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The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

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  • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

    The West Lost Russia



    In contrast to the purported global warming, Russian-Western relations are undergoing a real cooling. The mounting frigidity in the relationship was symbolized in Moscow's surprise rush to the Arctic. The aim of this expedition was to gather scientific evidence to support a legal territorial claim to the Lomonosov Ridge. But this was just one salvo in a summer flurry that underscored a new, resurgent Russia. Others include:

    • A diplomatic offensive across the Middle East and Asia that included hints of forming a natural gas cartel.

    • President Vladimir Putin's moves to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.

    • The resumption of long-range strategic bomber flights that will patrol areas bordering European and U.S. airspace.

    • An announcement to expand the Navy's global presence, including basing once again some of its forces in the Mediterranean Sea.

    • The militarization of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as members and Iran, India, Pakistan and Mongolia as observers.

    In short, Russia is back as a global player, and it is no longer a starry-eyed admirer of the United States. These are the bitter fruits of the West's -- and in particular the United States' -- mistaken policies toward Russia since the end of the Cold War. Instead of treating Moscow magnanimously, as historian Richard Pipes once urged, the West declared victory.

    Unlike the victory in World War II over Nazi Germany, however, no Marshall Plan was forthcoming. Instead, the West promised but did not deliver timely economic assistance in the early 1990s. It also backed a disastrous and broadly unpopular privatization and economic reform program. Worst of all, it alienated the entire Russian elite by expanding NATO to include Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Baltic states. Further rounds of expansion may very well bring Georgia and Ukraine into the alliance. The NATO and European Union expansion, which did not include a substantive role for Russia, effectively locked Moscow out of a Western orbit that the Kremlin thought it was joining.

    Early on, U.S. President Bill Clinton wondered aloud to his top Russia hand, Undersecretary of State Strobe Talbott, about how long they could continue to shove things down Moscow's throat. U.S. President George W. Bush followed Clinton's lead by declaring initially that Russia was no longer a major player in global affairs or a major focus of U.S. foreign policy. Shortly thereafter, Bush announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the expansion of NATO closer to Russia's borders. Now Moscow's bitter disappointment with the West has taken the form of harsh anti-Americanism. It has also translated into a burning desire among the Russian elite and public to finally show the West that it would regret its policies once Russia "got up from its knees." That time has surely come.

    Some analysts warned that this would be the inevitable result of NATO expansion and other flawed U.S. and Western policies. Only a partnership with Russia and a firm policy of drawing it into the West would prevent Moscow's turn to the East. This also would have prevented the revival of traditional Russian suspicion -- if not outright antagonism -- toward the West. Finally, a closer cooperation with Russia may have prevented Moscow's disenchantment with democracy, which it has interpreted as being no more than an insidious and cynical Western ploy to weaken Russia. The cost of NATO expansion is that Russia has been lost in the medium term -- and perhaps in the long term as well -- as a powerful, committed democracy and Western ally. Moreover, the West has pushed Russia closer to China and Iran.

    If these are the costs of NATO expansion, what are the advantages? Few, if any. The alliance received from its new member states: a few thousand additional troops that are stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq, a three-jet Latvian air force and five Estonian nurses. Compare these benefits to Russia's vast military and intelligence resources and experience -- particularly in Afghanistan. Moreover, Moscow has helped to track down global jihadists, prevent the proliferation of weapons and materials of mass destruction and reconstruct Afghanistan. As a true ally, Russia could contribute much more to the Western alliance than the small new NATO members. All opinion polls now show that a plurality or majority of Russians regard the United States as the greatest threat to Russia and the world. Putin has repeatedly decried the U.S. impetus for a "unipolar" international structure -- which is to say, global hegemony.

    The Russian elite's consensus is even harsher. Alexander Solzhenitsyn recently said the United States seeks to encircle and weaken Russia. This statement is highly symbolic, coming from the esteemed writer who once took refuge in the United States as a political refugee from the Soviet state. It also underscores how cold U.S.-Russian relations have become. One hopes the next U.S. administration will not repeat Clinton and Bush's mistakes of insulting and underestimating Moscow. Even in the best of circumstances, the next U.S. president and his or her Western allies will face the daunting task of piercing through the unfortunate and unforgiving perceptual lens through which resurgent Moscow views the West, especially Washington.

