Syria Near Parity in Weaponry With Israel, Jane’s Says

LONDON —  Syria’s massive arms purchases from the Soviet Union have made Damascus a “formidable fighting machine” but have driven it deeply into debt, Jane’s Defense Weekly said Wednesday.

The authoritative magazine on military matters said that Syria, with long-range missiles, is nearing strategic parity with Israel but would not be able to defeat the Israelis in a war because of Syria’s inferior commanders.

“The Syrians now have one of the most formidable fighting machines in the Middle East,” the magazine said. “In some areas, it already matches Israel’s predominantly U.S.-made armory.

“Added to this, informed sources say the Syrians now have nerve gases produced in two factories that could be used in missile warheads,” the magazine said.

“President Hafez Assad has declared he is determined to achieve a strategic parity with Israel,” the magazine said. “He is expected to do that within two or three years.”

Jane’s called Damascus “the Kremlin’s biggest arms client” but said that Assad’s government already owes the Soviet Bloc $15 billion and “has only enough foreign currency reserves to pay for a few weeks’ imports.”