I don't think this would be happening unless NATO and the U.S. had a secret side agreement to END ISIS by any means necessary. Something is likely going to be given Russia for ending ISIS. Hopefully, that something is not Ukraine. Russia I know is very upset at Chechen Separatists as some of the Generals and officers within ISIS. One thing that might be useful to being said here, "Putin is more ruthless than ISIS". This likely is a true statement if he goes after ISIS. I can't guarantee this but this might be what we are going to witness now. The U.S. or NATO couldn't get away with this because of their business dealings with the Saudis. However, Putin hates the Sunnis so he might annihilate ISIS in a secret deal with the west. Europe and the U.S. and Russia have all had enough of ISIS, (ISIL) IS (whatever you want to call it). The Refugee crisis likely is one of the causes of this change in the real politik of the world.
Russian Build-Up Continues at Base in Syria, Causing Concern Among US Officials
| ABC News | - |
Russia
continues to transport equipment to an airbase in the Syrian port city
of Latakia -- a move that U.S. officials suggest could mean it is being
prepared to handle significant air activity.
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Russian Build-Up Continues at Base in Syria, Causing Concern Among US Officials
Russia
continues to transport equipment to an airbase in the Syrian port city
of Latakia -- a move that U.S. officials suggest could mean it is being
prepared to handle significant air activity.
Four large Russian transport aircraft arrived over the weekend at the
base with unspecified equipment, and two tank landing ships have also
arrived at the Russian naval base in Tartus, south of Latakia, American
officials said, noting it remains uncertain what Russian plans are in
developing what appears to be a new air hub in Latakia.
The U.S. started seeing the arrival of Russian equipment last week at a Syrian air base co-located at the Bassel Al Assad International Airport in Latakia, a city northwestern Syria that is a stronghold of support for embattled Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, U.S. officials said.
What initially drew the concern of American officials was the arrival at
the airfield of temporary modular building structures that could be
used to house hundreds of personnel. Construction has yet to begin on
those structures. The Russians were also spotted establishing a
temporary air traffic control system, U.S. officials said.
Secretary of State John Kerry
called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday to express
American concerns about the build-up, which "could further escalate the
conflict" in Syria, the State Department said in a statement announcing
Kerry's call. Kerry called Lavrov again today about the issue, U.S.
officials said.
But the flow of Russian materials continued this weekend with the
arrival in Latakia of four massive Antonov AN-124 “Condor” cargo
aircraft carrying undetermined cargo, U.S. officials said.
A Russian Ilyushin-62 passenger aircraft also arrived at the airport
carrying what are believed to be a small number of Russian military
personnel. One U.S. official described naval infantry personnel that may
be involved in force protection at the base, another U.S. official said
they numbered 40 personnel and that it was unclear if they are serving
as security or as an initial wave of Russian advisers.
So far, the activity at the base has only involved the cargo and
passenger aircraft -- no Russian fighter aircraft or drones have been
spotted as had been reported in early media reports.
In recent days, two Russian navy tank landing ships or LST’s (Landing
Ship, Tanks) carrying undetermined cargo have also arrived at the
Russian naval base at Tartus, located 50 miles south of Latakia, U.S.
officials said. Russia has had a naval base in Tartus since the early
1970's.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told several news outlets
today that Russia has supplied the Assad regime with military equipment
and sent "military specialists" to train Syrian forces in that
equipment.
"Russia has never made a secret of its military-technical cooperation
with Syria," she told the Associated Press. She confirmed and "repeat
once again that Russian military specialists are in Syria to help them
master the weapons being supplied."
A U.S. official said the low number of Russian personnel now in Syria is
not the main U.S. concern right now, but rather the continuing flow and
capability of Russian equipment through what was described as a
"significant" air expeditionary capability
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
said on Tuesday that a broader Russian effort "to bolster the Assad
regime right now would potentially be destabilizing." He said of Russian
plans, "we don't know exactly what they're doing."
Given that uncertainty, there is a wide range of speculation by American
intelligence about Russian intentions at the base in Latakia, U.S.
officials said.
"Are they planning to support the Assad regime by going after rebel
forces, provide advisers, boost Syria’s air defense systems or send in
fighter aircraft to strike at rebel forces?" said one official.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC News' Martha Raddatz
last week that a Russian effort to train and equip Syria’s military
“would be one thing,” but “if they actually participate in the campaign
against, what they believe to be ISIL, it could complicate things.” ISIL
is another name used to describe ISIS.
“I don’t think they would be as discriminating among groups as maybe we
would,” Dempsey said. “I mean there’s probably four, five, six, 10, 15
groups, and if they’re all declared to be anti-regime, and then the
weight of this effort would be thrown against them, then I think that’s a
problem.”
Originally, Russian aircraft were flying routes over Bulgaria
and Greece towards the Mediterranean to fly into Latakia. But Bulgaria
has now denied overflight access to what Russian officials have
characterized as humanitarian assistance. Since then, Russian flights
are now flying an easterly route over the Caspian Sea then flying over Iran and Iraq.
Russian news agencies quote a Russian embassy official in Tehran as saying Iran has given permission for Russian overflights through its airspace.
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