Weekly Commentary: Can Russian Approach To Reality Ultimately Be Beneficial?
Dr. Aaron Lerner 14 April, 2018

The Russian approach to reality can be beneficial.

If they don't want "X" to be true, then it isn't. Period.

Consider this example:

"In Syria, a handful of weeks ago, the Russians met their match and a couple
hundred Russians were killed,"
Mike Pompeo during a Senate hearing on his nomination to become US secretary
of state - 12 April 2018

So the United States was involved in killing a couple of hundred Russians.

Russia, at the time, claimed that only five of its citizens had died and
moved on.

Today the Russian General Staff issued a statement, saying that a total of
71 cruise missiles out of 103 had been intercepted by Syria.

That's Syrian interceptions.

The Russian Defense Ministry explained that while Russian air defense
systems at the Hmeymim and Tartus bases monitored the attacks, Russia did
not act to intercept the incoming missiles since "none of the cruise
missiles launched by the US and its allies entered the zone of
responsibility of the Russian air defenses..."

Back in 2011 Syria reportedly paid a deposit of several hundred million
dollars for an order or four S-300 systems. Several were even produced
while the production of others has been postponed (Russian business daily
Vedomosti 9 Aug. 2013),

"A few years ago, we refused to supply S-300 air defense systems to Syria
due to the request of some of our Western partners. Taking into account what
happened, we consider it possible to return to this issue. And not only with
regard to Syria, but with regard to other states," the Russian General Staff
stated today.

That's "consider it possible to return to this issue" - the lowest possible
mention of the matter.

The Russian narrative, embraced by Syria, that the Syrians enjoy world class
ability to intercept missiles without S-300's relieves Mr. Putin from the
need to changed his decision not to honor the supply contract.
________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il