In a move that could raise concerns in the U.S. and Israel, Russia will donate 10 MiG-29 fighter jets to Lebanon and commit to supplying the teetering Arab democracy with more war machines, an official told reporters today. Though the jets aren't likely to pose a strategic challenge to Israel or even Lebanon's other neighbor, Syria, the move signifies Moscow's military resurgence in parts of the globe long dominated by the U.S. "It is an effort to reassert Russia's status in the Middle East in a way that has very high visibility," analyst Anthony Cordesman of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said of the deal.
Moscow said the move was meant to help stabilize Lebanon, which has descended frequently into war during the last four decades. "Lebanon has decided to intensify military-technological cooperation" with Russia, said Mikhail Dmitriyev, the director of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, according to Russia's Interfax news agency. "We consider the Lebanese army as a key element of political stability within this country."
In announcing the donation, Dmitriyev said Moscow might sell Lebanon tanks and artillery.
Lebanon's weak and politically divided army, which has received extensive U.S. weapons and funding, must contend with the powerful Shiite Muslim political organization Hezbollah, whose Iranian- and Syrian-backed militia is committed to fighting Israel. Although Washington says it has substantially increased military support to Lebanon, officials in Beirut complain that the aid so far has been minimal. U.S. officials have said they won't help Lebanon's army in a way that would put Israel's security in danger.
The Russian aircraft were designed to counter U.S.-made Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcons, of which Israel has about 345. But Cordesman said the early export versions of the MiG-29 were little match for Israeli or even Syrian air power.
Lebanon's air force currently amounts to a handful of combat helicopters and two 1960s Hawker Hunter fighter jets that were recently refurbished.
At least one Lebanese military official said the Russian planes were of questionable utility to the country. "It is an unnaturally big step for the Lebanese army," he told The Times, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that Lebanon lacks the infrastructure and training to make use of such fighter jets. They'll make swell target practice for the Israelis. Continued on Page 47
An Argentine judge on Tuesday seized a property belonging to a former Iranian diplomat who is sought on charges related to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center.
The judicial order stems from a million-dollar lawsuit for damages by a survivor of the bombing, which killed 85 people and wounded more than 200 others, Prosecutor Alberto Nisman told Reuters.
Argentina has formally accused Iran of masterminding the attack and is seeking the arrest of high-ranking Iranian government officials. Interpol, the international police agency, has issued arrest orders for six of the suspects.
Tehran has repeatedly denied involvement in the blast on July 18, 1994, when a truck laden with explosives leveled the seven-story Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) building, a symbol of the country's Jewish community -- Latin America's largest.
No one has been convicted of carrying out the bombing despite a lengthy and botched probe, but Argentine, Israeli and U.S. officials have long blamed it on Hezbollah guerrillas backed by Iran.
The building, which houses commercial space, is expected to be auctioned off and the proceeds given to the victim, if there is a definitive court ruling in the lawsuit.
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany will hold a rare meeting with Arab diplomats to discuss Iran's nuclear program, top diplomats from Britain and Russia said on Monday.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the point of the meeting on Tuesday is for the six powers, which have led negotiations on three rounds of U.N. sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment program, to discuss the concerns of Arab states about Tehran's atomic ambitions.
"Iran's nuclear weapons program is increasingly recognized as a threat to the whole region of the Middle East," Miliband said after a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Zimbabwe. "The development of a nuclear weapons program that kick-starts a nuclear arms race is the last thing the Middle East needs," he told reporters.
In recent years a number of Arab states have announced plans to develop nuclear programs for civilian purposes.
Miliband said the six powers -- Britain, the United States, France, China, Russia and Germany -- want to reach out to Arab states and other countries to assure them that the Iranians are not victims of a "vendetta of the Security Council."
The Arab countries invited to Tuesday's meeting are Iraq, Egypt, Jordan and most members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. There are no plans for a briefing or statements afterward.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the point of the meeting was to allay concerns the Arab states might have about Iran's nuclear program and measures taken to resolve it. "It is in everyone's interest and in their interest that there be no worsening of the situation in this area," he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana are also expected to attend the meeting with Arab representatives.
The outgoing U.S. administration has suggested that a new round of sanctions against Iran would be justified since Tehran has not responded positively to an offer of economic and political incentives from the six powers.
But diplomats from some of the six powers say the process of negotiating a new round of U.N. Security Council sanctions is on hold until President-elect Barack Obama takes office. Obama has said he plans a new approach to Iran and its nuclear program, including direct talks if needed, a break from President George W. Bush's isolation strategy.
European diplomats have said that EU member states were considering expanding their sanctions by adding more firms and individuals to an EU blacklist of those suspected of helping Tehran with its nuclear and missile programs in violation.
Senior officials from the six powers are expected to meet in Europe after Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration to discuss next steps on Iran, diplomats say.
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Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
I can predict the conclusions of that conference: "Israel should make concessions."
Border clashes with militants have left one Iranian police officer killed and two others injured in the south-east of the country.
Police clashed with militants on Monday night near the town of Mirjaveh in Sistan-Baluchestan Province which borders Afghanistan, IRNA reported.
The Iranian forces identified the militants while patrolling the border area.
There are, however, no immediate reports available regarding the number of casualties among the militants or further details about the incident.
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Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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Israel has made contingency plans for another attack against Lebanon which includes occupying the territory south to the Litani River.
The Israeli daily Jerusalem Post has quoted military sources as saying that the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Army had recently concluded a one-week military exercise as preparations for waging a war on both Syria and Hezbollah.
According to the report, Israel considers Hezbollah as a partner in the Lebanese government, so for Israel there would be no difference between Hezbollah and other parts of the Lebanese government.
The regime has threatened to strike all Lebanese targets in the next war regardless of the fact that they belong to Hezbollah or not.
The military officials said Israel's chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi has called on the cabinet to give the go head for heavy air raids by the Israeli army against Lebanon's infrastructure as long as Hezbollah is a partner to the government.
Israel attacked Lebanon in summer 2006 in a bid to destroy the movement. The 33-day war left many civilians dead and destroyed Lebanon's infrastructure. However, based on assessments by Israeli sources Hezbollah emerged stronger than before after the war.
#3
The 33-day war left many civilians dead due to Hezbollah's hiding in civilian populationsand destroyed Lebanon's infrastructure. However, based on assessments by Israeli sources Hezbollah emerged stronger than before after the wardue in large part to the aid which the United Nations has given the terrorist group Hezbollah.
#4
They should have a dozen plans to occupy Tasmania so that they aren't caught flat-footed if attacked by Tasmania or from Tasmanian territory. Having plans for Lebanon just seems fairly obvious since that's where the last war was fought.
#5
Sounds like just the place for a Palestinian state.
Posted by: ed ||
12/17/2008 9:31 Comments ||
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#6
Yemen would be better. A bit more distance between the warring parties. LEbanon should be Marionite land, a nice coastal enclave West of Western Kurdistan (aka Syria).
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