Posted by
celtic-dragon on Thursday, January 04, 2007 10:22:03 PM
Algeria is buying quite a bit more then T-90 MBT's from Russia, it seems. According to Jane's:
Under these deals, Russia will deliver dozens of advanced warplanes
including 28 Su-30MK interdictors, 36 MiG-29SMT fighters and 16 Yak-130
training aircraft. Russian companies will also provide 300 T-90S main
battle tanks, eight battalions of S-300 PMU Almaz-Antei surface-to-air
missile systems, as well as other weapons systems. Russian firms also
will upgrade or repair certain Soviet-era weapons, such as Algerian
T-72 tanks.
Jane's Business...
Speculation seems to center on energy protection concerns that Algeria has, although an invasion from Morocco seems wildly unlikely. When questioned, Russian Government spokesman Ivanov said: "No one is
preventing Morocco from buying our arms and we are ready to consider
such proposals, all the more so, since we already have military and
technical co-operation with Morocco."
Says it all, doesn't it? This is influence peddling of the worst sort. As I have said before, Russia will sell virtually anything to anybody, and this does not bode well for our war on terrorism.