Russia Prime Minister has publicly warned Saudi Arabia, the US, and other countries, they risk "a new world war" if they act on plans to send troops into Syria. Read Details After the Cut
Syria and Russia both read between the lines and saw the writing on the wall: If foreign ground troops come in, it will not be to fight ISIS, it will be to support the rebels and overthrow Assad. So Syria's Foreign Minister went public and said, No one should think they can challenge Syria's territorial sovereignty and anyone who tries will be sent home in a wooden coffin." Then a member of the Russian State Duma (Parliament) publicly stated that "If any foreign troops enter Syria without permission from the Syrian government, Russia will consider that a declaration of war."
The world took a "pregnant pause." These are heavy duty words from Russia which is - like it or not - a super power.
Wednesday, I got word from my colleagues in the Intelligence Community that Saudi Arabia and 25 of its "allies" had begun massing troops in northern Saudi Arabia. This time, it wasn't the 150,000 that were mentioned earlier. This time it is 350,000 ground troops.
Then the shit hit the fan when it was confirmed that the Saudis and their allies are already transporting TWENTY THOUSAND TANKS. (20,000). Worse, 2,450 warplanes are enroute to northern Saudi Arabia and the Saudis have declared the airspace in the northern section of the country to be "closed." Lastly, in addition to the 2,450 warplanes, four-hundred-sixty (460) military helicopters are enroute as well.
Saudi Arabia had the balls to claim this was all part of an "exercise." Bullshit. There has never, in the history of human existence, been an "exercise" with 350,000 troops, 20,000 tanks, 2,450 warplanes and 460 military helicopters. There is just no way to have an exercise of that magnitude, it is too damn large. What's really taking place is the massing of an invasion force. Saudi Arabia also said the exercise would take 18 days. That would put it as ending February 28.
When this info came out, Russia repeated its warning that any foreign troops entering Syria without permission would be a declaration of war.
This time, there was no "pregnant pause." This time, the Saudis had one of their Brig. Generals come out on TV and state "The decision to send ground troops into Syria is final." That statement came out earlier today.
Late this afternoon, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced he was "asking NATO allies to join a US coalition to send ground troops into Syria." This is directly threatening the Russians that they will be facing NATO!
The Russian response was swift: This evening Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned that "the demands of some Arab countries to send ground forces into Syria risks starting a new world war." Mr. Medvedev said sending troops to Syria risks drawing “everyone taking part in it into a war” and drastically escalating the conflict. “All ground operations, as a rule, lead to permanent wars,” he said. “The Americans must consider – both the U.S. president and our Arab partners – whether or not they want a permanent war.” Russia again repeated its warning that any foreign ground troops entering Syria without permission would be a declaration of war.
