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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports that a Russian military ship carrying troops is on its way to Syria to protect a Russian deep water port.
Russia is sending armed troops to Syria amid escalating violence there, United States military officials told NBC News Friday, in a move certain to frustrate Western efforts to put pressure on the regime of President Bashir Assad.
Moscow has sent a ship carrying a small contingent of combat forces to guard Russia’s deep-water port and military base at the Syrian city of Tartus, the US officials said.
The U.S. officials also said Russia has not sent additional attack helicopters to the Syrian government, but replacement parts for the Russian helicopters the Syrians are already flying.
Days before President Barack Obama's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, there has been a war of words between the U.S. and Syria's longtime military supplier. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
It comes after the conflict was declared by France on Wednesday to be a full-blown civil war.
The head of the U.N. observers in Syria said Friday a recent spike in bloodshed is derailing the mission to monitor and defuse more than a year of violence and could prompt the unarmed force to pull out.
"Violence over the past 10 days has been intensifying willingly by the both parties, with losses on both sides and significant risks to our observers," Maj. Gen. Robert Mood told reporters in Damascus. "The escalating violence is now limiting our ability to observe, verify, report as well as assist in local dialogue and stability projects."
Tartus is one of Russia’s most strategically-important assets, giving it military access to the Mediterranean Sea.
Russia and China, both permanent members of the U.N. Security Council with veto power, frustrated attempts by key Western figures, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to enforce a United Nations peace plan brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan.
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday repeated Moscow's strong opposition to external interference in Syria, said it was not discussing plans for a Syrian political transformation following the exit of Assad.
At a news conference after talks with his Iraqi counterpart, Lavrov said he had seen reports saying U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland had suggested Washington and Moscow were discussing a post-Assad strategy in Syria.
"If that was really said then it's not true," Lavrov said. "Such discussions are not being held and cannot be held, because to decide for the Syrian people contradicts our position completely.
"We do not get involved in overthrowing regimes - neither through approval of unilateral actions by the U.N. Security Council nor by participation in any political plots."
Nuland was asked at a news conference on Thursday whether the United States and Russia were discussing a transition of power similar to that seen in Yemen last year, in which President Ali Abdullah Saleh was replaced by a deputy.
"We are continuing to talk about a post-Assad transition strategy in that context," she said.
Government forces in Syria have driven rebel fighters out of the town of Haffa near the Turkish border and are now allowing UN monitors to enter the area. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
Lavrov said any broad international talks on Syria must include Iran and must only address ways to create conditions for a political dialogue in Syria - not the content of that dialogue or preconditions such as Assad's exit.
Russia, which has come under increasing criticism from the West for arms deliveries to Syria, responded to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's allegations that attack helicopters were on the way from Russia to Syria.
In a statement on the Foreign Ministry website, Russia said it had made no new deliveries of military helicopters to Syria but under old contracts it had repaired helicopters sent to Syria "many years ago".
"There are no new deliveries of Russian military helicopters to Syria. All arms industry cooperation with Syria is limited to a transfer of defensive arms," the ministry said on its website.
"As regards helicopters, planned repairs of (helicopters) delivered to Syria many years ago were conducted earlier," it said. It did not say when they had been repaired or, if they were repaired in Russia, when they were returned to Syria.
Inside Syria: War-torn city of Homs scarred by violence, riddled with fear
Syria's ambassador to Russia said on Thursday Russia had not sent new attack helicopters to Syria.
Russia says it is fulfilling existing contracts for air defense systems against external attacks. President Vladimir Putin, due to meet U.S. President Barack Obama next week, said the weapons Russia sends could not be used in civil conflicts.
A source close to Russia's arms exporting monopoly Rosoboronexport said Clinton's comments may have referred to helicopters sent to Russia in 2009 for repairs and which may be on the way back to Syria.
The source said on Wednesday at least nine Mi-25 helicopters were sent to Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad to be repaired by Oboronservis, owned by the Defense Ministry.
Russia delivered three different missile systems including Bastion anti-ship missile units and another anti-aircraft system to Syria last year.
At least two ships carrying Russian weapons have reportedly travelled to Syria since the beginning of the year, though possibly not on behalf of state arms exporter Rosoboronexport.
Reuters contributed to this report. Jim Miklaszewski is the chief Pentagon correspondent for NBC News.
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The end result of an incompetent weak willed dufus sitting as President. Putin will dine on Obama before this is over.
Good. Let them. Syria will go down in flames and drag the Russians down with it, just like Afghanistan in the 1980s.
