Britain stops Russian ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria

[Jumpmaster]

A Russian ship believed to be carrying helicopters and missiles for Syria has been effectively stopped in its tracks off the coast of Scotland after its insurance was cancelled at the behest of the British government.

Britain stops Russian ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria - Telegraph

[WalterNZ]

<< Ezekiel 38:4 >>

New International Version (©1984)

I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army--your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.

[Littlejoe]

Russia has angered the United States by continuing to arm Syria despite the Syrian government’s violent suppression of a popular uprising in recent months. Some have alleged that Moscow is attempting to keep Assad in power in order to avoid revealing Russian war crimes.

Could this be the hooks in the jaws??..

[Jumpmaster]

Great verse, Walter.

Great question, Littlejoe.

The time draws near...........

Jumpmaster

[daygo]

Sorry but do not understand your logic here, please explain.

[Sean Osborne]

A Russian ship believed to be carrying helicopters and missiles for Syria has been effectively stopped in its tracks off the coast of Scotland after its insurance was cancelled at the behest of the British government.

Britain stops Russian ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria - Telegraph

Good luck with that Great Britain.

Those choppers are not new choppers, they are old refurbished choppers that were bought and paid for by Syria decades ago and then recently sent to Russia for extensive repairs. Now they're fixed and being returned to Syria. No laws broken, no embargo broken by Russia or Syria. However, the British government may have gone and done something without probable cause that may result in an illegality on the high seas.

This is what happens when leftist governments in the West neuter our intelligence agencies and the resulting poor intelligence assessments create more problems than they solve. Highjacking the property of a sovereign nation on the high seas has started wars in the past. It's known as piracy. Life is tough, it's tougher if you're stupid.

[WKUHilltopper]

Wow...Russia could consider this an act of war.

[Sean Osborne]

Wow...Russia could consider this an act of war.

Give that man a gold ring!

On the other hand, the Brits could acknowledge their error, release the ship, reinstate its insurance, write Hillary Clinton a nasty letter, and let the Russians walk away with this chip tucked away in their pocket to be cashed in at a later date.

[daygo]

Sean forgive me but britain has a right wing conservative party in power they are not lefties.

[Sean Osborne]

Sean forgive me but britain has a right wing conservative party in power they are not lefties.

The damage was done by the previous occupant of number 10 Downing, not the current. Repairs are still in-progress, and missions remain in-progress, even while being betrayed by the lefties currently in power on this side of the pond. There's a rough six or seven months ahead, but turning it all around can be accomplished. It has to be accomplished.

[WKUHilltopper]

Give that man a gold ring!

On the other hand, the Brits could acknowledge their error, release the ship, reinstate its insurance, write Hillary Clinton a nasty letter, and let the Russians walk away with this chip tucked away in their pocket to be cashed in at a later date.

The fact the Russians aren't making a big deal of this (or at least I'm not finding any follow up articles on it) could suggest that Russia is a "paper tiger". I'm surprised they just seem, at least, to be letting this slide.

But the Russians could probably score some points off this event. I'm just pretty shocked the Brits did this and without repercussions.

[Kris762]

Russia slams Britain over Syria-bound ship

Published: 06.21.12, 18:35 / Israel News

Russia has harshly criticized Britain for pressuring a Russian-operated ship heading to Syria with a load of weapons to turn back, saying that Moscow won't abide by European Union sanctions on the Arab state.

Russia has continued to provide its longtime ally Syria with weapons and diplomatic support despite the Syrian regime's violent crackdown on a popular uprising that began in March 2011. (AP)

[Sean Osborne]

Russia admitted there were three (3) refurbished Mi-25 helicopters (originally sold and delivered to Syria in the late 1980s) on board the MV ALAED and some components for an un-related air defense system. MV ALAED departed UK waters yesterday and is enroute and due to arrive at port Murmansk, Russia on Saturday.

[Kris762]

I dont think the ship itself was necessarily the main focus, I think the message it carries is the main aim and I think the Brits knew exactly what they were doing.