    Source: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...08/29/006.html
    Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

    Նժդեհ


    Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

    Comment


    • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

      For some years now Russia and India have been attempting to develop closer relations politically, economically and militarily. There are hard geopolitical reasons behind their desire to cooperate within various fields. Primarily, Western support for Pakistan and various Arab Gulf States and the overwhelming military presence of the US in the region have moved Moscow and New Delhi closer recently. However, the relationship in question is not without its inherent problems. There are some geopolitical hurdles between Moscow and New Dehli that they need to overcome. One of the aforementioned obstacles between them is the Chinese factor. For many years China and India, the world's first and second most most populated nations who also happen to be neighbors, have been distrustful of each other. Relations between the two massive Asian nations have always been cordial but cold. However, with these fast changing times, geopolitical policies of various nations have been evolving as well. There are some signs today that China and India may be looking to move closer. Time will tell. Perhaps in the future some form of an alliance formed by Russia, China and India will be worked out. The recently formed Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), primarily an economic union which has taken on a military flavor as of late, is a good template to base this alliance on. Nevertheless, the world today desperately needs a balancing power. The only way the aforementioned will occur is if Russia truly becomes an independent and self-sufficient power with close strategic relations with China, India and various other pivotal nations around the world.

      Armenian

      ************************************************** *******************

      [Indian] Army to hold exercises in Russia


      (Joint Indian Russian Military Exercise 2006)

      Efficacy of equipment to be calibrated. First joint exercise was held in India last year. Both sides to field special forces soldiers.

      NEW DELHI: The Army will hold joint exercises in Russia for the first time from September 15 to 19. This is part of a reciprocal arrangement to promote better ties between the two armies. The first such exercise was held in India last year. During the exercises, outgoing Chief of the Army Staff Gen. J. J. Singh and other top brass will hold talks with senior Russian army officials. There has been a spate of high-level exchanges of officials in the run-up to the apex level defence cooperation meeting in October and a summit meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by the year end. Defence purchases from Russia have been an issue of concern here, as most contracts have been beset by delays and cost escalation. However, it is unlikely for the Indian Army delegation to hold talks on the issue, as there had been no cost escalation for the assembling of T-90 tanks and other equipment sourced from Russia. The exercises will comprise paratroopers jumping from planes to conduct swift seek and destroy operations in the Peskov region. Both sides will field their special forces men for the purpose. The previous exercise, called the “Indra series,” had a similar profile.

      Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/29/stor...2955381400.htm

      In related news:

      India to buy more T-90 tanks


      (T-90 Main Battle Tank)

      NEW DELHI: India is set to sign a major arms deal with Russia to purchase 350 more upgraded T-90 main battle tanks equipped with French night visions in a deal worth $300 million. The tanks, which would be used to equip two Indian armoured divisions, are expected to be delivered within 3 to 4 years, according to Russian sources here. The deal was to be signed during the visit of a high level Russian defence delegation headed by General Alexi Fedroovich Maslov on Monday, but has run into trouble after Moscow demanded millions of dollars more in sale of additional Sukhoi fighters and Carrier Groshkov. However, the Russians say that they are confident that the deal would go through in the next two months. India is seeking to buy these additional T-90 tanks off the shelf as production under technology transfer at Avadi heavy armament factory is slow due to technical problems. The induction of fresh T-90 tanks would mean that two of the three strike corps of the Indian Army would be equipped with these frontline weapons, which are far superior to Pakistan's T-80 tanks acquired from Ukraine.

      Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/2095174.cms

      India's MiG-29 fighter jets to be upgraded by Russia


      (Mig-29s of the Indian Air Force)

      New Delhi: India is finalising a proposal to have its fleet of 67 MiG-29 multi-role fighters refurbished for $888 million by the Russian company RSK-MiG, but the upgrade programme is already two years behind schedule. "The programme is part of IAF's (Indian Air Force's) long-term plan to modernise its fighter fleet with the aim of expanding its strategic reach, firepower and area of responsibility over the next decade as India's burgeoning economy and regional importance proliferate," a senior IAF officer told IANS. Granted financial clearance by the defence ministry in fiscal 2005-06, the MiG-29 upgrade project has already been delayed by over two years. It is now likely to commence only in fiscal 2006-07 and be completed around four years later, officials said. The upgraded MiG-29s will remain in service for 10-15 years. The programme includes fitting the MiG-29s with upgraded weapons and a new avionics suite, with the old N-019 radar being replaced by the Phazatron Zhuk-M radar. The MiG-29s will also be upgraded for mid-air refuelling to increase their endurance.

      The IAF is currently refurbishing 125 MiG-21 Bis and 40 MiG-27ML fighters. These two jets are being equipped with advanced avionics, improved electronic warfare systems and precision weaponry to boost the IAF's ageing combat fleet that also faces a sharp reduction in numbers over the next decade. By 2010, the IAF will phase out most of its 300-odd MiG-21 variants, its only remaining MiG-23 ground attack squadron or around 16-18 aircraft, around 100-110 MiG-27 fighters that are not being upgraded and two - out of an earlier eight - MiG-25 strategic reconnaissance jets that are still in service. According to officials, RSK-MiG, the original manufacturer of the MiG-29s, will be the sole vendor to upgrade the IAF's fleet of MiG-29B/S fighters and MiG-29UB dual-seat trainers. RSK-MiG will independently source the equipment that the IAF will select for fitting on the jets. In addition, it will carry out life-extension checks on the upgraded multi-role fighters that were first inducted into the IAF in 1986.

      "The avionics architecture that the IAF is firming up will be a mix-and-match of Russian, local and imported systems that are likely to be sourced from France, Israel and possibly even the US," a senior official said. Various options being debated by the IAF include dispatching a limited number of MiG-29 fighters to RSK-MiG in Russia for being upgraded. This would be similar to the procedure adopted for two MiG-21 jets that were retrofitted in Russia in the late 1990s. Following this, the programme was completed at the IAF's base repair depot at Nashik in western India. Meanwhile, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) managing director K.P. Puri recently said 94 of 125 MiG-21s had been upgraded to the MiG 21 "Bison" standard at the HAL complex at Nashik. The remaining 29 jets would be upgraded by the yearend. At least three MiG-21 Bisons, however, have crashed since 2004. HAL is the prime contractor for the $626 million MiG-21 upgrade programme that, besides the Russian, includes French and Israeli avionics and weapons manufacturers and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

      Cleared in 1996, the project was to have been completed by 2001. But officials admitted it had been delayed by nearly five years because of technical, financial and bureaucratic "glitches" involving the IAF, the defence ministry, HAL and MiG. Prototypes of the MiG-27 jets refurbished by HAL at Nashik under the supervision of the Defence Avionics and Research Establishment at Bangalore have already been certified. The first 12 upgraded ground attack fighters will be handed over to the IAF later this year. The remaining 28 MiG-27s, HAL officials said, would be upgraded at the rate of one a month under the $133 million service life-extension programme signed in mid-2001. Over a year behind schedule, this project is due for completion by end-2008. The MiG-27s, which are undergoing an extensive avionics retrofitting, will remain in service till 2020 and even beyond.

      Source: http://www.india-defence.com/reports/1328
      Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

      Նժդեհ


      Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

      Comment


      • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

        Uhh Russians better make some effort here with cost deals and timing. If India is their number 1 customer, they need keep em happy. 2012 is a long time to wait for carrier.

        Comment


        • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

          From Russia with $3 billion. Another Putin opponent may have fled to London


          (Oligarch Mikhail Gutseriyev)

          The Guardian. August 30, 2007

          · Wanted oligarch gives investigators the slip
          · 'Unprecedented bullying' by state revealed in letter


          Relations between Russia and Britain were facing fresh turbulence yesterday after a billionaire oligarch wanted by the Kremlin for tax evasion was reported to have escaped to London. Mikhail Gutseriyev - the former head of one of Russia's largest private oil firms - disappeared from Russia last week. On Tuesday a court in Moscow issued a warrant for his arrest. Last month Mr Gutseriyev stepped down from his oil company, RussNeft, citing "unprecedented bullying" by Vladimir Putin's government. Mr Gutseriyev - whose personal fortune is estimated at $3bn - accused the Kremlin of "illegally" forcing him out of business using trumped-up tax claims.

