Somebody who is more recent on air defense than I am correct me if I’m wrong, but this sounds like the russians have epistemic closure worse than the GOP (or they’re playing for the ignorant part of the home media market and not thinking about anything else). You don’t just shoot anti-aircraft missiles up in the direction of what you think might be the enemy and cross your fingers. Typically, you paint a particular target. In addition, unless you’re a US radar op in the persian gulf being stupid, the distinction between the radar return and behavior of fighter airfcraft and big honking reconaissance aircraft is going to be obvious. And all that is before IFF that lets you distinguish your planes and those of your allies from those of your enemies.
Sometimes it seems that the russians don’t even try to lie well any more.
It also blamed Iran and Hezbollah for what it described as an “unfortunate incident.”
They did? I’m just stunned.
Not. They’d blame Iran if netanyahu stubbed his toe.
This puts Trump in an awkward position. Trapped between Sheldon Adelson and Putin. What’s a corrupt pol to do?
And the goal of our involvement in this quagmire is what, exactly?
Excuse me, but the Russians think the Israelis should warn them before they engage Syrian military facilities? Only Trump does that to warn the Russians and Syrians.
If the Russians are in that area, when known interaction can be expected between the Syrians and Israelis, then losing a plane is a side effect of being there.
Nobody involved in this dispute ever tells the truth. Five or ten conspiracy theories will come out of this and serve everybody’s interests better than the real facts.
A Russian reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by a Syrian missile…
Where was this missile “Syrian” missile manufactured? In Russia?
Russia: Israel is “fully to blame”
Israel: the Syrian government is “fully responsible."…also Iran and Hezbollah.
Me: It could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, okay?
So the Syrians shoot down a Russian plane and blame the Jews. Sounds about right.
Well, actually they think this because the Russian-Israeli relationship has been very close, and the Israelis HAVE generally been doing exactly what you sarcastically describe. The Russians also let the Americans know when and where they’re sending aircraft on missions.
There have already been much more conciliatory statements by both Russia and Israel since the initial statements referenced in this article. Its clear that neither the Russians nor the Israelis see this as any reason to disrupt what has been a pretty close and cooperative relationship.
Well, its not going to be even a kerfuffle for long. Here’s where the diplomacy stands as of a few hours ago, per the BBC
"Mr Putin and Mr Netanyahu spoke by telephone on Monday, shortly after the Russian president had made his conciliatory statement in Moscow.Mr Putin said at a media briefing: “It looks most likely in this case that
it was a chain of tragic chance events, because an Israeli aircraft did not shoot down our aircraft. But, without any doubt we need to seriously get the bottom of what happened.”
Mr Netanyahu addressed that issue in the telephone call, offering to provide “all necessary information” in the investigation of the incident, as well as expressing regret over the fatalities.In the call, Mr Putin urged Mr
Netanyahu “not to let such a situation happen in the future” and told him Israeli air operations breached Syrian sovereignty, Russian media said.Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had earlier said that Moscow “reserves the right to take further steps in response”.But Mr Putin said the “retaliatory measures” would be “aimed first and
foremost at further ensuring the safety of our military personnel”.The BBC’s defence and diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, says the crisis will almost certainly blow over as Israel and Russia have a remarkably close relationship and Moscow has until now not interfered with Israeli operations.
Bigly.
So to speak.
Just thought I would highlight that line as one that would for decades have been considered unlikely to be heard.