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Syrian Downing of Turkish Jet Serves as Warning
(Washington Post) Greg Jaffe - The Syrian government's downing of a Turkish fighter jet has served as a stark warning that its military is capable of mounting a sophisticated defense against potential enemies, complicating a Libya-style intervention. Officials said Syria beefed up its air defenses with purchases from Russia after Israeli jets destroyed a nuclear reactor under construction in the Syrian desert nearly five years ago. Defense officials and military analysts say defeating Syria's air defenses would require a sustained U.S. military effort, which would probably lead to civilian casualties. Defense analysts said the Syrian system is similar to Iran's air defenses in terms of technology, but suggested that the Syrian version is more effective because it is concentrated in a smaller area.