Russia to Sell 36 Yak-130 jets to Syria

The Western press is tabbing the Roadmap adopted by the Arab League Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee as the consensual solution to the Syrian crisis. In doing so, it glosses over the claims it has made for the past ten months: it is no longer viable to replace a dictatorship with a democracy, but only to obtain the departure of the Alawite President and replace him with a Sunni figure. Does this imply that Syria’s opponents would be satisfied with a symbolic victory and continue their plan to destroy the country by attempting a new maneuver to provoke a sectarian conflict?

Beyond this change in rhetoric, the pivotal strategic issue revolves around Russia’s position. Part of the press echoes a remark, attributed to a spokesman of President Medvedev, that Moscow will not support President al-Assad much further. However, the Reuters dispatch was denied as soon as it surfaced in newspapers. Another section of the press highlights instead the sale of 36 Yakovlev 130 jets to Syria for $ 550 million. Such aircraft can be used to train fighter pilots and, in a real situation, as fire support during ground combat. The importance of this agreement reflects not only Moscow’s support for Damascus but also its certainty that the Assad government will last long enough to honor it completely.