The Crisis over the Downed Russian Plane: What Next?
Strategically: the key is the continued campaign to stop Iran’s entrenchment while preserving a friendly relationship with Russia.
Israel and Russia are not enemies and there’s no reason for a confrontation between them.
Strategically: the key is the continued campaign to stop Iran’s entrenchment while preserving a friendly relationship with Russia.
Israel and Russia are not enemies and there’s no reason for a confrontation between them.
Russia knows perfectly well that Israel strikes in Syria only because of the Iranian activity.
Russia knows that Israel can topple the Assad regime and stops short of that,due to Russian interests, among others considerations.
Russia knows that Israel can topple the Assad regime and stops short of that,due to Russian interests, among others considerations.
The S300 delivery to Syria is over inflated. I will be surprised if it will be supplied “within 2 weeks…”. S300 doesn’t change the strategic balance. No air defense system is impregnable or indestructible. Israel has F35s which was designed with exactly such systems in mind.
If S300 batteries are operated by Russian – that’s not new, with Russian S400 operating in Syria for years, never launching against Israel or US aircraft.
If Syrian crews operate them, Israel will know how to hit it. Russian air defense systems’ reputation will take a hit.
If Syrian crews operate them, Israel will know how to hit it. Russian air defense systems’ reputation will take a hit.
Important statements by USG seniors against provision on S300 to Syria reflect the US-ISR overlapping interests in preventing an Iran-Iraq-Syria-Lebanon Shiite axis. It is important that US will back its words with deeds against Iran’s entrenchment in Syria.
Bottom line: Israel may well be more cautious in some marginal cases.
Faced with a dilemma whether to let an Iranian threat grow next door and taking a higher tactical risk and some inconvenience with Russia, its leaders will not sit on their hands watching.
Faced with a dilemma whether to let an Iranian threat grow next door and taking a higher tactical risk and some inconvenience with Russia, its leaders will not sit on their hands watching.
