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On a visit to Moscow earlier this month, Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked Russia not to sell weapons to his country’s enemies. Although Syria denied reports that it was in missile defense talks with Russia, it appears to be the case. Russia plans to station S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Syria. (Source)

As Russia tries to shore up its missile defense system, the country is aligning itself with countries like Syria, whose two naval bases are of great interest to Russia. In addition to building floating piers at one of the bases, Russia is expanding the other. Both will host Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. As expected, this will impede Israel’s ability to work near Syria.

Additionally, Russia has entered into a treaty with Belarus to expand and integrate missile defense systems. As UPI reports, Russia’s plans with Belarus are part of a larger program to fortify Russia’s stand against NATO in the event of war.

Pavel Borodin, state secretary of the Supreme State Council of the Russia-Belarus Union State, made Russia’s intentions very plain: “Militarily speaking, it is virtually a shield against NATO.”

(Photo source: RIA Novosti)

According to the AFP, Russia might be planning to base strategic bombers and Iskander missiles in the border country of Belarus in response to U.S. missile defense plans in Eastern Europe.
 
As we’ve mentioned before on the 33 Minutes blog, there is friction between Russia and the U.S. over our country’s intentions to install missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic. Alexander Surikov, Moscow ambassador, reportedly said, “When Poland signs the agreement with the American side about hosting elements of the missile defense system, then we can discuss some additional aspects of military-technical cooperation with Belarus.”
 
Russia intends to “counter the deployment” of a U.S. missile defense system in Poland. We wonder how many Americans know or even care about this Cold War, Part II, scenario?