I'm just not buying this:
International military action against Syria's government over its alleged use of chemical weapons would run up against one of the Middle East's most formidable air defenses, a system bolstered in recent years by top-of-the-line Russian hardware. ...
Syria, experts say, possesses one of the most robust air defense networks in the region, with multiple surface-to-air missiles providing overlapping coverage of key areas in combination with thousands of anti-aircraft guns capable of engaging attacking aircraft at lower levels. ...
Some defense systems are also deployed along the Syrian Mediterranean coast and substantial air defense system have always been stationed in and around the capital Damascus.
"If there was an attack now," Hanna said, "Syria would have an upper hand."
We shredded Libya's air defenses. We shredded Iraq's air defense network. We shredded Serbia's air defenses.
The Israelis punched through Syria's air defenses every time they've faced them.
I don't care what new weapons the Syrians have purchased. Their air defense troops are simply not going to be so much better than their ground forces who are suffering huge casualties as an indication of their poor training. And rebel activity has degraded the network.
If we intervene in Syria, we will take apart Assad's air defenses and exercise complete control of the air. I imagine many of the Syrian air defense crews will turn off their equipment lest we detect them and kill them.
We may suffer some losses--as even the Iraqis and Serbs managed to inflict on us--but that won't mean we won't rule the skies over Syria if we choose to do so.
And if we can't, why do we bother paying for an Air Force?
UPDATE: Hey, the Israelis defeated one of the Middle East's most formidable air defenses--again:
The United States believes Israel has conducted an airstrike into Syria, CNN reported on Friday, citing two unnamed U.S. officials.
CNN quoted the officials as saying Israel most likely conducted the strike "in the Thursday-Friday time frame" and that Israel's warplanes did not enter Syrian airspace.
This is the place to note that I don't think that word "formidable" means what they think it means.
