Missiles for Mohammed Revisited

Following up on this post, BBC News reports that Russia is still considering selling missiles to Syria.

Russia is still considering the sale of missiles to Syria despite opposition from Israel and the US, President Vladimir Putin has said.

He told the Jerusalem Post newspaper that the SA-18 anti-aircraft missiles would only be used in self-defence.

Israel fears the arms could be acquired by Palestinian militants or by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, whom Syria backs.

Moscow recently excused Syria from having to repay billions of dollars of Soviet-era debt for military purchases.

Visiting Mr Putin earlier this week, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad called for Russia to play a bigger role in the Middle East.

He said "military and technical" co-operation with Russia was on the agenda of his visit, but no specific contracts would be discussed.

He stressed that Syria needed missiles only to protect itself from Israeli air raids.

Only in self-defense, huh? Yeah, I believe that one, really I do.

This is bad news, even worse than the Israelis making arms deals with the Chinese. (Link, link)