          Yesterday Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported that Mr Gutseriyev had fled to London, apparently taking his billions with him. Quoting "unofficial sources", the paper said he had slipped past Russian investigators and gone to the UK. Mr Gutseriyev's whereabouts was unclear last night. But the case has the potential to exacerbate the government's already brittle relations with Moscow. Mr Putin regularly denounces Britain as a haven for "criminals and terrorists" following Britain's refusal to send home the London-based former oligarch Boris Berezovsky. Numerous Russian dissidents and opponents of the Putin regime now live in London. They include Mr Berezovsky - who enjoys political asylum and is Mr Putin's biggest critic - the Chechen rebel leader Akhmed Zakayev, the former Kommersant journalist Yelena Tregubova, and executives from the bankrupt oil company Yukos. Last night prominent members of London's Russian community said there had been persistent rumours over the past few days that Mr Gutseriyev had fled Russia to set up in the UK. The Home Office refused to comment on the reports.

          Mr Berezovsky said: "I know him and although I don't have an especially close relationship with him I will help if he gets in touch, although he will not need all that much help because he has big experience abroad and he has money." Mr Berezovsky said he expected more Russians to come to London because the UK's legal system offered protection from what he described as Russia's "gangster" government. Any application by Mr Gutseriyev for political asylum in the UK will infuriate the Kremlin. Mr Putin has already accused Britain of "stupidity" for trying to extradite Andrei Lugovoi - the former KGB agent charged with the murder and poisoning of the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko. Last month both countries expelled four of each other's diplomats. Mr Gutseriyev was last seen in Russia attending the funeral of his British-educated son, who died last week following a mysterious car crash, Kommersant reported. Chingiskhan Gutseriyev, 22, was educated at Harrow and Warwick University. He apparently died from trauma after possibly crashing his Ferrari. Police and hospitals in Moscow, however, say they have no record of a crash.

          Mr Gutseriyev's woes appear to have started after he bought up assets from the oil firm Yukos. On July 30 he published a damning letter accusing the Russian authorities of using regulation as a pretext to grab back oil and gas assets from Russian and western companies. He wrote: "They made me an offer to leave the oil business, to leave on 'good terms'. I refused. Then, to make me more amenable, they tightened the screws on the company with unprecedented persecution." The letter marked the most significant public challenge to Mr Putin from a leading businessman since the imprisonment four years ago of the former chairman of Yukos Oil, Mikhail Khordorkovsky. Khordorkovsky was jailed for eight years in 2004 for tax evasion and fraud. The case was widely seen as political punishment for his refusal to stop funding anti-Kremlin opposition parties ahead of 2004 elections. The oligarch, once Russia's richest man, is now in jail in Siberia.

          Yesterday Russian newspapers dubbed Mr Gutseriyev a "second Mikhail" - a reference to Khordorkovsky. They predicted that, like Yukos, his RussNeft oil empire would be swiftly dismantled, sold off, and most probably absorbed into a new state-run firm. Russian investigators have already seized the firm and accuse Mr Gutseriyev of failing to pay $800m in tax. Mr Gutseriyev, 47, was one of Russia's most successful Muslim businessmen, and according to Forbes magazine is Russia 31st richest man. Last month he announced that following government pressure he was selling his firm to the pro-Kremlin oligarch and billionaire tycoon Oleg Deripaska. Yesterday Kommersant said the deal had already gone through - with Mr Gutseriyev pocketing $3bn.

          Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/art...158599,00.html
          Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

          Նժդեհ


          Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

          Comment


          • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

            For several months there had been serious rumors regarding an impending war between Syria and Israel. It was being reported at the time that Syrian forces were preparing for an attack by Israeli forces from the Golan Heights region. As a result of these reports, both sides began the deployment of their army units and special forces into various positions near the Golan Heights. News sources from around the world today, however, are reporting that Moscow may have been the cause of the recent rise in tension between Syria and Israel. News sources from Israel are claiming that Moscow deliberately fabricated military intelligence information concerning Israeli troop movements in and around the Golan Heights to scare Damascus. The sources from Israel are insinuating that Moscow deliberately manipulated Damascus' fear of an Israeli attack with the intention of convincing Damascus to reestablish the Soviet era naval base within their nation. As we saw recently, Damascus also made a large purchase of Russian armaments due to their fears of an up-coming war. Tel Aviv also claimed today that they are pulling back their armed forces from the region to deescalate the heightened tension between the two nations.This latest Israeli move was most probably done to undermine Moscow's strategy in Damascus.

            Armenian

            ************************************************** **************
            'Russia caused tensions between Israel, Syria'


            (IDF Assembly Point in Norther Israel)

            THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 30, 2007

            Russia was partly responsible for the heightened tension between Israel and Syria at the beginning of the summer, head of the Diplomatic-Security Bureau at the Defense Ministry, Gen. Amos Gilad (ret.) said on Thursday. During an interview with Army Radio, the former general noted that recent messages sent by Israel to Moscow have caused the Russians to cease their activity, thus easing the tensions in the region. "At a certain time, the Russians caused the Syrians to believe that Israel was preparing for war," Gilad said. "I think that they have stopped this. Syria is not planning on attacking Israel, and Israel is definitely not planning on attacking Syria." According to a report published in the Israeli daily Ma'ariv, diplomatic and security officials in the Kremlin purposely misled the Syrians in order to further maximize their profits from the sale of military equipment. Russia is currently one of the main suppliers of military equipment to Syria.

            Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull

            Israel: Russia Egged Syria On

            CBNNews August 30, 2007

            CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM, Israel - Some Israeli defense officials believe Russia played a key behind-the-scenes role in ratcheting up Syrian belief that Israel was preparing to go to war with them. General Amos Gilad (ret.), head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic Security Bureau, attributes eased regional tensions to Russia's heeding of Israeli requests to cease egging Syria on. "At a certain time, the Russians caused the Syrians to believe that Israel was preparing for war, and I think they've stopped this," the general told Army Radio. "Syria is not planning to attack Israel, and Israel definitely is not planning to attack Syria," he said. Earlier this month, Russia finalized a major arms deal with Syria, which included permanent docking rights for the Russian navy in two of Syria's Mediterranean ports.

            Germany Announces Aid Package

            Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Germany announced a $46 million aid package to Bashar Assad's government. According to Reuters, half of the aid package is a soft loan, often provided for developing countries with generous repayment terms, such as below-market interest rates or long repayment periods. The other half of the aid package is slated for infrastructure and project development. "Syria needs to progress on the political, civil society and rule of law fronts, but our work is based on cooperation, not confrontation, said German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. The loan signaled a renewal of German Syrian relations after a two-year freeze following the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Many Westerners suspect Syrian President Bashar Assad of complicity in al-Hariri's murder, which he denied, notwithstanding a U.N. investigation alleging involvement by Lebanese and Syrian security officials.

            Source: http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/222820.aspx?option=print

            Israel signaled a drop-off in military tensions with Syria over the Golan Heights.

            JTA 08/29/2007

            Military sources said Wednesday that troops scheduled to hold war games on the Golan had been relocated to southern Israel, in a bid to defuse a simmering stand-off with Syria. Earlier this summer, with Syrian President Bashar Assad offering Jerusalem renewed peace talks but also hinting that his country could use force to regain the Golan, Israel held several large-scale military drills on the strategic plateau. Military sources said the Golan garrison remains on high alert, though no hostilities are expected imminently. Israel has observed a build-up of Syrian armed forces on the other side of the Golan but believes this is a precautionary rather than offensive measure.