China and Russia have an alliance and have decided that the US will no longer attack another middle eastern nation. We will accept this because we have no choice, unless you want WWIII. That is why Obama can't intervene, and the Republican strategists know this...so they spin it to make it look like Obama is weak. I guess mass murder will be acceptable now, because what are a few thousand lives compared to WWIII...sad that China and Russia have no morals.
Sorry, I'm off subject.
Why is there little to no media coverage on Greeks withdrawing close to a $1,000,000,000.00 a day from greek banks, the major Italian bank that froze ALL customer accounts, or the French banks restricting withdrawels & demanding a weeks notiification on virtually very small amounts of money to be withdrawn?
What the heck's going on?
Domingo- France does not need notification on small amounts of money, only very large sums, like say $30,000 (24 hr notification). Withdrawals are not restricted.
I'm guessing the media is trying to deflect American attention away from the downward spiral of the Euro situation. Just using the words "bank" "froze" and "customer accounts" in the same sentence can cause a meltdown in the US. A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talkin' real money.
Without wanting to point out the obvious, but I will, if they do they are doing just what we have done - but very small scale. Take away our troops propping up an unpopular non democratic government in Afghanistan and just how long will that government last. How many troops did we send to Iraq to fight and die for nothing other than a trumped up war and a boot in the backside when the surviving Iraqis could throw us out ( which they did because they did not like the fact that between a quarter of a million and three quarters of a million Iraqis were killed in the war we triggered - Assad is small beer by comparison so far with ~ 10 000). Perhaps our enlightened leaders are trying to warn the Russians of the pitfalls - the very ones they fell into and are still in.
I don’t know why Russia is sending troops, maybe there was sight of the U.S. or others going into Syria. I really didn’t know they had a port there of there own, I guess it's a popular thing. If all there doing is protecting there port, then its not that bad. Was there port attacked at all or was there a plan by al-Qaida or someone to attack it. I wonder what it will be like if Russia starts to kill people too and help Syria’s government fight the rebels. They might have lost the port somehow and lost presence and that could affect there trade agreement and arrangements with Syria. Russia doesn’t want to lose this trading with Syria and they seem to be willing to send troops and test missiles and who knows what else. I wonder when the first Russia kills of people will start to happen?
JamesPupp Russia have been an ally of Syria for 45 years . They have trade and military agreements with Syria , As they had with Saddam and Libya , I guess the Saudis and Qataris thought , Since they went into Libya and got their Alqaeda to take over the Country , Well they thought they go to Syria next , Simply Because Syria is the only Alwite Government in that region and Off course Lebanon is a Christian Country , and the Syria have 4 millions Christians that live in peace and practice their religion freely , Unlike in Saudis and Qatari and all the Gulf States and all the other Arab countries for that matter. And beside that , they have a very good common ally in Israel and the US , Because Syria is an ally of Iran , And you know how we and the Israeli's feel about Iran now , So with the Help of all these people . Saudis and Qataris brought in their thugs ( THE ALQAEDA REBELS ) and brought in all the other Muslim Extremists from all the other Muslim Countries , into Syria trying to over throw the Assad government . Well Russia is not taken that very nicely , Since they saw what happened to them in Iraq , Libya and they feel like the West trying to take over their last Friend's , Its simply not going to happen easily , I even think they will go to war with who ever trying to do that . They drew a line in the sand when it comes to Syria , I just hope and pray that we have some Inelegant people dealing with this , And not war monger people , Or people that have a dog in the fight , ( Which I mean the politicians that support Israel blindly and they feel that Its OK to go war to protect their spoiled friend ) I hope it does not get to that . I Just hope and pray that our troops do not have to war to fight some body Else's war .
