E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSThe Russian military is preparing to dispatch three naval ships to Tartus, its Mediterranean base in Syria, the Pentagon said Tuesday. The ships are filled with supplies and are tasked with securing the Russian base and troops there.
At a briefing at the Pentagon, spokesmen Capt. John Kirby and George Little said there is no indication that the supplies will support the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
NBC News first reported last week that Russia is preparing to send a small contingent of troops to Syria in the event that it needs to protect personnel and remove equipment from its naval facility from the base.
In addition to these three Russian naval ships, a contracted ship carrying helicopter parts that was bound for Syria has turned around and is returning to Russia.
Russian shipment of attack helicopters headed for Syria halted off Scotland
The contracted ship was insured by a British company that pulled its insurance policy as the ship rounded the northern coast of Scotland.
The vessel had been closely monitored by intelligence agencies since Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week that such shipments were adding to the weapons arsenal in Syria, which has spiraled into civil war.
Clinton says Russia is sending gunships to Syria, could escalate conflict dramatically
Kirby said that the United States supports that decision for the ship to turn around, but he was not aware that the U.S. put any pressure on Britain or the company to pull the insurance policy.
Syria is Moscow's firmest foothold in the Middle East and buys weapons from Russia worth billions of dollars. It also hosts the Russian navy's only permanent warm-water port outside the former Soviet Union.
Russia has used its U.N. Security Council veto to dilute Western efforts to condemn Syrian President Bashar Assad and nudge him from power, arguing that deposing a government using external pressure is unacceptable.
The announcement that Russian naval ships are bound for Syria comes one week after France declared the turmoil there is a full-blown civil war. More than 10,000 Syrians have been killed since the first uprising against Assad 15 months ago.
U.S. official: Russia sends troops to Syria as peace, hope fade
The head of the U.N. observers in Syria said Friday a recent spike in bloodshed is derailing the mission to monitor and defuse more than a year of violence and could prompt the unarmed force to pull out.
Jim Miklaszewski is the chief Pentagon correspondent for NBC News. Courtney Kube is NBC News National Security Producer. Msnbc.com’s Alastair Jamieson contributed to this report.
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- 20 years on, will world make good on Rio Earth Summit's 'broken promises'?
- Bangladesh reportedly closes border to refugees from Myanmar violence
- EU chief at G20 Summit: We're not here to 'receive lessons from nobody!'
- Taliban bans Pakistan polio vaccinations over drone strikes
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
These ships are coming AFTER Obama and Putin's meeting. I would say things did not go well! Looks like the cold war might get a little warm! I have to agree with Putin, we do not need to be in Syria! But our government just can't! It is always putting it's nose where it does not belong!
Tell Putin I will have more "flexability" once "I" am "Re-Elected"!
Putin would kick Obama's @zz in a fistfight.
I sincerely doubt that. President Obama does not appear in any way, fashion or form to back down from a fight.
I'd love to see those two in a ring. Obama woouild get the gaye pride kicked right out of him.
Putin would knock him out cold....
Who Boehner, Cantor or Mitch?
Don how about putrid and obummer made a deal. washington will barf but thats gonna be about it. i have noticed recently in the news no comments from russia about our drones in afghanistan or pakistan. So they both kissed and had a good time at our expense again. Do you really think washington is lookin out for our best interests?
The only reason the troops are stillin afghanistan is so obummer can get reelected as the second part of the recession will hit when the govt stops buying all those beans and bullets.
Trouble is we just aint got any leaders anywhere. so take your pick a community coordinator or a millionaire. you could go with paul except if the Us had all the gold in the world it would not cover our national debt so going to the gold standard is not possible. course where is the gold and silver from when we used them for the standards for the dollar last century/
Or just run out in the backyard and dig a hole.
Putin hates ni99ers; Obama is no exception.
I'll bet I could kick the living shjt out of both of them at once, and I am very close to Obamas age.
Just what our broke country needs,anouther war.Before the bext war with Iran that we have been staging for.Glad we have that smart guy Obama in charge.(sarcasm)
thomas, You just about hit the nail on the head on everything!
