Well beneath the MSM radar screen, Syria has become a de facto major problem for the United States, and for peace in the Middle East. It is quite likely that the Baathist remnant conducting the terror campaign in Iraq is receiving sanctuary, and using materiel and money secreted across the border in Syria prior to the US—led invasion which toppled Saddam. If Senator Kennedy's favorite simile is employed to state that Iraq is Bush's Vietnam, then Syria becomes Cambodia: the safe haven used to escape American military retaliation. But of course, unlike Cambodia, Syria is an aggressive regional military power, which currently dominates neighboring Lebanon, and which is histile to the continued existence of Israel.

Superficially, the United States continues normal relations with the Batthist socialist/fascist government of Syria. But there is informed speculation that after Iraq's elections are completed, there will be military action against the Iraqi remnants and their assets in Syria. Whether any Syrian assets could be targeted is unknowable.

Moreover, Syria continues its longstanding support for Hezbollah and for Palestinian terror groups of various stripes. Syria, in other words, is an open sore of a terror—enabling state.

All of which makes the report in today's New York Sun even more alarming: Russia is said to be selling advanced anti—aircraft missles to Syria:

Israel's Channel Two TV reported yesterday that Russia plans to sell arms to Syria, including shoulder—fired missiles, which could threaten Israeli aircraft. In a separate report, the Russian newspaper Kommersant said the sale would include Iskander—E ground—to—ground missiles, which would give Syria the capability to strike almost anywhere in Israel.

President Assad will discuss the deal during a four—day visit to Moscow starting January 24, Kommersant reported. [....]

The State Department's spokesman, Richard Boucher, told reporters: "We have reports of the sale. The U.S. policy on this is very clear: We're against the sale of weaponry to Syria, against the sale of lethal military equipment to Syria, which is a state sponsor of terrorism, and we think those kinds of sales are not appropriate. The Russians know about this policy."

In Moscow, officials refused to confirm or deny the sale, but did try to downplay tensions. [....]

Defense experts in Russia were skeptical about the deal going through.

"Our producers want to sell and Syria wants to buy, but there are a lot of things in the way," an independent security analyst, Pavel Felgenhauer, said. "First of all, the Syrians don't have enough money for a major arms purchase. ... And the Israelis are very concerned about this for obvious reasons, and they, along with the Americans, will put a lot of political pressure on Russia."

Mr. Felgenhauer noted that reports of major arms sales from Russia to Syria "crop up all the time, but they never materialize."

Russia last sold weapons to Syria two years ago, when Damascus purchased more than $130 million worth of Kornet and Metis anti—tank missiles. Washington imposed sanctions on the company after the sale and Mr. Felgenhauer said the sale of more powerful weapons could lead to wide—ranging sanctions against Russia.

"Russia would certainly be reluctant to get into a position where it could be sanctioned," he said.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky, who adds:

Nations around the world condemn America for engendering international tension and raising the risk of violence around the world. Yet we witness Russia selling missles to a known terrorist supporting state (Syria), Europe and Russia selling nuclear technology to Iran or otherwise providing them diplomtaic cover to embark on their drive to develop nuclear weapons, and now there are reports that the EU will allow its member nations to sell weapons to China which is becoming the hegemon in Asia and which has been threatenting to invade Taiwan. This is hypocrisy on an international scale.

Thomas Lifson  1 13 05