While Greece and Cyprus are on their financial knees with their begging bowls out, they still have the resources to conduct missile tests, Angelos Anastasiou of the CM reports.
The long-range surface-to-air missiles, bought from Russia in 1997 at an estimated cost of 200-300 million euro (official figures were shrouded in secrecy), ended up on the island of Crete to avoid annoying Turkey too much, who issued a warning of a military strike against Cyprus if the missiles were kept in Cyprus.
Codenamed Operation White Eagle 2013 (not a very scary name really), the S-300s were tested for the first time at Chania yesterday, with the Greek and Cypriot defence ministers looking on. It was the first ever test of this particular missile system by a NATO member.
I suppose they wanted to check that they're still working 16 years after the initial purchase. They are. Turkey will not be amused.
Angela Merkel will be delighted that EU bailout funds to Greece and Cyprus are being to put to such good use. Meanwhile, in both countries, families are starving, businesses are going bust, unemployment rising, state workers on strike, and banks are calling in loans. Cyprus could have just sold the missiles rather than play with fireworks.
Another dazzling stroke of genius from Mr. Resurrection (President Anastasiades). But he can always follow Christofias's example and pretend he "didn't know" what the defence minister was doing.
Give me the grace, good Lord, to set the world at nought. To set the mind firmly on you and not to hang on upon the words of men's mouths.
- St. Thomas More, patron saint of politicians
The long-range surface-to-air missiles, bought from Russia in 1997 at an estimated cost of 200-300 million euro (official figures were shrouded in secrecy), ended up on the island of Crete to avoid annoying Turkey too much, who issued a warning of a military strike against Cyprus if the missiles were kept in Cyprus.
Codenamed Operation White Eagle 2013 (not a very scary name really), the S-300s were tested for the first time at Chania yesterday, with the Greek and Cypriot defence ministers looking on. It was the first ever test of this particular missile system by a NATO member.
I suppose they wanted to check that they're still working 16 years after the initial purchase. They are. Turkey will not be amused.
Angela Merkel will be delighted that EU bailout funds to Greece and Cyprus are being to put to such good use. Meanwhile, in both countries, families are starving, businesses are going bust, unemployment rising, state workers on strike, and banks are calling in loans. Cyprus could have just sold the missiles rather than play with fireworks.
Another dazzling stroke of genius from Mr. Resurrection (President Anastasiades). But he can always follow Christofias's example and pretend he "didn't know" what the defence minister was doing.
Give me the grace, good Lord, to set the world at nought. To set the mind firmly on you and not to hang on upon the words of men's mouths.
- St. Thomas More, patron saint of politicians
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