You jerks all need to move to Russia..Really ? Siding with Putin and insulting our president because you are a bigot ? I always thought race was a big problem, but you racists are ready to tear this country apart because you can't stand a black man in charge....And don't deny it, this is only the Internet, that black guy you are afraid of isn't next to you....
And to you sucka ass fools saying how dumb Obama is I think it is pretty funny....He is so dumb he graduated from several top-notch schools and managed to become president even though he is a citizen of Kenya( In your in-bred world anyway)....If you dicks are so smart when are you graduating from Harvard?And you have the nerve to call him dumb and incompetent after you voted for Bush,twice no doubt...And that sentence has double meanings...Bush is dumb and you are dumb for voting for him...
Thank God a majority support our president, and it just so happens that it is also the intellectuals, and the more healthy, and athletic ( Not the fat lazy in-bred Waly-mart shopping GOP voters) folks in general who voted for Obama....And all the single ladies....And Democrats don't win elections by the way, Independents do.....And independents won't be voting for MR. " Corporations are people, my friend " " I like firing people" " I am not concerned with the poor" Etch-A-Sketching, magic underpants wearing, weird ass ken-doll, robot looking and acting Willard "Mittens" Romney.....He will lock-up the racist and retarded old white male vote.....And for some strange reason the evangelicals,even though they will hate voting for him... Their Jesus told them not to vote for Obama because he is a secret Muslim and a communist( Not that they understand communism or its relation to organized religions) " Cause Muslims and communists are bad mmmmmkayyyy..." (Credit that last quote to SouthPark, the rest besides Mittens to Romney and of course Mittens goes to his daddy, or whoever nick-named him that ridiculous ass sissy-boy name)
I still am trying to get over you jokers rooting for Putin over Obama....That is a new low in the prejudice...." You Lie" , the Brewer finger pointing etc. etc. now a straight down the thread Putin rootin'
Just like a Democrat to make it about race!
@pogden, and your not? What was that Mitt was saying until recently, about illegals volunteerily leaving the country? I really was LOL on that one and what was funnier yet? You all stood up and cheered. I'm still LOL aabout that. I will venture a guess and admit that the Republicans have, what I would consider a few good choices for V.P. They won't get chosen though. It's pretty hard to find someone that doesn't outshine Mitt. You can't have a V.P. that better than........... To be truthful I've never had a Comedian give me more laughs than Mitt.
It looks rather as though Russia is preparing to pull her troops out of Syria. Certainly no 'one could blame her as their presence in that war torn country can do nothing to enhance Russia's image or the safety of her Syria based citizens.
@ Don -Why would repeat anything Putin says ? Putin like the majority (all?) of Russian's in power are complete extortionists mafia types. The fall of the so-called "Stalin/Communist Party" was a huge power grab for those connected to Politics and Military power structures. There was nothing legal or democratic about Putin's reelection and it was even spoken of openly by Russians on many international news outlets( it's hard to say if those interviewed are still alive ?).
If you respect Putin so much, why don't you move to Russia ?
( @ Don cont. )
Gorbachev was Russia's only hope for a democratic reform. Gorbachev introduced GLASNOST giving Soviets more freedom of speech. One of Gorbachev's biggest problems came about when KGB agents took over radio and TV stations(in a last minute power grab) in Lithuania without proper authority.
Gorbachev openly criticized Boris Yeltsin for trying to create more power for himself.
Gorbachev openly criticized Vladmir Putin when in 2011 he said: "The electoral system we had was nothing remarkable but they have literally castrated it." (referring to Putin's fraudulent reelection)
So PLEASE Don, no one wants to hear about what Vladmir Putin thinks or wants, get it ??
for your info 6dogs im not a Republican or Democrat lmfao they both always make it about race just give them 5 min of speech and you will see hhaha!
Nah, there's no chance of a broader war out of this little dust-up. Whatever happens, this won't get much further out of control than Lebanon. Turkey won't stand for this getting too far out of control, no one wants the Dardanelles in the middle of a regional war.
I would really like to believe what you say, however, each new day seems to bring fresh headlines of the next looming disaster in that part of the world.Between Syria and the Muslim brotherhood winning an election to President in Egypt, it sounds like people are warming up for the main act.
