Russia Arming Syria Against Possible Attack

Some of these articles below come with the usual caveats regarding websites. As stated before, these days we have to be very discerning, but I prefer to cast a wide net for the news, particularly now, as no news sites are categorically "ok" or categorically "not ok". Almost all (if not all) news sites have an agenda. The key seems to be understanding that agenda and using such information as an appropriate filter; otherwise, one would be faced with categorically ignoring all news, and obviously that doesn't make sense. We are living in an era in which the truth is elusive and we have to use our discernment and common sense to sift through the news - regardless of the source.

The articles below are well references and highly consistent with what is being reported in other news agencies and consistent with trends that have been observed in the Middle East recently, so here it goes:

Russia Arms Syria With Missiles To defend Against NATO Attack

We now know what those six Russian warships that reportedly entered Syrian territorial waters last week were carrying. Aside from representing a show of strength to discourage NATO powers from launching a military attack, on board were Russian technical experts ready to help Damascus set up a sophisticated missile defense system sold to them by Moscow.

“Russian warships that have reached waters off Syria in recent days were carrying, among other things, Russian technical advisors who will help the Syrians set up an array of S-300 missiles Damascus has received in recent weeks

Moscow sees a Western attack on Syria as a “red line” that it will not tolerate,” reports Arutz Sheva.

The S-300 missiles, which according to the report will be used to “deflect a possible attack by NATO or the U.S. and EU,” are long range surface-to-air missiles developed by Russia in 1979 for the purpose of protecting large industrial and military bases from enemy attack aircraft and cruise missiles.

The system is widely regarded as one of the most powerful anti-aircraft arrays in modern warfare

More interesting information below:

Arming Syria with such a proficient means of aerial defense would obviously not bode well for any prospective “no fly zone” being planned by western powers. Reports have been circulating this week that fighter jets from Turkey and other Arab states would soon enter Syrian airspace under “humanitarian” pretenses with logistical aid from the United States.

The prospect of air strikes being launched under a “humanitarian” banner are seen as increasingly likely given the fact that the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush has been moved to the Syrian coast in recent days having left its traditional theater of operations just off the Straits of Hormuz.

Report: Russia Sent Syria Super-Advanced S-300 Missiles

Despite the mounting opposition in the West and even in the Arab world against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad for his assaults on protesters seeking to unseat him as leader of the country, Russia maintains its support for Assad, the report said. Russian and Syria military officials are working together to maintain Assad's rule, and to deflect a possible attack by NATO or the U.S and EU.

Along with the missiles, the report says that Russia has installed advanced radar systems in all key Syrian military and industrial installations.

The radar system also covers areas north and south of Syria, where it will be able to detect movement of troops or aircraft towards the Syrian border. The radar targets include much of Israel, as well as the Incirlik military base in Turkey, which is used by NATO.

Also see:

Public Relations Campaign for Military Intervention in Syria Begins

The support for Syria coming from Russia shouldn't be surprising. Russia and Iran are already strongly aligned and the Syria-Iran connection has been established for years. In fact, many scholars believe that the first of the coming wars, the so-called "inner circle" (Isaiah 17) - consisting of Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, West Bank (palestinians), Egypt and possibly parts of Jordan will simply be proxies of Iran (with Russia lurking in the shadows). This scenario is becoming more and more crystalized by the day, and these news stories serve to bolster that view.