US intelligence is saying that Russia is constructing a large air base near the port city of Latakia to support President Bashar Assad. If true, the base would represent a substantial escalation of Russia's role in the conflict and put Russian forces on a collision course with American-backed rebels. Telegraph: The anonymous officials say Russia has set up an air traffic control tower and transported prefabricated housing units for up to 1,000 personnel to an airfield serving the Syrian port city of Latakia. Russia has also requested the rights to fly over neighbouring countries with military cargo aircraft during September, according to the reports. The claims, which will raise fears that Russia is planning to expand its role in the country’s civil war, will ratchet up tensions between Moscow and Washington over the future of Syria and its brutal ruler. Mr Obama on Friday met King Salman of Saudi Arabia to repeat their demand...(Read Full Post)