Between what Momcat mentioned and the looming euro-zone debt crisis if you study history this stuff looks too much like the pre-cursors to global war....Leading up to the first two we didn't have much to compare to so people didn't see it coming unless you were a German leader who caused it....Now look at who is in charge of all the monetary power in the Euro( The Germans again).................Kinda Scary.....And the world is our Frenemy since GWB and his Woodie from Toy Story foreign policy screwed everything up......Hopefully they are confident in Obama winning because he is finally repairing these tensions and our frenemy status.....The world is scared to death of a Venture Capital Administration...Not because they fear Romney's might like Reagan's either, they fear getting screwed over for money like he did everywhere he has dealt with for his whole life....And he always comes out richer.....You people that would vote for him are dullards....He wants to bust this country out for round two( Cheney and Halliburton did round one) .......And round two will be the knockout.....Remember? We have been recovering since Obama took office? And they are saying the sky is falling...And when Bush was in he said the economy was fundamentally sound while the bottom was falling out.....You see, the GOP tells you one thing while doing another and then says the Dems are gonna do exactly what they are doing to destroy things... Like how Bush started the wild spending and now Obama put his wars on the books and had to spend to prop up the economy before it fell off the cliff( The same cliff Romney would love to push the working class off of, and if that class doesn't put its bigotry aside he may succeed....
fck the middle east ,its just a $hit filled toiletbowl
idiot Nazis talk like that. Your going to make for a terrible soldier.
@thrill22, guys like Marks-971793 make lousey employees to. I've seen them come and gone in a week or two.
let them kill as many as they can dead muslems are good muslems just keep AMERICA out of this mess
I know in-bred racists aren't to good at understanding what they read, or what is going on in the world but I will give it a shot......
The Russians are Syria's main strategic partner, and their modern weapons and weapons systems supplier...They are there to keep help out and shore up their(Russian) naval base....Their only year round ice free naval capability...So I don't see the good side of this.....I see it as a chess move leading up to a possible global conflict being triggered by Euro-Zone monetary policy and shrinking global oil supplies....Let's see who aligns together on the other side or possible multiple sides............
I agree with your America stay 'outta dis' sentiments.....But who knows we might want to start choosing sides or building coalitions.....Which technically we have been doing that and fighting the beginning battles since 1947 and even before WWII................What is jacked up is how good at chess Russians are.....Remember how WWII played out in the beginning for them ? They were in secret negotiations with Germany and Hitler slicing up European pie long before fighting started.......
I don't like the looks of any of it......I like watching global wars on the History channel, not my boys and the countries boys fighting them in realtime.....God Bless the U.S. >>>>>>>>>
@swphilly, Russia and the us are two different worlds and we have a smooth, ruff, smooth relationship. The truth of the matter here is we need one another. If I had to stand side by side a Russian or Chinese to fight, I want the Russian beside me.
The Russians most likely will be able to keep a Naval base in Syria regardless of whom is in power. With today's technology, that Russian Naval Base does not pose a threat. The Russians, like us, will use what is needed to protect their armed forces. No escalation there, cold war is over, and there is no turning back.
Cross your fingers.
hey.......... USA.......... years of lies to the American public and killing innocent people have brought this to your door step. You are to blame! Oh and the TSA doesn't liked to be touched back. Patriotism = Freedom
lol. Patriotism is one of the most shallow emotions there is.
Hey Thrill, wherever and in whatever country you live in, stay there..We don't want radicals visiting us...And keep your hands off of our TSA agents.....People like you are the reason we need them....And I hope someone is investigating you, because that comment sounds alot like a terror threat...I will be vigilant and report you to Homeland Security...
Uh, except that this ISN'T at our door step.
Seriously, this is half a world away, and we have absolutely no policy or diplomatic obligation to intervene. You make no sense.
You guys have too narrow a view, if anything Russia having ships there could be a good thing.
With boots on the ground as it were, they will have to take responsibility for thier actions, and the actions of those they are supporting. It will make it more difficult to "hide" in the shadows an provide weapons.
When it's all said and done, Russian's are just like us. They do not like their government, they don't trust thiers any more than we do. They go to work, hate the jobs they have and try to live a decent life. They are not the monster under the bed when you were 6.
