years back about eastern Siberia ditching Russia and either joining China or a Manchurian break-away state? To me, with China's star rising, China's economy growing and their trade empire in Siberia this scenario is more fesible than in the past. Anybody with good info on that region?
Posted by: 3dc   2005-01-13 3:33:58 AM  

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