My turn-5304605, I didn’t know how many years Russia has been ally and trading with Syria. 45years is a long time and Syria is number 1 in Russian buying of weapons. No one knows of Libya and what type of people they will be but now they are out of the news and going fine I’d guess. I think of how Libya would be used as from Egypt and get weapons and things for a fight with countries close to them. This is not done yet and people still love the freedom, America gave to Libya. I hope Libya will protect themselves from invaders and that will be enough. Other countries would help rate away if another country attacked Libya, like Italy or something had done in the past. People hope the best for Egypt and them not wanting to fight and listen to bad influences like Ayman al-Zawahri. Algeria is a country that al-Qaida is wanting to help them with in public announcements, this says some al-Qaida is there and moving to Africa, like people said. I did not know of Lebanon being Christian and 4 million Christians in Syria, I’m an Atheist and have never had a religion. That shows a lot of Europe influence and I’d think Rome would have something to say about what is happening in Syria and would like to hear it. I know Syria buys off Iran but I did not fully know if they were allies though, there is not much of a war going on, yet. I have never heard of Russia’s cries of loss in Iraq, Libya and other countries. I’m American, I think of Vietnam on all the loses that we had at the hands of communist countries. It would be a good thing to teach of these Russian loses and the bad feelings they get of them. Its tough to know them and remember them and see how they play into the battlefield. I don’t know of what happened with Israel and its neighbors but they should know to stay focused on sticking around and not help out when it can bite you. Everyone likes helping out everyone when they are benefiting but when there is no money and only lose then people will walk away and turn there heads. If Israel is ever destroyed, then it maybe one of the most talked over subjects ever but it would be over shadowed with the deaths of lots of people who would die to fight an enemy that would carry out an act like this. I fear Nuclear bombs and sneaking them in as a safe way for an enemy without a country, like al-Qaida to do. It would make revenge very difficult. If Israel really did see Syria’s Uranium facility, it was a call of judgment for themselves also. Why would they want Syria, an ally as you say to have this facility? Israel maybe killing Iranian scientists and because of them making nuclear weapons someday. I’m not sure how Israel is in the way but counties around itself think so. Israel is so small and should focus on its self and being friends with its neighbors. I hear of Iran of Israel but what of Syria to Israel? I guess Syria is different then Iran and then have people there that like Israel. My turn-5304605, are you Israel or he U.S.? What troops are yours?
To Mr. Bashar al-Assad, the world will not end with you. You see a fading light of hope and are grasping at straws to stay afloat. I don’t think Syria will keep its government if they are killing people like they did twice, of the one-hundred people who had nothing and died with nothing.
James Pupp Sorry , But I just got back to my Desk . First , Libya is not OK they having more killing every day than Syria , They just bombed an American Office last week . The Tribes are killing each other and fighting for control, NATO or the US are not going to Interfere now . They already got what they want ( THE OIL ) . and the Saudis and Qataris got their thugs in there . And they stole all the weapons Libya had and they are shipping them to Syria , along with the Fighters . You see James , Its allot more complicated than you really see . Conspiracy !!!! people laugh when you say that, But tell me , What was the Iraqi war and the Libyan war ?????? Why did we attack Saddam , And why did NATO attack Qaddafi years after he had became their friend and a tool for them to use in the fight against Alqaeda , You know he Arrested Alqaeda leaders and Delivered them to us through the CIA . And Britain had a good relations with him , They just sold him bunch of weapons , And off course our Honorable Senator McCain called him , A GOOD MAN . And that was 6 months before he became a bad man . Again . In Israel case I believe they have the right to exist , But they do not have the rights to kill people and steal their lands of the name of the old testaments . I am a Christian American from ( Lebanese - Syrian Descent ) Been here 40 years , but I kept up with all these troubles and good times in that region . So I have kids and my loyalty is to America and to the land that my kids belong to and the country that I LIVE IN AND BELONG TO , and I wish every body in the US really and Truly worry about our country here . And specially Our politicians . Because most of them speak about Patriotism But they get confused to which country their loyalty lies .
The Russians would not have done this unless they already had assurances that their lap-dog Obama will take no real action.
In a conversation with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on March 26th, Obama admitted that he was planning to bow to some Russian demand, but that he would have to wait until after the election to do it. What is it that he doesn't want us to know now? He clearly believes that if we were to find out about it, we would not re-elect him. That's good enough for me! If Obama himself believes that his plan will anger the American people, then we need to prevent him from executing that plan.
Iran already has 2000 troops on the ground in Syria, operating in plain clothes with Russian weapons and advisers. What did you think would happen? Syria is now Russia's Vietnam, so lets just sit back and let them enjoy it. If the US jumps in now on the side of the rebels, China will jump in to help the Russians and Iranians. Just let it all happen WITHOUT ONE SINGLE US SOLDIER ON THE GROUND!
There is no difference between Russia protecting its interests in Syria and the US protecting its interests in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. And with a full contingent of Saudi financed Wahabi Islamist terrorists and thugs operating in the Caucasus, Russia has a lot more at stake than the US does.
If we had set aside our knee jerk reactionary Russophobia in Afghanistan, the Afghan government would be a secular autocracy instead of an Islamist cluster #@!&.