Russians are unlike some of us, they understand when to use the possessive.
Russians on the ground.....Ha. It would be their 2nd Afghanistan. Go for it Putin.
Amazed--I hope you are right...It sounds logical..
Berko--Why must you nitpick? Here *Russians* Instead of Russian's......There was a spelling mistake too,with a I before E when it should have been E before I.....How come you didn't pick at that scab ? Your Godly self didn't see it ? And there was a missing letter at the end of a word.....I won't correct that until you find it and pick at it..Over all it was a well thought intelligent post.....Unlike yours.....
@!$%# just got real....
I wonder what secret deal Obama made with Putin this time. I still cannot believe people are not more upset about that open microphone bit a few months ago. Obama could not get more fraudulent than that.
Larry, They wouldn't make a secret deal? Would they? Besides, Putin did not look like he was in a deal making mood!
They agreed that theyre both communist and since communist china is soon to dominate the world that we should all meet in Syria and sing and drink vodka together.Obama well provide the weed.
Apparently you did not listen to his 2007 campaign speeches about a open and transparent government, what he meant was out of sight and very quiet,. Russia has to do what they have to to protect their base and personnel,. neither one of them looks to happy looks like Putin just put Mr O in his place, its rare when Mr O's mouth isn't running even in a still photo its running. maybe he is a little drug out after all the partying with the Hollywood weirdo's, hell snap out of it in a week or so. I don't care for Putin personally but he might be right on this outside interference will not help in this situation it will only make it spread, get all the outside elements out of Syria and let them handle their own, let the chips fall where they fall. you all know damn well its outside Muslim activist that are feeding this mess and when they are done they will go to the next project, and they are not our friends or Russia's friends there out for themselves whats next they want some Lebanon and some Turkey then they can go to work on the Balkan states, and its a run on Europe, you know they have been trying to populate Europe for about a half century now countries like France will collapse easily with their Muslim populations. our best bet is to stay out of it and let it die in its tracks. or it will keep going and keep building momentum, Its a Islam thing don't feed it don't give them weapons, stay out of it. remember the goal is world domination under Islam. this is a very big chess game. pay attention to who is taking all the spaces and knocking out the pawns some day it will come to check mate.
Its funny that the dumbest people are the soon to be Romney voters......
obama is a pussy, and the foreign powers know it and subjugate him
OOooo Another conspiracy, people always lookin for somthing in nothing makes me laugh, hey got news for most of you, you do not like the president? dont like the country and how it is run? do not like your freedom? Then LEAVE, GO NOW!!!! Sick of you pussy whiners complaining about everything just leave and move somwhere else because people like you destroy the fabric of society.
Putin has no respect for Obama. Putin fears a military conflict with the US, with good reason. But he knows that Obama lacks the gut to face down Russia, Obama is no JFK.
Hey nitpicky, you forgot the periods on your abbreviations Mr. Possessives ( Unlike the Russians of-course ) HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
I fell off my chair laughing, thanks for your in depth assesment of baseless facts.
I don't think the Pres is going to get any help from Russia or China concerning this mess. It's a real shame. Russia could probably clear this up pretty quick if they wanted to.
Putin wants to prevent a mess such as Egypt or Libya! Our foreign policy hasn't been very good lately!
Russia could reslove this anytime they want; however, part of their message is to tell the U.S. that we are weak and have lost a lot of respect internationally.
Ummmmm.........Haven't we?
Some adults are showing up.
Yeah Don, All of that respect shoe dodging Bush built up.....The only place President Obama doesn't get respect is from the Fascist Right-Wing at home including you....West Virginny......Your sister and your wife are rolling over in bed to wake you up, and there is only one other person besides you in the room
Russia couldn't get WW III started during the 1960s by arming Cuba with its missiles. Putin wants to be a bigger man than his predecessor. He picked the right hot spot.
No he didn't. The only people who care about Syria enough to use military force are Russia and Iran. No country on the planet would go to war with Russia to free the Syrians and Russia would never declare war for the sake of keeping them oppressed. This "hot spot" is rather cold, geopolitically.
Since the day I was born in 1948 all I heard is what @!$%#s the Russians were. Nothing has changed. They have a little @!$%# dictator by the name of Pussy Putin and he is a closet Stalin.