            Source: http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/103890.html

            Israel takes step towards normalising relations with Syria-view

            ITAR TASS, 30.08.2007

            Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Mikhail Margelov said the reduction of Israel’s military presence on the strategic Golan Heights is an important step towards normalising relations with Syria. On Wednesday, Haaretz Daily Newspaper quoted representatives of power-yielded structures saying the manoeuvres, which were earlier organised by Israel, would be conducted in the south of the country in Negev Desert near Beersheba on the way to Eilat. The units, which were expected to take part in the manoeuvres, will be redeployed to this region. According to military officials, this decision was taken in order to ease tension in the region and stop spreading rumours about a possible military conflict between Israel and Syria as a result of any provocation. Margelov told Itar-Tass on Thursday a Damascus-Jerusalem dialogue on the status of this region had been continuing for decades. The senator noted, “Israel’s demand Syria demilitarise this area and its right to use the waters of Jordan River and Lake Kinneret Lake are a forced step, which is aimed at defending its national security.” The international community, as well as Syria, does not recognise that this territory is Israel’s one. It demands Israel return it. But Israel is afraid of returning the heights because the major water artery, Jordan River, begins near the Golan Heights.

            If Israel withdraws its troops from this area, the talks on its status will be continued. “Israel is taking the first step. Whether al-Assad’s government guarantees to use these territories for peaceful purposes, it may provide the foundation for handing over the heights to Syria,” the senator pointed out. At the same time, he described the final pullout of Israeli troops from the heights as “a difficult process from the technical and political points of view”. Margelov recalled that the situation aggravated in the country when Israel withdrew its troops from the Gaza Strip. In his words, Israel’s pullout from the Golan Heights “is fraught with serious difficulties. To this end, Olmert will need full internal support that he lacks. Just in June rumours spread about Olmert’s plans to exchange the Golan Heights for peace and the majority of the Israeli society took a negative position. We can hardly wait for the speedy solution to this old problem”.

            Source: http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2....9224&PageNum=0
            Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

            Նժդեհ


            Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

            Comment


            • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

              Assad has threatened Hezbollah type of operations in the Golan for September earlier this summer if Israelis didn't withdraw.

              Comment


              • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

                Originally posted by skhara View Post
                Assad has threatened Hezbollah type of operations in the Golan for September earlier this summer if Israelis didn't withdraw.
                Obviously there is a lot going on behind the scenes. The story about Moscow's manipulative actions in Damascus was interesting regardless of its accuracy. Regardless of Moscow's actions, Damascus is well aware of the covert and overt anti-Syrian operations being implements by Tel Aviv and Washington DC within Iraq and Lebanon. Tehran and Moscow realize this as well which is why they are supplying Syria with modern weaponry just in case hostilities resume. I also think it would be very wise of Damascus if they help the Russians regain their Soviet era military status within the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, I know for sure that Israel is not ready to resume hostilities against anyone. At the very least, they are not ready for another land battle in Lebanon or Syria. What's more, it's no secret that Syria and Hizbollah, with Iranian support, are improving their already battle proven guerrilla tactics by stocking up on Russian manufactured advanced anti-tank rockets and anti-aircraft missile. The Israeli armed forces have been somewhat defanged. And the myth of IDF's invisibility has been shattered by Hizbollah courage and Russian military technology.

                The following pictures more-or-less reveals the state of the Israeli armed forces as-of-late.

                The Israeli Defense Minister some time after the Lebanon War observing IDF military maneuvers within the vicinity of the Golan Heights:



                And the picture below was the fate suffered by 40-50 of their super tanks at the hands of the Hizbollah:



                The pride of the Israeli IDF burning in the fields of south Lebanon:



                A group hug after battling pesky rag-heads:



                The servicemen need comforting after being told they will miss the next reshowing of Seinfeld due to hostilities:



                And you know what? It's all because the chosen people are not able to conduct the types of military operations seen below:


                Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

                Նժդեհ


                Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

                Comment


                • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

                  More noise from Israel. Its obvious they are concerned. The article below also recounts an event in the mid-90s that is very interesting.

                  Armenian

                  ************************************************** ****************

                  Analysis: Russia uses Syrian port to demonstrate its power in the Med


                  (SU-33 Landing on the Deck of Admiral Kuznetsov)

                  THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 31, 2007

                  Russia is expanding its military presence in Syria, developing an advanced naval port at Tartus and providing Syria with sophisticated missile technology. The story of Russia's return to Tartus, Syria's second most important port after Latakia, broke a year ago. It is Moscow's only foreign naval outpost situated outside the former Soviet Union. In June 2006 Russian media reported that Moscow had begun dredging at Tartus with a possible eye to turning what was largely a logistical base into a full-fledged station for its Black Sea Fleet, soon to be redeployed from the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol. But Tartus is much more than just a new home for the fleet; it allows projection of Russian power into the entire eastern Mediterranean, and, by extension, a flexing of military might before Israel and the West.

