Russia beefs up military assets in Syria in response to Turkey’s downing of jet

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Russia ramped up the threat of a military confrontation between Turkey and Moscow Wednesday – a day after a Russian warplane was shot down by Turkey – by announcing that a state-of-the-art air defense missile system will be deployed at a Russian air base in Syria and that all its bombers will now be escorted by fighter jets on their missions.

 

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday that the Russian missile cruiser Moskva already has moved closer to shore to protect the Russian aircraft flying missions near Syria’s border with Turkey with its long-range Fort air defense system.

 

Shoigu added that his ministry has severed all contacts with the Turkish military.

 

The announcements came as Russian forces launched a heavy bombardment against Syrian rebel-held areas in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia, near where the plane was shot down, just about 30 miles south of the border with Turkey. At least 12 airstrikes hit the area Wednesday as pro-government forces clashed with fighters from the Nusra Front, which is affiliated with Al Qaeda, and Turkmen insurgents, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters.

 

The S-400 missile systems, which will be sent to the Hemeimeem air base in Latakia, are capable of targeting Turkish jets with deadly precision. If Russia shot down a Turkish plane, NATO would be required to intervene.

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Time for one more reset before Armageddon?

[SrWoodchuck]

White House Cancels Turkey Pardon After Russian Fighter Incident!

http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/11/white-house-cancels-turkey-pardon-russian-fighter/?utm_source=Duffel+Blog+Fans&utm_campaign=af3ff020d0-Duffel_Blog_Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6d392bc034-af3ff020d0-23788925&goal=0_6d392bc034-af3ff020d0-23788925&mc_cid=af3ff020d0&mc_eid=67373a0254

 

WASHINGTON — White House Spokesman Josh Earnest quietly announced this morning that President Obama would cancel Wednesday’s traditional “Turkey Pardon,” a presidential staple since the Kennedy administration, citing protests and complaints by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The complaints follow Monday’s downing of a Russian fighter by Turkish forces.

 

“The Sov—er, Russians were a little concerned at how pardoning a turkey might look, after the unfortunate misunderstanding between an Su-24 Fighter-bomber and a Turkish AIM-9 Sidewinder a few days ago,” Earnest said.

 

The State Department said initial reports indicated the downing was the fault of “a turkey, you know — the bird,” as Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters. “It was apparently sucked into the intake around 10,000 feet over the Turkish-Syrian border.”

 

Later, State Department Spokesman John Kirby clarified Kerry’s remarks. Kirby quoted the secretary as saying, “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”

 

Sources in Moscow indicate that Putin has used the so-called “hotline” with Obama to privately threaten to“race right through the Fulda Gap all the way to the Channel if you pardon that proklyatiye turkey.”

 

The Department of Defense has announced what it calls “proactive moves to calm the situation,” including canceling all turkey dinners for Thursday, and the destruction of approximately 425,000 slices of pumpkin pie.