I thought wisdom came with age? Obviously not!
Obama is like Hitler.With modern technology.
Someone made the comment that the adults are showing up, I don't see them?
I despise Putin but I would have disrespect for him even more if he abandoned his people or his base at this time. we have abandoned all our ME allies and now the Muslim Brotherhood is taking over. Mr O has got to stop interfering with foreign problems and just let them handle their own problems. Mr O is Islams greatest ally there is no such thing as freedom in a Islamic state, funny Mr 0 grew up in a Muslim country went to their schools where Islam is a main study and mandatory and now that he is president Islam has made its biggest gains in history or at least sence the crusades. his family was also Marxist that doesnt make much sense, I never thought you could mix the two Marxism denounces Religion but I guess if you are Liberal enough you can twist any thing anyway you want and make it sounds like it makes sense to someone with the brain of a child.
Ron, An extreme leftist Hitler of mixed race ?
Don, Your wife and sister is calling....
D Buck---- Brain of a child ? Coming from your high intellect ? We have no true middle eastern allies, I mean c'mon Saudi Arabia? That is where the sky-jackers and Osama came from...And By the way you consider the presidents WWII vet grandfather a Marxist or his Rosy Riveting Granny ? And they " Raised " him in which Muslim country ? Kansas? He spent less time in Indonesia than you spend watching Hannity's twisted falsehoods that is fo' sho' mo' fo'...........And for your door prize of biggest have it both ways fascist right wing Obama bashing, here it is, wait,wait,wait....You said first that Obama abandoned all of his ME allies and then you said he is Islams biggest ally and has helped them make the largest gains in history or sence(sic) the crusades.....Can't have it both ways even though you jokers constantly try it....Kinda like the Karl Marx lesson on religion you learned on Glenn Beck.......I am not positive but I think Marxism is not anti-faith or God just organized religion controlling the state, kinda' like our Great Republic......But you fools would love to turn our Great Republic into The Republican States of Born-Again Taliban/Latter Day Saints Reagan/Norquist/ While Romney is in Sponsored by Bain/Wal-Mart Featuring the Kill the Middle Class Plan of Ryan for Congress...............Hey,Yo, Corporations are people too......I like firing People........I really don't care about the poor......And don't forget V.P. Trump's great relationship with " THE BLACKS" Of Course his status with them won't go over too well in regards to the southern delegation at the convention, but I am sure he will spin and doctor that with his convention speech( Remember Palin's great " LIPSTICK/PITBULL" moment?).......
Great job President Zippie. Once again you displayed the weak minded flaw in your Presidency. Putin looked and met with you and laughed. Now he's sending ships to not only help the Syrian regime, but to rub it in your face. Can't wait until November.
I can't wait either,then he can start some serious Nuke reductions treaties with Russia and the rest of the world...That way if the Fascists ever win an election they won't be able to get us back on the brink of total annihilation...
That's right. Obama is an idiot when it comes to foreign policy. (and everything else!) He should have told Russia to stay out of Syria.
Thank goodness that couch potato diplomats like you stay where you are.
Taxpayer,I am pretty sure that was sarcasm.....We don't order other sovereign nations around....The only foreign policy that would be is starting a war.....You know how most wars start right? One country makes some type of demand( Like we did with Afghanistan by demanding the extradition of Bin Laden or Iraq where we demanded that we got the weapons inspectors back in...Of course Saddam thought they were spies and we were invading no-matter what so he didn't comply) of the other one and if they don't comply we make due on our threat of force( Some wars are started over territory disputes or flat out no reason invasions of conquest, or a multitude of other reasons. )
I think we should TRADE with the Russians ?
We Let them have the Port of L A for Free!
And They can have 800,000 DREAMERS for nothing!
ITS a WIN WIN !
The mexicans have a port that well use that international hwy through texas.
Hey! Don't go giving parts of my state to Russia! :O
I prefer racist cops to political thugs.
And the prince of Hope and Change says what??? Nothing!! He says "The US is not alingend with Russia and Choina. Really?? Really Mr. Obama?? What a joke Obama has become on the world stage among leaders of other countries. Russia and China laugh at the USA and this is so obvious in the action being taken by Russia in sending military equipment to Syria. November can't come quick enough to get this clown out of office ASAP!
