Posts
THE
SYRIAN GOVERNMENT, WITH THE S-300 NOW HAS THE MEANS TO SHOOT DOWN ANY
AIRCRAFT THAT ENTER ITS AIRSPACE AND HAVE LEGAL PRECEDENT TO JUSTIFY
SUCH AN ACTION.
Good Article by Finian Cunningham
Syria Tells NATO: Keep Jets Out Or Get Shot Down – OpEd
By
Finian Cunningham*
Russia's
S-300 anti-aircraft missile system at the Victory Parade, Red Square.
Photo Credit: Kremlin.ru, Wikipedia Commons.
7
December, 2015
Syria
is ready to deploy the fearsome S-300 air-defence system supplied by
its Russian ally. The anti-aircraft surface-to-air missiles will give
Syria control over its territory and the capability to shoot down any
intrusive warplane or missile. NATO warplanes beware!
The
fatal shoot-down of a Russian fighter jet by a Turkish F-16 two weeks
ago has given urgency to installing the air-defence system. It is as
much in Russia’s interest as it is in Syria’s to have air cover –
and the S-300, and its newer generation, the S-400, are reckoned to
be the best technology in the world for that job.
“It’s
a top-of-the range weapon”, says the British defence publication,
IHS Jane’s, probably surpassing the American Patriot missile
system. The Russian-made S-300 can take out any modern fighter plane
or missile, including Cruise missiles, at a range of up 150
kilometres and an altitude of 27 kilometres.
According
to a senior officer at the Syria-Russia joint military operations
room in Damascus, the mobile S-300 is ready for deployment at various
locations across the country.
Translated
from Arabic language Alrai Media (thanks to the reliable Fort Russ
Russian news site), the senior Syrian officer at the operations room
is quoted as saying: “Soon Syria will announce that any country
using the airspace without coordinating with Damascus will be viewed
as hostile and [we] will shoot the jet down without warning. Those
willing to fight terrorism and coordinate with the military
leadership will be granted safe corŠ»ridors.”
This
may seem like a dangerous escalation. American fighter jets have been
bombing Syrian territory since September 2014, having carried out
thousands of air strikes allegedly against the Islamic State (IS)
terror group (also known by its Arabic name Dash).
Since
the Paris terror attacks last month, France has stepped up its air
strikes in Syria too. In the past week, Britain and Germany
parliaments have voted for their air forces to join the other NATO
members in aerial operations. The US-led bombing coalition in Syria
also includes Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Russia
is the only country whose military aircraft are legally deployed in
Syria because Moscow has the full consent of the Syrian government.
All the others do not have consent from Damascus and simply invited
themselves.
So
we have at least seven foreign powers deploying their warplanes to
bomb Syrian territory – all in violation of international law.
It
is irrelevant whether the US-led alliance claims to be fighting
terrorists, or whether they claim it is in “self-defence” as
France, Britain and Germany are. The Germany justice minister Heiko
Maas, speaking after the Bundestag voted for military action this
week, claimed that the United Nations Security Council resolution
passed last month in the wake of the Paris attacks makes the German
intervention legal. That UNSC resolution does not specifically
sanction military action.
In
any case, the ultimate legal criterion is the position of the Syrian
state authorities. Western governments and their media have done
everything to discredit, demonise and delegitimise the Syrian
government. That’s part of the US-led criminal enterprise for
regime change in Syria. But the fact remains, Syria is a sovereign
state fully entitled the legal rights of all other UN members.
If
the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad – which is the
internationally recognised governing authority of Syria and retains
its seat at the UN – does not consent to foreign military
intervention, then that intervention is illegal, as Moscow and
Damascus have repeatedly pointed out.
Syria,
with the S-300 missile system supplied by its Russian ally, now has
the technical means to defend its borders and airspace from all
intruders. It also has the legal right to defend the inviolability of
its territory. After all, US President Barack Obama invoked this
right with regard to Turkey after the shoot-down of the Russian
Su-24. Obama said Turkey had “every right to protect its skies”
(even though the evidence shows that the Russian fighter jet did not
breach Turkish territory).
In
other words: what’s good for Turkey is good for Syria, as for any
other nation.
Now,
some might say it is a reckless move for Syria to train its skies
with the powerful S-300. If a US, French, British or German warplane
is shot down then that may ignite a full-on war with the American
NATO military alliance. Russia would inevitably be dragged into the
fight, which could slide into a world war between nuclear powers.
But
hold on a minute. That logic amounts to the US and its allies using
such fear as a weapon to disarm others and to prevent sovereign
states from exercising their rights.
Such
a dynamic is a blank cheque for powers to bully and oppress others
which the U.S. has been doing for decades.
As
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said time and again, the issue
is one abiding by international law. Without respect for
international law then the world resorts to the law of the jungle and
barbarism, as Putin said in his recent state of the nation speech.
What
we have seen in recent years since the US-led wars in Afghanistan and
Iraq in 2001-2003 is the wholesale erosion of sovereignty. This has
involved the overt deployment of military force and the covert use of
“asymmetric war”, says American political analyst Randy Martin
(who writes at crookedbough.com).
“The
use of proxy military force by the US and its NATO allies has been
seen in regime-change operations in Libya, Syria and Ukraine,
combined with media propaganda campaigns and economic sanctions,”
says Martin. “A key strategy here by the Washington-led powers is
to erode sovereign rights of designated enemy states.”
The
deployment of so-called Islamist terror groups to destabilise Syria
as with neo-Nazi paramilitaries in Ukraine is all part of the West’s
asymmetric warfare.
