Two Russian Navy ships entered the eastern Mediterranean Wednesday, steaming toward a Russian Navy base at Tartus, Syria. The ships are advance units of a flotilla of 11 warships - one destroyer, five amphibious landing ships, two patrol frigates, two rescue tugs, and one tanker. Several ships carry units of Russian Marines.
It is to be the largest display of Russian naval power in the Mediterranean since the collapse of the Soviet Union two decades ago.
Let me just say that if Syria's Assad decides to retreat to a Core Syria, this major show of force for Assad would help ease the shock of such a big retreat by showing a major level of support for Assad.
Or it could be used to protect and evacuate Russian nationals if the whole place goes belly up, I suppose.