The U.S. is not going to get any help, politically or otherwise from Russia or China when it comes to Syria...Russia has its warm water naval base there and needs Syria to sell arms to...China is going along with Russia and will do nothing....As for the equipment being sent to Syria via ship...no big deal they can send it via rail....or fly the stuff in on cargo planes...
Container ships have dramatically higher load capacities than planes; it's proabably not profitable to do it by air.
As for rail, is there a rail link from Syria to Russia? It would probably have to go through Turkey to get there; are they going to stand for military shipments to Syria moving over their soil?
Who cares? Arent we tired enough of being the world's police force. Biased documentaries to fill the pockets of non for profits with the "we should do something" is so 1990's.
Obama`s mic slip up was in reference to our building an ABM defense shield supposedly to defend against Iranian future missile capabilities ... Russia determines this ABM defense shield can nullify their IBM arsenal against us...would we allow Russia to build an ABM defense shield in Canada or anywhere else that could nullify our IBM`s intended to strike Russia...
Russia has had the same problems in the ME as we have had...so would the Chinese...our culture is more similar to the Russians and Chinese...but, business can be like war...open your eyes and see more...
Putin is a thug...Obama did not act weak towards him...the entire world is a mess...we need some rational thinking to start straightening out this mess...we need to work together...enemies do us no good...
Read about Republican President Teddy Roosevelt who said speak softly and carry a big stick...he promoted unionized labor and was known as the BIG Business Trust Buster...for myself, let Republican businessmen including Romney invest in the USA...political parties aside...
Doesn't sound like they are doing anything we don't do. Send in the Marines to secure the embassy and evacuate the foriegn nationals. Copters turned around, so what should Obama say? No cold war here, they are broker than we are. I am surprised they could find 3 seaworthy ships to sail.
Now is the time Pres. Obama's Press could help him the most. Putin is a botoxed, voodka fueled, old line macho man Stalinist! The media just has to stop respecting this creep and start referring to him as the blood thirsty job he is. Show his picture next to dead Syrian children and ask if prefers raping Syria little girls or horse back riding bare chested. The guy's a petty punk and our Pres is acting like a "house N-----" around him! Get a spine , Mr. Pres!
as always ny comments get removed when i discuss the zionist connection.
Yeah it is a conspiracy.....Hook up the rabbit ears on your" internets" and wrap them in foil and it will go through...That is how I got this reply to you...
Us Army Ranger here. jews control us media. they delete everything i say. do not believe me do ur OWN RESEARCH. WATCH HOW THEY QUCKLY DELERTE THIS
"quckly delerte"???
your post should be deleted for poor spelling! By the way...I'm not convinced by your jewish conspiracy theories.
Are there jewish chinese because i hear they are the next big thang?Mabe Obama is a jewish/muslim communist fascist plant to destroy america?
No he's not. He is a Christian Catholic Jewish Muslim communist fascist that's not only trying, but succeeding in destroying America.
Destroying heck it isn't even a country anymore...We are all living in the Zionisttrymatrix......Where is Nemo ? Or Nero? Neko ? awwwww what the hell is his name? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the Goldmans and Silverstiens are at the door,,,,,,Help me NeeeeMooooooooo!!!!!!!!!
all my posts exposing jewish control of america r deleted. do not believe me. research this. watch how quick my account gets deleted for telling the truth
Oh My God, you're right! I just opened the closet next to my computer and found this Orthodox spy in there hot wiring my co-ax feed!
The Orthodox Jews are cool, it's the Zionist's that controls all of the world wide money supplies. You know, the sons of Cain.
@msteel
i have a tinfoil hat i would like to sell you. It works really well for keeping them from listening to your mind.
Jrto77---I already told him about wrapping Foil on the rabbit ears then hooking them up to your " Internets'" And that is free...Less the cost of foil and depending on how much you hafta use according to how many delis are in a seven mile radius( Always remember the Jew number seven )
Blaming Jews for your problems is so 1940's, man. The Chinese are the hip scapegoats nowadays. Get with the times.