Russian navy ships fire off missiles at a parade. Stringer/REUTERS
Alex Lockie April 11, 2018 via Business Insider
Source Link: Russia appears to be readying for a naval battle with the US near Syria — but it could be a bluff
{Naval battle or bluff? Maybe Putin is merely protecting his naval assets by moving them out of harm’s way. Makes more sense. The last place you want your fleet is in a harbor while under the threat of military action. – LS}
- Russia’s navy appears to have responded to President Donald Trump’s warning that US missiles are headed to Syria, as well as the US Navy’s deployment of an aircraft carrier to the region.
- The Russian military has said it is tracking the movements of the US Navy. In the past, the US has used Navy ships to attack Syria.
- Eleven Russian navy ships were seen leaving a port in Syria, but an expert said it could be a bluff.
Russia’s navy appears to have responded to President Donald Trump’s warning that US missiles are headed to Syria after he accused the Syrian government of again conducting chemical warfare against its people.
The Russian military has said it is tracking the movements of the US Navy, Reuters reported Wednesday.
Last April, the US struck Syria over another chemical weapon attack, firing 59 cruise missiles from US Navy destroyers.
Now, satellite imagery and reports indicate that 11 Russian warships, including a submarine, have left a port in Syria.
The US Navy says it has dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group to the region, though it is likely to take about a week to get in position.
The US regularly deploys aircraft carriers to the region to carry out airstrikes on ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria.
Among the Russian ships that appear to have left the port in Syria is a Kilo-class submarine, thought to be one of the quieter and more advanced submarines in operation today.
While Russian ships are less advanced in some ways, they often field advanced anti-ship missiles that can pose a real threat to the US.
But Russia’s movements may be a bluff, according to Ryan Bohl, a Middle East analyst at the geopolitical consulting firm Stratfor.
“Neither the Russians or the Americans want World War III — they know how to avoid it and have very strong lines of communications,” Bohl told Business Insider.
“It’s one thing to shoot down a Tomahawk” — a cruise missile used by the US Navy — “but another thing to shoot down a ship it came from,” Bohl said, adding that the movement of Russia’s navy was most likely a “way to try to raise the stakes for the Americans to pressure Trump to scale down whatever strike is coming.”
Essentially, Russia may be trying to look tough by sailing out its navy.
“There’s very little they can do from a conventional standpoint,” Bohl said. Once the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group arrives, “the US will be able to clean up the eastern Mediterranean in a conventional fight any day.”
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WarSclerotic 
April 12, 2018 at 5:10 AM
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that Mrs May has ordered British submarines to move within missile range of Syria in readiness for strikes against the Assad regime that could begin as early as Thursday night.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/04/11/theresa-may-moves-closer-joining-military-action-against-assad/
April 12, 2018 at 3:53 PM
I don’t believe that the Russians are going to challenge an American aircraft carrier battle group. I don’t believe they have any such kind of Naval strength docked at the Syrian Port of Tartus. I would conclude that they are going to take their assets out of Harm’s Way.
April 12, 2018 at 6:36 PM
Nope they won’t, but they will if we attack Russia directly .
April 12, 2018 at 6:42 PM
Underestimating your enemy is the first and foremost biggest failure in a conflict .
They are able to wipe out a complete battle group perhaps not with conventional weapons but for sure with tactical nukes .
Ps: do you remember that they have shut down a complete electronic system on an USA war ship ?
April 12, 2018 at 3:56 PM
I would not be surprised if we wake up tomorrow morning, to read that the Syrian Port of Tartus has been destroyed. That would end Seabourn resupply to both Russian forces as well as Iranian forces. Seems like a pretty good first step, to me, in ridding the Eastern Mediterranean of both Russian as well as Iranian presence.
April 12, 2018 at 5:21 PM
Good point.
April 12, 2018 at 7:18 PM
Nope not at all for Israel.
But when you are living high and “dry” in the USA it is easy talking !
April 12, 2018 at 7:39 PM
When you refer to no skin in the game, I don’t know if you’re referring to the USA, or to me personally. The USA has significant assets inside Syria at this very moment. You probably know that.
As for me, personally, yes I am sitting in the USA presumably very safe. But I do not excuse you for speaking to me dismissively because of that.
What should I do? Hop on a plane and fly to curiodyssey Moana and sit there with my thumb in my butt? There is nothing for me to do. I’m an old man already. Show a little respect.
You seem to be one of those Israelis who thinks that they’re entitled to talk down to everyone. You don’t make a very good impression, do you know that?
April 12, 2018 at 8:29 PM
The USA asset in Syria is professional and not a lot , that is the risk for the military to take if called upon .
Did is ask for to be excused ? what the heck do you think, are you so arrogant ? if this become a big war the whole existence of Israel in on the line, your personal feelings has no meaning for me in this matter when you call for actions what will endanger the state of Israel dearly , not only militarily but their whole existence .
I,am also coming into the last phase of life, but i do not ask respect from you for it, i realty do not care .
