Article

2007-10-06 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

DEBKAfile Exclusive: Three groups of experts - Russian, Iranian and Syrian still at sea over why Syrias two early warning stations failed to protect its skies or identify Israeli air force raiders on Sept. 6.

DEBKAfiles military experts conclude from the way Damascus described the episode that the electronic systems and radar of the Pantsyr-S1 air defense missiles were a letdown because they failed to down the intruders and therefore leave Syria and Iranian airspace vulnerable to hostile intrusion.

Such information on the Russian weapons systems sold to Syria and Iran is essential to any US calculations of whether to attack Iran.

Full article by DEBKAfiles military sources of Sept. 7: HERE

These revelations were followed up on Sept. 21 by DEBKA-Net-Weekly 318 (for subscribers): Syrias vulnerability

DEBKA-Net-Weeklys military sources report that the Syrian early warning station, positioned at Marj as Sultan, 15 km east of Damascus and north of the Syrian air base at the international airport, is there to secure the Syrian capital and monitor Israeli air or missile activity on the Golan and from northern Israel.

The Shinshar station south of Homs, near the small Syrian air base of Al Qusayr Shayrat, is located opposite northern Lebanon. Its function is to sound the alarm if airplanes, missiles or warships approach Syria from Lebanese territory of from the eastern Mediterranean.

When the early warning stations in Syria were silenced, some communications systems, computers and cell phones were also knocked out in neighboring Lebanon evidence that Syria had been bested in a cyber war against its electronic and radar systems.

DEBKAfile adds: Syrian war planners are at sea on several key points, such as:

1. When and from which did direction did the warplanes enter Syria airspace the Mediterranean, Israel or Turkey?

2. Was the incursion a one-off or one of several which went unnoticed?

Until Israel released the bare information of the Sept. 6 air raid over Syria this week, neither Damascus nor Tehran knew for sure the identity of the air raiders, whether Israeli American or both.

Posted by gromgoru 2007-10-06 14:28|| || Front Page|| [35 views ] Top

#1 IAF to Syria: "BOO!"

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-10-06 16:28|| 2007-10-06 16:28|| Front Page Top

#2 It's good to be the good guys.

Posted by Bobby 2007-10-06 17:36|| 2007-10-06 17:36|| Front Page Top

#3 Tell them ists our secret "Rods from God" program, Really give them a heart attack.

Posted by OldSpook 2007-10-06 17:59|| 2007-10-06 17:59|| Front Page Top

#4 It's good to be me.

Posted by Avner Root 2007-10-06 18:24|| 2007-10-06 18:24|| Front Page Top

#5 The Iranian regime continues its tone of defiance but they must be factoring the abject exposure of Syrian airspace into their political calculations.

The only deterrents that remain to strikes against facilities in their own country are the logistical difficulties involved in long range aerial strikes and the unleashing of a potential reprisal wave against Israel and U.S. targets abroad and disruption in the Persian Gulf - and with Israeli missile defense systems proven operational and effective and a U.S. carrier battle group stationed near the Gulf those threats could be surmounted.

Posted by Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-10-06 18:49|| 2007-10-06 18:49|| Front Page Top

#6 Sounds like Russian ass-covering to me. "No, it's not that our systems are crap, it's those wily Jewish hackers!"

Next thing the Russians will sell them will be network security equipment and consulting. Which, when push comes to shove, won't work either.

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2007-10-06 19:43|| 2007-10-06 19:43|| Front Page Top

#7 and that would be bad...why?

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-10-06 21:25|| 2007-10-06 21:25|| Front Page Top

#8 "from which did direction did the warplanes enter Syria airspace the Mediterranean, Israel or Turkey?"

Or Iraq?

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-10-06 23:07|| 2007-10-06 23:07|| Front Page Top

#9 "From which did direction did the warplanes enter Syria airspace the Mediterranean, Israel or Turkey?"

How 'bout "All of the Above". Prove it ain't so...

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2007-10-06 23:17|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2007-10-06 23:17|| Front Page Top

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