Maliki in Russia for huge arms deal, Syria agreement

Via FLC

"...Maliki arrived in Moscow for three days of discussions on Monday that media reports speculated would conclude with the signing of a $4.3 billion arms deal that makes Russia Iraq's biggest supplier after the United States.
But that contract and talks about new energy tie-ups were likely to create only the background to a strong common stance against any form of outside pressure on Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to leave power. ..."