                  Russian sources said the country's military planned to form a squadron to operate in the Mediterranean within three years, built around the Moskva missile cruiser. In addition, several respected Russian newspapers have reported that Moscow planned to deploy an S-300PMU-2 Favorit air-defense system to protect the base, with the system being operated by Russian servicemen rather than by Syrian forces. According to these reports, the system would provide air defense protection for a large part of Syria. Moscow and Damascus have also reached an agreement to modernize Syria's anti-aircraft network by upgrading medium-range S-125 missile complexes that were sold to Syria in the 1980s. Another instance of secret activity at the port came on March 9, 2005, when yet another Russian Black Sea Fleet vessel, the Azov, supposedly carrying machinery for rebuilding the moorage at the Tartus technical base and replacements for obsolete items in the base's storage, left for Syria. When it arrived at the port, several suspicious meetings between local authorities and Russian Navy officers took place, Russian media reported.

                  Less than two months later, Syria test fired new Scud missiles. The Syrians launched one Scud B missile with a range of 300 kilometers, and two Scud D missiles with a range of 700 kilometers. It is tempting to suggest that technologies for these projectiles were among the "equipment" brought on board the Azov. The Russians have not stopped at moving missiles in their attempt to make an impression in the region. On one occasion they sent fighter planes into Israeli airspace.

                  In January 1996, the Russian Navy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov came very close to Israeli territorial waters. On January 27, it launched several advanced Su-33 fighters, the naval version of the Su-27. The jets ventured into Israeli air space near Haifa. IAF planes were scrambled to intercept, but a skirmish was avoided. The incident was kept secret for six years and was only revealed in 2002 in an article in the Israel Air Force magazine. According to the report, Russian planes entered Israel's airspace at least twice and several F-16 scrambled for an intercept mission after an intrusion alert was received.

                  Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull
                  Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

                  Նժդեհ


                  Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

                  Comment


                  • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

                    The servicemen need comforting after being told they will miss the next reshowing of Seinfeld due to hostilities:

                    Comment


                    • Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

                      Russian Far East naval exercises no threat to neighbors - Pacific Fleet


                      (Russian Federation Navy Anti-Submarine Ship Admiral Panteleyev)

                      August 30 (RIA Novosti) - Naval exercises being held off Russia's Far East coast are defense-oriented and pose no threat to any neighboring Asian state, a Navy official said Thursday. The weeklong exercises, which began Wednesday, are being conducted by the Primorye flotilla of the Pacific Fleet in the Russian sector of the Sea of Japan. The maneuvers involve over 20 surface ships, submarines and supply vessels, as well as about a dozen aircraft. Captain 1st rank Roman Martov, the head of the Pacific Fleet press center, said these are scheduled combat exercises of diversified forces. "These exercises will become the longest and most comprehensive maneuvers ever held in south Primorye waters," said Martov. Besides missile and gunnery firing, and torpedo attacks, the exercises will feature missile interceptions by two large Anti-Submarine Warfare ships, the Admiral Panteleyev and Admiral Tributs [NATO codename Udaloy I].

                      Source: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070830/75731911.html

                      Russia fumes at claim it flamed tension with Syria

                      THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 31, 2007

                      Top Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad's accusation on Thursday that Russia was partly responsible for recent tensions between Syria and Israel could undermine Israeli-Russian relations, a senior Russian diplomat in Tel Aviv told The Jerusalem Post. Andrey Demidov, the No. 2 official at the Russian Embassy, said he was "disappointed" and "regretted" reports published Thursday that Russia was largely behind tensions between Syria and Israel, in an effort to increase arms sales to Damascus. "And I regret the statement made by Amos Gilad, because it can only undermine our relations," Demidov said. Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Military Bureau, said in an Army Radio interview, "At a certain time, the Russians caused the Syrians to believe that Israel was preparing for war.

