Russia's extensive contacts with Syria

In this article, Neil MacFarquhar talks at length about the extensive ties between Russia and the Syrian repressive regime.  I don't recall MacFarquhar writing an article about the more extensive relations between the US and the Mubarak repressive regime.

PS I once pointed out a factual error in an article by MacFarquhar.  He immediately replied to me professionally.  He said: you are not Angry Arab. You are stupid Arab.  True story.