We need to stop supporting Islamist extremists like the Saudi royal family and their puppets in the Gulf, and one step would be to stop mindlessly accepting the outrageous propaganda about the Asaad regime.
Civilian massacres? Really? Remember the completely fabricated "rape of Kuwait" propaganda passed off as news that we got as we were led into the first Gulf War?
Time to wise up.
Some history for you 'Tax: Shortly before the Russians assassinated Haifazullah Amin and invaded Afghanistan, Carter tacitly gave them permission to do so.
Carter was told of Russian garrisons in Cuba and loudly declared them to be "unacceptable". The Russians then sat back to see exactly what Carter meant by that term. A week later, Carter attended an Inter-American conference in Brazil and praised Cuba to the skies. The Russians had their answer, and promptly invaded (after calling all of Amin's T-54 tanks in for "routine maintenance"). Turned out to be a bad move for them, but had nothing to do with "Russophobia".
I was referring to what came next: boycotting the Moscow Games and then supporting reactionary religious fanatics using Saudi Arabia as a proxy, training the Mujahiddeen, that is to say the Taliban, and their Saudi mentors, that is to say Al-Qaeda.
We created this Islamist/Jihadist mess. Russia invaded Afghanistan to support a secular. modernizing state on her southern flank. That may not have been the brightest idea ever, but it's pure Einstein in comparison to arming medieval murderers with Stinger missiles and automatic weapons.
The center of world Islamist/Jihadist terror is our client states , Saudi Arabia & the Gulf. Eliminate that, allow the borders of nations in the area to reflect history and demographics instead of colonialist convenience, and the problem receeds.
Syria is an educated nation, as was Iraq before we bombed it to rubble. With the resources the Saudi Royals are squandering on Caddies and Jihadis, the Arab World could be a viable region, a stable region. The agenda we are supporting has nothing to do with America's inherent national interests.
I don't believe this crap that running elections in Syria is against Russia's interests. They need to get a hold of themselves and admit that the peace of Syria for the empowerment of the people is not only a benefit for the USA, but also Russia. They need to admit their faults with God who is witnessing this, and for the first time unite themselves against this evil called Bassar because it will also empower the inidvidual Russian in their own country.
For years I have been saying Syria is Russian and no one believes me. Syria is Russian.
During the Cold War, Syria, Egypt, and Iraq received weapons from the Soviet Union, and Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran until 1979 received U.S. arms. The Israeli port of Haifa has been a frequent port of call for the U.S. Sixth Fleet since 1977. Although Russia has a naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, the U.S. Fifth Fleet has its headquarters at the Bahraini port of Manama, as well as military bases in Kuwait and Qatar. In addition, the U.S. has top secret arms depots in Israel, which is the one nation in the Middle East which the U.S. could count on to give open and unhindered access to its territory in an emergency. Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim monarchy and an Arab state, fears the theocratic, non-Arab, and Shiite Muslim nation of Iran and its nuclear weapons. About 10% of the oil consumed annually in the U.S. comes from the nations bordering the Persian Gulf.
Interesting. What's in it for Russia to suck up to Assad ? maybe they can neutralize the civil war and stop the civilian killing. I think it is a slap in the face to all of Europe and the West in general. Putin is flexing his muscles as his self appointment is being questioned by many people in Russia. He is adding mud to the murky water.
And I thought the cold war ended in 1991.....
President Obama should have acted to stop the murder more than 400 days ago .. by sending in drones for the dictator's palaces in Damascus .. instead President Obama has descended into ignominious cowardice ..
Did the Kremlin wait to get UN approval when they went sent tanks into Georgia in 2008 ? Why is President Obama handcuffed by the Kremlin ? we can only say that it is because he does not want to save the Syrians .. he does not want to send in drones .. he does not want to risk re-election chances and thinks he can shirk his responsibility as leader of the free world ..
Who does President Obama and the West depend on the save the Syrian children ? The same man who the US depended to save the Rwandan and Bosnian children ..
Syrian authorities are systematically detaining and torturing children, the United Nations' human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has told the BBC.
President Obama has allowed this to happen .. he has given free rein to the dictators in Damascus and abandoned the Syrian people .. he said the right things when he lead the charge against Qaddafi .. but has let his re-election rule his moral sense on Syria ..
It is disgraceful cowardice unbecoming of the leader of the home of the brave ..
He could have shot back at the Damascus dictators 487 days ago when they started shooting innocent protesters .. He could have sent cruise missiles and drones to attack the palace of the dictator and his tanks and artillery .. He and the other leaders of the West meekly bow to the Kremlin and Chinese dictators .. instead they only strain their intelligence coming up with new words to say how horrible are the Syrian dictators' atrocities ..
