Russian anti-terror troops reportedly enter Syria - Fox News
Reports of Russian anti-terror troops on the ground in Syria is raising new concerns about whether Russia's policies are indirectly, or even directly, enabling the brutal crackdown on Syrian protesters.
Russia's Defense Ministry acknowledged Monday that the navy's Iman oil tanker arrived at the Syrian port of Tartus 10 days ago on a mission to assist Russian navy ships on anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and “for demonstrating the Russian presence in the turbulent region and possible evacuation of Russian citizens," the Black Sea Fleet told Interfax news agency.
A ministry spokesman would not say how many troops are on board, but Russian news reports suggest a more active military presence in Syria.
Russia is a strong ally to Syrian President Bashar Assad and has angered fellow members of the United Nations Security Council by blocking repeated attempts to put an end to violence in Syria.
When ordinary Syrians began taking to the streets last March, at first in small numbers to call for greater freedoms and later in the hundreds of thousands to demand the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, they had no idea just how hard it would be or how long it would take.
Today, a year after the tentative first stirrings of what is becoming the Arab world’s bloodiest and most far-reaching revolt, whole cities are under siege. Residential neighborhoods lie in ruins. More than 8,000 people are dead, tens of thousands have been detained, untold numbers have been tortured, others are missing, and nearly a quarter-million have been displaced from their homes, according to the United Nations.
Iraq lets Iran fly arms to Syria despite U.S. protests - Washington Times
The Iraqi government has refused U.S. requests to stop Iranian cargo flights to Syria, despite being aware of credible intelligence that the planes are transporting up to 30 tons of weapons, according to a U.S. official.
The U.S. has made several requests in recent months to the Iraqi government, including directly to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, to either stop allowing Iran to use its airspace or allow the planes to be inspected in compliance with international law.
Iraq has refused, saying the planes are carrying only humanitarian aid.
Iranian cargo flights to Syria were reported as the bloody uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad enters its second year and as Iran flouts international sanctions over its secretive nuclear program.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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