Syria, Iran, Russia and China /War Games

[andy]

Syria, Iran, Russia and China plan joint war games, Iranian news agency reports

http://www.timesofisrael.com/iranian...hina-wargames/

---------- Post added at 11:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:12 AM ----------

Very scary thought....

[Ross]

You may be aware of the Iranian/Chinese oil for gold deal .
I wonder if this is in some way part of the payment . Yes I know
that is a bit paranoid but these are extraordinary times . Specifically
what is in it for China if it is not being done to please the Iranians ?

Does China need to curry favor with the Syrian Despots ?
This is all about support for the the Iranians are who are
deeply involved in Syria .

Then again it could be due to a belief that Israel is
about to strike Iran ?

[Catbird]

The JPost article on this also says,

"The report appears to have originated on Arabic language Syrian media outlet ShamLife, which said the war-games were scheduled in less than a month's time.

...Meanwhile, the ShamLife report said "sources" had confirmed previous leaks about the wargames, and that preparations for the military exercise were being carried out at an "accelerated pace".

According to ShamLife, China had gained Egyptian approval to allow 12 Chinese ships carrying military equipment to pass through the Suez Canal, and that these vessels would reach the Syrian ports of Tartous and Latakia in two weeks' time.

ShamLife said Syrian air defense missiles and its coastal defense would be put to the test in the military exercises, and that 90,000 troops from the four countries would be involved in the war games along with 400 aircraft and 1,000 tanks and "hundreds of rockets."

The exercises would be carried out after Syrian troops had "cleansed" several cities where "armed groups" - meaning Syrian opposition forces fighting against government troops loyal to President Bashar Assad - were gathering."

ETA: For what it's worth, Interfax (Russian media) is reporting that Syria is denying these reports.

Reuters:

"An adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied an Iranian media report that Syria would host Russian, Chinese and Iranian military forces for joint exercises, the Russian news agency Interfax reported on Tuesday.

..."There will be nothing like that. This is one of those (pieces of) false information that are distributed about (Syria)," Interfax quoted Bouthaina Shabaan, an adviser to Assad who was in Moscow on Tuesday, as saying."

[Samen]

And then there is https://twitter.com/#!/FreeingSyria