The Saudis should fuck off. I may not like the Qataris cosying up to Russia but they didn't have much of a choice when they were embargoed for trying to leave the Saudi's sphere of influence. SAM's are basically defensive weapons anyway.
I thought this was about some special made royal mercedes or something
How dare they want to defend themselves from ballistic missile systems. I always knew Qatar was on the offensive.
Russia confirms sale of S
Russia confirms sale of S-400 missile systems to Saudi Arabia [RT]
This seems a little bit hypocritical, doesn't it?
You attack, then use the S-400s to protect yourself from counterattack.
Sounds like that's still being used defensively
You're shifting the power-balance by making air supremacy harder to achieve, thus giving you a stronger ability to conduct offensive operations.
This is the same reason Russia gets real butthurt whenever NATO installs new missile defence systems around Europe. If NATO gets an effective missile defence and Russia does not, that means NATO no longer has to fear nuclear war while Russia does.
While the systems are 100% defensive in nature, the protection they offer pave the way for offensive operations which would not be possible without them.
So now we're probably going to authorize them the sale of the F-35 in response, great.
This applies to anything defensive.
The potential alternative, however, is ending up like Yemen. Not hard to see why you would want defenses when you're bordering an imperialist state that dislikes you.
"stop making it harder to attack you or we'll attack you"
bunch of babies tbh
Well yes. Which is why defensive purchases are also seen as threats to stability. Like is the case here, where a defensive purchase is being seen as a threat to stability. Because the improved defensive capabilities offset the balance of power, a balance which has so-far maintained the stability.
Qatar is definitely not the belligerent entity in the region here, SA is. They're not looking for a "balance of power" to "maintain the stability", they're just mad they won't be able to bully Qatar as well as they could before.
Which is still upsetting the balance of power. Former balance of power: SA can bully QA as much as they want. New balance of power: SA can no longer bully QA due to a slight closing of the military power gap.
Your original point was that AA missile systems could support an attack by making counter-attacks more costly. I'm saying Qatar is utterly unfit to make any kind of offensive operations against SA, so them being mad for Qatar just improving their national defense is just SA being arrogant cunts.
Oh the original point was a general statement on how defensive purchases should always be considered in an offensive context for neighbouring countries and competing powers, not really intended to be specific to this case since a Qatari invasion of Saudi Arabia is quite unlikely. I apologize if I came off as a Saudi sympathizer or something, the Saudis are being right cunts and can go get a rake lodged up their asses for all I care in this here case. I was just trying to point out that defensive weapons not being threats to others is untrue.
No need to apologize but thanks for the clarification.
Perhaps they could just go half way and ask their new female drivers to go to Qatar and cause traffic jams until they acquiesce?
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