March 28, 2011, President Obama said .. "when people were being brutalized in Bosnia in the 1990s, it took the international community more than a year to intervene with air power to protect civilians." www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/03/28/president-obama-s-speech-libya
“To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and — more profoundly — our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are,” (Except in an election year?)
“Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different,” (Except in an election year?)
2011: “And as president, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.”
2012: Coward.
I have been to Syria and never met a better people .. they deserve the dignity of aid from President Obama and the West ..
@ CarlLoeber
Why should we care?
Russia's actions in Afghanistan, Georgia and now in Syria (right or wrong) have all been to protect it's national interest. What interest do we have in Syria?
You are advocating drone strikes in Syria, yet we have a more serious situation brewing just south of our border. Should we bomb Mexico to deal with the growing civilian massacres.
Everything we have done in the Middle East have been to bolster Israel's security at our taxpayers expense. When do we start looking out for ourselves?
Two Days ago Hillary Clinton was caught in another bold lie. Only to have the Obama Administration correct her the very next day.
However, I do believe this move by Russia. Russia desperately needs to protect one of the few ports it has in warm waters. To do this takes military personnel. That in no way means Russian troops will be fighting with Assad's troops.
What I find interesting is that Obama and Hillary seems to be fighting more with Russia than worrying about all those "innocent civilians (again carrying weapons)" that are being killed in Syria.
Obama should be trying to fix the mess he helped orchestrate in Syria. After all the Syrian people saw how Obama helped bring down the leaders of Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia. And, the now on going fighting in Yemen, Mali, etc. In short, Obama encouraged the Syrian people to revolt.
But the bottom line here is still the same. Even with Russian and Iranian troops in Syria. And, I am sure NATO (which we are a part of) soon, it is Obama's Muslim Brotherhood that will eventually be the winner in Syria. Just like the MB will ultimately win in Egypt.
The frikkin zionists have these white figureheads wrapped so tightly around their crooked jewish fingers to the point where even when you expose victoria nuland as the lying mouthpiece of the amerikan zionist administration, she still pops up and maintains the same exact LIE!!!!
Automated white house jewish puppets have always been in our face. Ari fleischer was the ultimate insult. A white house spokesman with dual amerikan and israeli nationalities.
WAKE UP morons. You've been taken over and your mouthpiece has a wind up lever in the shape of the star of david stuck up its ass it seems.
People complain about dictators that want to rule a country while the UN wants to dictate to the world. It's time for the UN to be dissolved.
Comrade Osama al-Barack bin Hussein Obama, Mohammad,II will have more flexibility to deal with Russia after he is re-elected (in his own words).
Let's have it out once and for all with the big Bear of the north. Send in the drones to wipe out Putin and his thugs first then a small smart bomb and finally the UN as mop up. I'm sure the Russian people are as tired of him as we are. Kill the root cause.
Why the focus on Syria? Is it because the "West" cannot control the government?
If we are so concerned about the killings, why aren't we making the same stink about the brutal killings in Mexico, or about Israel's actions against the Palestinians.
how come Israel isn't sending in troops to help their FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS of the future?
What a stupid question.
Russia and China frustrate the UN and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a veto to enforce a United Nations peace plan brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan. Good for them, stay the.... out of other nation's business!
I have to ask HC how she think's the founding father's of our own country would have liked to have some other group decideing the term's or outcome of our revolution. Or how our, by then formed government, would have reacted to anyone telling them to step down as a condition under a foreign brokered peace plan to the US civil war.
I have to agree with Russia and China. Even though their reason's and stand on this issue are probably far from their politically correct statement's that no one can decide the future for Syrian's. This is a Syrian issue, no one has invaded them. And even though the action's and slaughter from both side's is shocking to some. It is no surprise to anyone in the muslim world or anyone in Syria. It is typical of muslim action that they all knew to well would be the price to over throw Assad. Suck it up or give it up.
And now that Russia is exercising their right to protect their interest. HC and the bunch will be looking for their very own WMD type reason/lie of Russia suppling arm's to Assad to begin the oh so familiar arm's supplies to opposite side's. In the end no matter the outcome we will be the fool's who put weapon's in the hand's of our terrorist enemy just to spite Russia.
Maddy, have to agree with you.
The USA was founded by people who wanted the right to freedom, self-determination and independence, even if meant fighting a civil war! With that in mind, why are we so eager to meddle in other countries' affairs?