A good impression is an opinion, and again i do not care about an opinion about me , and i,am entitled to any thing i wanna say, I DO NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSION OR THE PERMISSION FROM SOMEBODY ELSE .
I ventilate an opinion perhaps one you do not like , so be it , but it is MY opinion , like you have an opinion.
Perhaps i have to clear something up !
I respect the right to have an opinion and to ventilate it dearly and i will defend that right .
BUT ! that does not mean that i have to respect the content of that opinion , that is up to me .
So i will repeat !
It is freaking easy when you are living safe in the USA to call for a start of a ( possible )big war what will hurt Israel and their civilians dearly , to easy for my taste .
Further more i,am NOT an Israeli and NOT living in Israel , but a stout defender of the state of Israel, but my opinion is sole mine .
Why are you connection my opinion to other Jews in Israel , that tickles my skin a little bit .
Some left overs from old thoughts ?
But in all honesty, i wish you a good day, i do not have hard feelings about this not important little quarrel
PS:Right now, there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, working as advisers to the Syrian Defense Forces or providing other support to local militias battling the Islamic State.
AND THAT IS NOT significant .
April 12, 2018 at 6:35 PM
That would open the door to hell, a nuclear hell .
Attacking the Russians direct is asking for a full blown world war .
And it will be VERY bad for Israel, the USA will be pretty safe , so not much skin in the game .
April 12, 2018 at 7:35 PM
The Russians are no longer in Tartus. Read the article again. Their Fleet has sailed. It has left port. So there are no Russians to attack, directly.
April 12, 2018 at 7:58 PM
Tartus is their warm water harbor on a long term lease , and of coarse the fleet is gone, do you think that they are taking the risk to get annihilated by the USA as another big mistake .
On 18 January 2017, Russia and Syria signed an agreement, effective forthwith, whereunder Russia would be allowed to expand and use the naval facility at Tartus for 49 years on a free-of-charge basis and enjoy sovereign jurisdiction over the base.
April 12, 2018 at 11:18 PM
What makes you think that Israel has any option, when it comes to fighting Iran? It would have been better, had they done it years ago. Hopefully there is still time to do it without paying too heavy of a price. Due to living in a tough neighborhood, sometimes you have to fight to defend yourself. And if I were in Israeli, I would be ready even now at the age of 70 but still in pretty good shape to do whatever my country called upon me to do. And for your information, j o o p, when I was young my country called on me and I went to Vietnam. So I will continue to be offended, at any implication on your part, that I take the physical risks to Israelis lightly. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
April 13, 2018 at 12:18 AM
Israel as country has still just one opinion , we will defend our country at all cost, at least that is what i still sense but that need a lot more than only brute military force.
I agree with sentence two , but former USA administrations disagreed with this so it was practical impossible .
I think we Jews know EVERYTHING about living in a tough neighborhood and fighting for existence , And i USE the word we on purpose.
O dear , if i was around 20 years old i would jump into a plain and back the Israeli goverment if they could use me, now, i,am not much younger than you i,am useless even being in good shape to.
You did your duty when your country called for it, that is admirable and i GIVE my full respect for that .
Be offended, i can not help that, my reaction was not ment to offend you but to counter your opinion what was in my eyes a bit not fully
thoroughly thought trough .
Further more : your duty in the war in Vietnam was along way from the home land , Israel is in the middle of this, that needs a different approach, your country was never in danger of annihilation ! Israel IS !
And that needs a lot more than brute power , but i Thank the IDF everyday for doing a GREAT job !
Please do not take everything so personal, is that now a typical good guy American thing, can not stand if somebody criticize their opinion and going direct on the personal offended tour .
Please keep your comments coming at full speed, but expect critics , that is normal in a exchange of opinions .
Best regards joop .
.
April 12, 2018 at 6:55 PM
Trump is already walking back, and even lie about his time frame , he has given a time frame and now he is saying he did not .
It is like a storm in a glass of water , nothing will happen .
The only thing what happens is that he has lost face in this matter and that his advisors are questionable .
How soon will we see Bolton going retired from his new position ?
April 12, 2018 at 7:27 PM
Germany will not participate in a possible military action in Syria, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Berlin on Thursday.
Of course she can say that easily, she knows nothing will happen .
April 12, 2018 at 11:14 PM
Germany wants to do business with Iran. That’s why Germany is staying out, in my opinion. Germany is funny, isn’t it? They want to do business with Iran. And yet they sell submarines to Israel, as well. In the meantime it appears that at least their leaders, pose as if they are representatives of pure enlightenment. Funny people.
April 12, 2018 at 11:50 PM
Ira B, that would be an reasonable explanation if given at day one of Trumps statements ( tweets) ,but she waited 2 whole days after she received the massage that Trump is walking back, so it was save for here to make this statement without frustrating the USA and Russia .
It is also called politics .
April 13, 2018 at 5:47 PM
“… when I was young my country called on me and I went to Vietnam.”
Thanks for your service, IraB.