                      "I think that they have stopped this," Gilad added. "Syria is not planning on attacking Israel, and Israel is definitely not planning on attacking Syria."

                      Demidov said he had no intention of meeting with Gilad or speaking with him to get clarification of his comments. "Yesterday he said one thing, tomorrow he will say another thing. I only regret it," Demidov said. The Defense Ministry refused to respond to the diplomat's comments. Moscow "very, very much values the present state of relations between Russia and Israel, and won't do anything to undermine it, Demidov said.

                      "How can we be hostile to a country where more than one million of our compatriots live," he said. "We need Israel for economic and scientific cooperation. For example, we can enrich ourselves through scientific and economic knowledge here more than in Syria. Our cooperation can be more efficient here than in Syria. I believe that we have more interests here than in Damascus."

                      Demidov said, however, that comments such as Gilad's and press reports like those saying Russia was banging the drums of war in Syria only made building ties more difficult. For instance, he said, these types of reports made planning for the visit of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, scheduled for October, more difficult. Western sources said recently that Syria was told that the US would attack Iran by the end of the year and that Israel would use the opportunity to strike at Syria. As a result, President Bashar Assad set off on a massive military buildup that included training his forces, reinforcing positions along the Golan Heights and purchasing large amounts of weaponry from Russia. Demidov said he had not "seen reports of the kind."

                      He added that Russia was "not happy about military preparations on both sides, and it is not our aim to instigate one party or another."

                      Demidov also said he knew nothing of claims made by defense officials Thursday that more than 1,000 Russian military advisers were currently stationed in Syria. The sources said the Russian military personnel were also assisting Syria in upgrading its weapons platforms and military infrastructure. Demidov also would not confirm widespread press reports that Russia began delivering advanced antimissile missiles to Damascus earlier this month, saying that Russia has only sold Syria air defense missiles to protect Assad's palace, buzzed by the IAF a few years back. Contradicting a widespread assumption in Jerusalem, Demidov said Russian arms sales to Syria were not primarily motivated by an economic interest in "feeding" the huge Russian military/industrial complex.

                      "We have arms sales to different countries," he said. "If there are no arms sales to Syria we can sell to Venezuela, as well as to China and to India," he said. The diplomat said Moscow sold weapons to Syria and to Iran because "we have good relations with them, and because they asked for defensive weapons."

                      He reiterated Russia's position that it would not sell weapons that would tip the balance of power in the region. "We take into account Israel's concerns in considering whether to supply certain kinds of weapons to one country or another," he said, although he would not provide specific examples.

                      "We always remember the promise given by President [Vladimir] Putin to then-prime minister [Ariel] Sharon not to do anything that could change the balance of power in the region," he said. Putin offered to sell arms to Israel during his visit here in 2005, Demidov said, but was told by one Israeli official:

                      "Why should we buy weapons from Russia when we get them free from the US."

                      Asked why Russia was selling weapons to Syria and Iran if money wasn't the primary consideration, he said such deals were one way to be a "key actor" in the region.

                      "First of all, we have a history of relations [with these countries]," he said. "We consider ourselves to be an active player in the region, and want others to consider us one of the key actors in the region."

                      Regarding reports that Russia was interested in reestablishing a naval base in Syria, Demidov said that what was being discussed was a "supply point" in the Mediterranean for the Russian fleet, but that no decision had been made where this would be, and that Greece and Cyprus were also under consideration. During the Cold War the Soviets used the Syrian port of Tartus as a supply point for their naval presence in the Mediterranean.

                      The head of Russia's navy, Adm. Vladimir Masorin, said earlier this month that "the Mediterranean Sea is very important strategically for the Black Sea Fleet. I propose that, with the involvement of the Northern and Baltic fleets, the Russian Navy should restore its permanent presence there."

                      The idea was to return to a situation that existed during the days of the Soviet Union, Demidov said, when Russia had a permanent presence in the Mediterranean. "Of course if they're there, they will have to get supplies," he said, repeating, however, that no decision had been made to establish the "supply point" in Syria.

                      Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull
                      Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

                      Նժդեհ


                      Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

                      Comment

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