For
whatever reason, the US bombing coalition is claiming that it is
combating the IS jihadists in Syria. However, the evidence shows that
Western “combat” efforts in Syria are very late in coming and not
very effective, indicating a lack of commitment to genuinely defeat
the terror network.
There
is also reason to believe that the NATO rush to bomb IS oil smuggling
routes in Syria is really motivated by a need to cover up the tracks
of Western collusion with the terror groups. The American CIA and
British MI6, along with Turk military intelligence, have been
implicated in running the terror “rat lines”. Russian
intelligence is lifting the lid on this sordid racket.
Western
air strikes without the approval of the Syrian government are not
only illegal, they lack credibility in their stated aim.
But
either way, the imperative here is that Syria re-establishes its
sovereignty and the principles of international law. If Syria is
lost, then Western state sponsored banditry and terrorism will only
escalate. Russia is already being targeted by the West’s asymmetric
warfare, as is Iran and China.
Therefore,
a line has to be drawn. And with Russia’s military support, Syria
has the power to do just that. From now on, NATO warplanes violating
Syrian territory should be put on notice. Keep out or get shot down.
*The
views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do
not necessarily reflect the official position of MINA
S-300 in action in Damascus, Iranian Airforce sent to T4 airbase in Homs serviced by Russia
Fort
Russ - 2nd December, 2015
Elijah
J. Magnier
The Syrian
war is rolling like a snowball on the edge of the winter with
additional new elements that are introduced in the conflict. The
presence of new weapons and armies will impose a heavy weight on
the various forces fighting on the ground and over the ongoing
diplomacy in the attempt to shorten the life of the war in Syria.
A
high-ranking officer within the joint operation room in Damascus
(consisting of Russia, Iran, Syria and Hezbollah) said “Damascus
received sets of S -300 advanced Russian missiles, ready to enter
active service. Soon, Syria will announce that any country using
the airspace without coordinating with Damascus will be viewed as
hostile and will shoot the jet (s) without warning. Those willing
to fight terrorism and coordinate with the military leadership will
be granted safe corridors”.
In another development, according to the same source, “Iran is preparing two squadrons of Sukhoi to engage the war in Syria. These will be stationed at the T4 Syrian military airport in Homs, very close to Palmyra (Tadmur), previously known as Tiyas. The Iranian Air Force will join the Russian Air Force in their war against extremist terrorist Kafeeree in Syria”.
“The
alliance of Russia, Iran, Syria and their allies like Hezbollah,
the Iraqis and others are all directly involved in the battle.
Russian armed forces, including ground troops, the Navy and the Air
Force are supported by air defense system using TOR M 1 / M2
medium-range missiles, accompanied by Pantsir S- along with their
most advanced S-400 missiles to create an air umbrella coverage
over the Russian forces in the country. Another airport in Homs,
al-Sha’ayrat, has been prepared to host newly arriving Russian
Air jets.
Al-Sha’ayrat
is one of the most important military airport in Syria. Ground
troops are securing a wide parameter to allow a comfortable
maneuver. Engineers and ground crew services are ready and began to
receive inbound aircraft of the Russian Federation, led by advanced
Su-34 equipped with air-to-air missiles to protect other Jets while
bombing terrorists from another incident like the Su-24 downed by
Turkey last week”.
The
sources add “Iran sent 4000 IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard
Corps) equipped with mechanisms grenades and rocket launchers with
self-propelled cannons to support its offensive operations in
Syria. Moreover two squadrons of the Iranian Air Force will be
deployed in the T4 –Tiyas airport, located close to Al-Sha’ayrat,
when the Iranian engineers will conclude their work at the site.
Iran Air Force, trilled to raise the efficiency of pilots in real
combat operation, will provide an air support for all ground forces
from Palmyra to Raqqa. Moscow agreed to provide all maintenance and
ammunition needed to the Iranian jets. ”
On the S-300, the source concuded: “Syrian air defense crew completed their training on the S -300 missile system in Russia and received the full sets agreed with the government the Syrian forces. The Russian-made S-300s, which can engage 12 targets simultaneously at distances of 200 kilometers and heights of up to 27 kilometers, will be deployed in the liberated areas to cover the full Syrian geography. Damascus is expected – said the source – to announce, soon, that every unidentified jet flying in the sky of Syria will be considered hostile and will be shot down if no previous coordination have been made with the Syrian authorities. Syria is ready to provided safe corridors for those willing to strike terrorism”.
It
is unlikely that Syria would declare war in the sky on the western
coalition hitting ISIS group despite the deployment of the S-300
and when it will be officially announced. Nonetheless, it is
certainly a strong message to Turkey that is seeing its never
lasting dream of “safe-zone” vanishing in the air now more than
ever. It is also a way for Damascus to put pressure on the west,
mainly France and the United Kingdom, to force a diplomatic
coordination with the actual government, also in terms of security,
intelligence and “war on terror”. However, sources in the
Syrian capital confirm that Assad doesn’t expect a sudden return
of the Blue/White/Red flag over the French Embassy and the return
of an Ambassador, despite the Paris attack. But for the war on
terror to be efficient, Paris needs Damascus, and not the other way
around, for it’s own national security protection. There are over
1400 French Mujahedeen Takferees fighting along ISIS and al-Qaeda
in Bilad al-Sham. Many of these are listed in Assad intelligence
files. The DGSE, French external intelligence service, will have no
access to these without a diplomatic price in exchange. It will be
a challenge for France to fly its jets over Syria without any
coordination with Damascus and with the risk of being shot down by
the S-300, mistaken for a Turkish or unfriendly jet, like Israel.
Sha’ayrat
airport:
T4
Military Air Base (known as Tiyas):
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.