Russian-Supplied Modern Technology Gives Edge to Syrian Army Robert Fisk - The Independent (Britain)
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00162pN46-QW9VYx8fVUAgJ6xPyPa-bqncXGL6Ysf6KCqjF 1Mn9WkYHCwg_FL-HW3IGVMVve_a4vel-s23v1r6djuiDLULDD5rjDgNoo9Ke91XqKLp2yV9HVl2T OMEnG014iNXpI_6j4Y9FppPQ3UNQgwSEY-B77TJB_HKOLDgK4x1j7TUkmnYvQ9sFW9uv629nn60P vuTHeqkOvkYCpE_weTudO667gYo7Y0fwo2-jG-SgOg_bop9FUeL05jyRzE3nIKToOZNKHTiz0sNm soIreecwHqU589fB4cissEv-Y9r4dYotALTEIDRrtZQi75hvwIsY8v0BPEu14q37mR1eMQ==&c=_ A1AmyNaQvveSBwSE1OddiziKWHl953twz17M0FivsUpaWPW2TQoTQ==&ch=RQi_Rvt0I0Q4mjsh- Sr-_VDPsaTEIpSAbq6l9tRtbDYcvWOlf9pRKw==> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-civil-war-state-of -the-art-technology-gives-president-assad-s-army-the-edge-a6898741.html ... In an army that has lost well over 60,000 dead in almost five years of hard fighting, Syria's officers have suddenly discovered that the new Russian technology has coincided with a rapid lowering of their casualties. This may be one reason for the steady trickle of old "Free Syrian Army" deserters back to the ranks of the government forces, depleting even further David Cameron's 70,000-strong army of "moderate" ghost soldiers ... Despite all the boasts of Saudi Arabia that it has formed a massive, if hopelessly untrained, "coalition against terror", it seems that the Syrians, Iranians and Hezbollah have managed to operate together in difficult, rainy terrain and win their first major joint battle. Iranian forces are now being used on the front lines for the first time, principally around Aleppo.
