"The world has reached a dangerous point,": Gorbachev

Tales of the New Cold War: "I think the world has reached a dangerous point," says Gorbachev.

Stephen F. Cohen, @nyu, @princeton University, EastWestAccord.com

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Tales of the New Cold War: "I think the world has reached a dangerous point," says Gorbachev. Stephen F. Cohen, @nyu, @princeton University, EastWestAccord.com.

“Soaring tensions between the United States and Russia have brought the world to a “dangerous point,” Mikhail Gorbachev warned on Monday.

The former Soviet leader’s intervention came amid a collapse in East-West relations over the war in Syria that has seen the Kremlin openly threaten to shoot down Western aircraft, drawing comparisons with the worst crises of the Cold War.

"I think the world has reached a dangerous point," Mr Gorbachev, 85, told state news agency RIA Novosti….”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/10/gorbachev-warns-world-is-at-dangerous-point-amid-us-russian-face/

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“Russian air defense and anti-missile systems in Syria are ready to shoot down "any unidentified flying object" if air strikes are carried out on Syrian government positions, according to Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov.

The motivation for Konashenkov’s statement, made on Oct. 6, was a series of leaks in foreign mass media sources about discussion by the U.S. government of the possibility of launching air strikes on Syrian army positions.

Konashenkov said that most Russian officers involved in Syria work on the ground, bringing humanitarian aid to neighborhoods under the control of the current government. Russian servicemen are also playing a role in negotiations with the heads of various settlements and armed groups in most of Syria's provinces.

"Any missiles and air strikes on territory controlled by the Syrian government will create a clear threat for Russian servicemen," added Konashenkov.”…

US military planners should “carefully consider the possible consequences” of such action, Major General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement on Thursday.

“Today, the Syrian army has effective S-200, Buk and other air defense systems, which have undergone technical renovation in the past year,” he said.

“I remind US 'strategists' that air cover for the Russian military bases in Tartus and Hmeymim includes S-400 and S-300 anti aircraft missile systems, the range of which may come as a surprise to any unidentified flying objects,” he added.

Russian air defence troops would not have time to identify the flight path of incoming rockets or aircraft that fired them, and would respond immediately, Maj. Gen. Konashenkov added….”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/06/russian-air-defence-missiles-would-respond-if-us-launches-air-st/