Divining the News (DTN)

The significance of Russia sending her Navy to Syria.

It is a tit for tat for the Americans / NATO presence in the Black Sea.

Israel is the crown Jewel of the US & NATO’s endeavors. To threaten Israel is to threaten the current raison d’etre of the West.Israel has never faced so much potential hostile firepower in its vicinity ever!

Presumably the more the West (through NATO) ups the ante in or about Georgia, the more the Russians can counter by supplying the Syrians (and therefore) Hizbollah.

It would appear that political manoeuvring, like suggesting the Americans convene another Middle East peace conference, prior to Russia’s in October is all hot air when compared to arms on the ground.

There must be alarm bells going off in Israel. A flotilla of advanced Russian ships arriving next door to Israel.
One response has been a behind the scenes effort to cool the US / Russia relationship.

… both powers have begun acting to cool the rhetoric and review relations, after spokesmen in Washington – and especially Moscow – raised the threat level of their oratory to its highest pitch since the Cold War’s end. Source

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The dust has hardly settled on the Georgian conflict, this show of force by the Russian Navy needs to be seen as part of that conflict. From a Russian perspective, Israel armed, nurtured and possibly triggered the killing of Russian soldiers and citizens.

Russia’s intelligence agency the FSB is very clear in the extent of Israeli involvement. The Israeli Navy fared very badly in Lebanon in 2006. Presumably they are now monitoring every detail.

Syria is lapping it all up and showing support for Russia. The President of Syria was the first foreign head of state to visit Moscow since the Georgian conflict ended. Not a moment was wasted. Syria has been nurturing Russian ties at all times and this year has reportedly already purchased Mig 31s, a very advanced fighter aircraft, billed as ‘defensive’

What is Russia’s Navy doing in Syria, if not threatening Israel? Presumably the FSB will know exactly what the Americans are unloading in their humanitarian aid to Georgia.

Israel (meaning NATO) could abandon Georgia for Israel’s sake. Israel was after all complicit in all that has gone wrong.

There are mooted articles appearing in the Israeli press (see below) regarding the Russian payback. Mooted because the media has a duty not to be alarmist. But Israel has never ever seen so much hostile weaponry so close. Presumably it can be quickly offloaded to the Syrians.

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Russia can also assist the Mujahdeen / Taliban. That is exactly what the Americans did when the Russians were in Afghanistan. But nothing on this earth compares to threatening Israel. The White House is after all related to Israel.

Reuters | August 21, 2008
MOSCOW – Russia’s envoy to NATO said yesterday:
Without Russia’s support in Afghanistan, NATO would face a new Vietnam, and this is clear to everyone.
H/T: http://rockthetruth.blogspot.com/2008/08/moscow-makes-nice-to-nato.html

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Video: Syria: we’ll host Russian missile system

Syria says it’s ready to put a Russian missile system on its soil as a counterweight to U.S. plans to deploy a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. The offer was made during a meeting between Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad and President Dmitry Medvedev in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Source

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The US is increasingly owned by foreigners:

Russia’s total holdings of [US Bonds =] $156 billion — or roughly 10% of Russia’s GDP (a bit more actually). Source

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It is doubtful if this has any bearing on the US. The US is just a euphemism for Israel:

Report: US pressuring Israel to halt talks with Syria

Diplomatic sources tell UAE newspaper Washington wants Jewish state to stop indirect negotiations with Damascus held in Turkey due to reported Syrian agreement to deploy Russian missile system on its territory Source

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Read Israel (not US):

US ‘very concerned’ over planned Russian weapons sale to Syria

On Thursday, Israeli President Shimon Peres warned that sending new weapons to Syria “would endanger peace in the world, not only in the Middle East.”

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Haaretz is unbelievable:

Despite the tension between Russia and the West, there is no crisis in relations between Jerusalem and Moscow, Israel believes. Source

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Russia sends aircraft carrier to Syria

21.08.2008

[...] The Admiral Kuznetsov, part of the Northern Fleet and Russia’s only aircraft carrier, will head a Navy mission to the area. The mission will also include the missile cruiser Moskva and several submarines, Newsru.com reports.

President Assad in meetings in Moscow this week expressed support to Russia’s intervention in South Ossetia and Georgia. He also expressed interest in the establishment of Russian missile air defence facilities on his land.

The Admiral Kuznetsov also last year headed a navy mission to the Mediterranean. Then, on the way from the Kola Peninsula and south, it stopped in the North Sea where it conducted a navy training exercise in the immediate vicinity of Norwegian offshore installations. Source

The ambiguity of the last paragraph is quite threatening: To Western Oil installations in Norway?
Or does it mean the naval armada may never make it to Syria if negotiations allow it?