[Sean Osborne]

The ship MV ALAED was never the issue; the military cargo consigned for delivery to Syria was the issue, and it was a rather insignificant issue at that.

Three refurbished but undelivered Mi-25 Hinds is not going to make or break Al-Assad's ability to defeat the Sunni Muslim insurgency. Besides, Iran will fly in whatever Al-Assad needs to offset battlefield losses.

[Kris762]

Precisely my point, the ship/cargo was insignificant.

[WKUHilltopper]

The next shipment (of anything) to Syria, I wonder if Russia has the nerve to provide escort? That's what I would do--saying, "try to stop this one..."

But maybe the old bear--she ain't what she used to be.

[WKUHilltopper]

Russia slams Britain over Syria-bound ship

Published: 06.21.12, 18:35 / Israel News

Russia has harshly criticized Britain for pressuring a Russian-operated ship heading to Syria with a load of weapons to turn back, saying that Moscow won't abide by European Union sanctions on the Arab state.

Russia has continued to provide its longtime ally Syria with weapons and diplomatic support despite the Syrian regime's violent crackdown on a popular uprising that began in March 2011. (AP)

Thanks.

[WKUHilltopper]

Updated.

=========================================


June 21, 2012 12:34 PM

Russia lashes out over stop of Syria-bound ship



(AP) MOSCOW - Russia's foreign minister lashed out at Britain on Thursday for pressuring a Russian-operated ship heading to Syria with a load of weapons to turn back, saying that Moscow won't abide by European Union sanctions against its Arab ally.

Sergey Lavrov said a British insurer's decision to remove the ship's coverage reflected the "unreliability of the British insurance system." He also said the British government defied international law by asking the insurance company to act.

"The EU sanctions aren't part of the international law," he said on nationally broadcast Ekho Moskvy radio.

Britain has joined the United States and other countries in pressing Russia to halt arms shipments to Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime. Opposition groups say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011.

The U.K.-based insurer Standard Club said it removed insurance coverage for the ship owner when it became aware it was carrying munitions, a clear breach of its rules. The move forced the ship, the MV Alaed, to turn back toward Russia.

Russia, along with China, has twice shielded Syria from proposed international sanctions over Assad's crackdown on protests. It also has continued to provide Damascus, its last remaining Mideast ally, with weapons.

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Ship no longer carrying attack copters to Syria

Lavrov told Ekho Moskvy radio the ship was carrying new air defense systems and three refurbished military helicopters to Syria, arguing the shipment was entirely legitimate.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich says the Curacao-registered ship is now heading to the Russian port of Murmansk where it would change its flag to the Russian. Lukashevich wouldn't say whether the vessel will then head back to Syria, but Lavrov seemed to hint at that by saying that "contracts must be fulfilled."

The ship is currently using the flag of Curacao, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the Dutch monarch overseeing foreign affairs and defense.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a harsh reprimand to Russia last week, saying that Moscow "dramatically" escalated the crisis in Syria by sending attack helicopters there. The State Department acknowledged later the helicopters she accused Moscow of sending were actually refurbished ones already owned by the Assad regime.

The spat has added to tensions between Russia and the West over Syria.

Moscow has criticized Assad for heavy-handed use of force and slow reforms, but strongly resisted a Western demand for the Syrian strongman to step down.

"A scheme that envisages Assad stepping down as a condition for ending violence and launching a political process wouldn't work, because he won't step down," Lavrov said Thursday.

Lavrov warned that Western attempts to drive Assad out of power could result in Islamic radicals unleashing violence against more moderate Muslims and Christians in Syria.

Russia lashes out over stop of Syria-bound ship - CBS News

[mattfivefour]

Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "told Ekho Moskvy radio the ship was carrying new air defense systems and three refurbished military helicopters to Syria...." I suspect the air defense systems—which were clearly not intended to stop the rebels who have no air force but which could possibly have been problematic for Western aerial intervention—were the real reason this ship was turned back. It seems to me that it was not the intention of this act to deny the Syrians this materiel as much as it was the intent to send a signal to Moscow— do not count on there being a lack of will on our part to prevent you from continuing to interfere in Syria.