Since the collapse of a weeklong ceasefire late last month, Russia is believed to be significantly building up its military forces and capabilities in Syria, with suggestions the country has doubled its supply runs into the country since the ceasefire fell apart.
A significant portion of this is believed to have been related to the Russian deployment of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems into the area around their naval base at Tartus, a deployment which Russian officials have tied to US threats of “non-diplomatic” action against them.
The deployment dramatically increases Russia’s control over Syrian airspace in the event of overt hostilities with the US, and virtually eliminates the possibility that the US could declare a “no-fly” zone over Syria and believe it couldn’t be heavily contested.
The deployment was seen as an effort to deter unilateral military action by the US against Russian and Syrian forces in Syria, though the State Department has insisted that such discussions are ongoing within the US government irrespective of Russia’s warnings.
Since the ceasefire’s collapse Russia has also deployed more advanced warplanes into their bases in Syria, with the advanced fighter-bombers seen as much less vulnerable to enemy aircraft should such a battle suddenly erupt.
If US attacks Syria then Russia should take out Israel right away. Its Israel who after all wants regime change in Syria and controls US foreign military policies.
Not a great idea – Russia will be aiming for a non-escalatory response – a good explanation is here http://russia-insider.com/en/russian-options-against-us-attack-syria/ri16870
Destruction of Israel is a non-escalatory response. In fact it is a decisively escalation-terminating response. With Israel gone the whole Syrian adventure becomes pointless.
Russia does not have the assets to “take out Israel” right away when you consider their other mission requirements in defending Syrian airspace and ground territory in case of all out war with the US.
Russia throwing a wrench into the greater Israel project.
Imperial Israel falls in the category of the root cause of things, a subject that mainstream Jason would not touch with a ten foot pole.
”Russia Building Up Forces In Syria”
since US bombed 300 Syrian forces out of commission
Not a word in this article about the fact that Russia is always forced to react to the imperial aggression of U.S. military build up.
What about the TOW missiles and other ultra-modern weapons just given to the terrorists in Syria? The latest word from NATO about the plans to have 800 warplanes attack the Syrian military in a three day period, why no mention?
Enjoy the brainwash, as Jason Ditz has a corporate owned mainstream media slant on things.
Let us be grateful for small mercies. Yes — this site like all others that attempt to practice a modicum of respectable journalism, will be subject to watching, and if need be — subject to countless methods of demonization, ridicule, marginalization. We can fill in the gap. Jason should not be asked to be a greater American patriot then ourselves. Much of the valuable information comes from readers themselves. I am constantly gratefull for the opportunity to be part of this amazing information sharing and realizing how many people here are better reporters then those employed by neocon media. Antiwar.com is medium and Jason a catalyst. I am afraid that there are red lines that cannot be crossed. And probably topics that cannot be touched. Given how the landscape has changed recently — antiwar.com may lose its avantguard sheen. many newcomers are coming into the arena of antiwar profiteering and power hunger that takes ghe food out of the moughs of hungry Americans. We can only learn how to walk before we think we can run.
TOW aren’t exactly ultra-modern, they’re 1970s technology. Clinton isn’t going to storm the country with aircraft in swarm formation, she’ll first use cruise missiles, and escalate it from there. Russia will have to find non-escalatory responses to prevent all out war.
“Russia will have to find non-escalatory responses to prevent all out war.”
No. If the US escalates to all out war, then Russia will have to find ways to win that war.
They have some options, unless the US moves to actual world war.
The hubris of the US policy makers must give nightmares to US military people.
War doesn’t have winners and losers, it only has outcomes. The aim has to be mitigation and deterrence, which is what I think they’re doing with those air defences.
The US warned Russia about attacks on Russian aircraft, and hey presto, the jihadis smuggled to MANPADs from Iraq to west Syria and attacked a Russian Mi-8 helicopter delivering humanitarian aid. Fortunately the crew detected the incoming missile and made successful evasive maneuvers.
Amazingly, the USG can get some ‘predictions’ right.
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