Israel struck a Russian nerve a few weeks ago when it threatened to sell advanced Israeli anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine in response to Russia’s sale of their S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.
It lead to a Russian denouncement of the Israeli move, Israeli threats to bomb the system as it was being delivered to Iran, and a Russian announcement a few days ago that the S-300 delivery to Iran would be delayed.
Did Netanyahu just force Putin to blink? President Obama hasn’t been able to do that a single time over any issue.
LEVERAGE!!
Russia doesn’t want Ukraine getting advanced arms that will take a bite out of the Russian Air Force should it launch an invasion of the rest of Ukraine. And it remembers what happened when the Americans, Israelis and Saudis supplied Afghanistan with American Stinger missiles against the invading Soviet Army in the 1980s. The Soviets lost in the neighborhood of three hundred aircraft.
Our current government can threaten Russia the same way, but it wouldn’t be the same. Putin has Obama’s number and will call his bluff every time, but Netanyahu is perceived as a loose cannon by Putin. Israel is more than willing to answer Putin tit-for-tat, and Putin doesn’t like it one bit.
Because Israel will sell lethal aid to Ukraine if Russia delivers the S-300 to Iran.
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