SAUDI ARABIA SEEKING WEAPONS FROM PAKISTAN FOR SYRIA
Recently in
Dubai, Saudi Arabia is in talks with Pakistan to provide anti-aircraft and
anti-tank rockets to Syrian rebels to try and tip the balance in the war to
over-throw.
The United
States has long opposed arming the rebels with such weapons, fearing they might
end up in the hands of extremists, but Syrian opposition figures say the
failure of Geneva peace talks seems to have led Washington to soften its opposition.
Pakistani makes
its own version of Chinese shoulder –launched anti-aircraft missiles, known as
Anza, and anti-tank rockets – both of which Riyadh is trying to get for the
rebels according to the Saudi decision makers, requesting anonymity.
in this regards,
Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz himself last week led a large
delegation to Pakistan, shortly after Saudi’s chief diplomat Prince
Saud-al-Faisal visited the kingdom’s key ally.
Jordan will be
providing facilities to store the weapons before they are delivered to rebels
within Syria. The head of the Syrian opposition promised during a flying visit
to northern Syria last week that powerful arms will be arriving soon.
The Unites
States could allow their allies to provide the rebels with anti-aircraft and
anti-tank weapons following the failure of Geneva talks and the renewed tension
with Russia. By providing those weapons to the rebels, relieves pressure on the
United States in the short-term according to the Washington research report.
But the
long-term political worry is that Manpads (Man-portable air-defence systems)
will leak and be used to bring down a civilian airliner some-where in the
world.
Rebels have long
said that the anti-aircraft rockets would help them defend themselves against
Syrian warplanes, which regularly bomb rebel-held areas with barrels loaded
with TNT and other ordinance.
Saudi Arabia has
a strong influence on Syria’s southern front, where is coordinate with Jordan
and has helped unite the rebel fighters in the area.
In view of all
on other hand, Qatar and Turkey are responsible for coordinating with the
rebels on the northern front as requesting anonymity.
