Yikes.
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NEWS Iranian F-14's Escorting Russian Anti-ISIL Bomber Ops
- Thread starter ChuckMK23
- Start date
Yikes.
I'm guessing more Russian air to air assets are on the way and we won't see many more un-escorted strikers. It will be interesting to see if the Russians deconflict the airspace (give the Turks a wide birth) or double down. I'm betting on the latter. I said it here before......this will get out of control. I seriously doubt that a Turkish F-16 driver got a case of Buck Fever, this was the Turks sending a message.
It is in everyone's interest that it does not so it is more likely than not it doesn't. As for the message, it was to not violate their territory. The same message the Soviets sent many times in the Cold War.
Red lines, anyone? Couldn't, wouldn't? Same net affect.
Which is why the Russians and Syrians won't likely do a no-fly zone.
So, they are smarter than our President. They know better than to write checks they can't or won't make good on because it makes them look broke, or worse, untrustworthy.
That is pretty rich. They threw their lot in with Assad, I wouldn't call that smart.
US TOW right?
CSAR with out a Rescort into a high threat territory. Never ends well. While probably not a smart move shooting at downed pilots, I can't understand how I would feel if I had been on the deck getting indiscrimately pounded by Russian air for the last two months. I wonder what our response would be if Russia repeatedly violated American airspace near Alaska in this day and age. Turkey called Russia out and lost a jet because of it. I can somewhat understand the reaction on both sides of the coin except Russia's complete lack of respect for national sovereignty when operating abroad. Next week or so will be interesting and hopefully cooler heads will prevail.
Yes, we have supplied them to some rebel groups but they have to film their shots and return the used tubes back to us.
Like I said before Flash, I hope your right. But the Turks have always seen as their duty to defend the Syrian ethnic Turkmen. Airspace incursion may be the given reason, but things aren't always as they seem.
I think you miss my smart ass point. To begin with, they threw in with Assad because it was in their national interests ( naval base among others ) not because they love the guy or have an expectation he will personally survive. They now are a player in the aftermath one way or the other. I am surprised they didn't do so sooner. They could have justified it. On the other hand, with scant national interests we drew a line in the sand we apparently had no stomach to enforce from the beginning. That has hurt our credibility. Now, having thrown in with Assad, the Russians are unlikely to try and enforce a no fly zone prohibiting coalition aircraft because they would fail, and lose credibility. So, the Russians come to an ally's defense that hosts a critical naval base for them. And they are, so far, careful to not make any promises they can't keep. The US, on the other hand, had little national interests but a visceral hate for the dictator, talked a big one, and ultimate actions have made us look weak and indifferent to our allies.
Oh, I got your point but wasn't going to take the bait. I think they have made a strategic mistake in getting involved as they have while we only made a tactical one with our 'red line' waffling.
Well, no one's talking about the Ukraine, poking us in the eye feeds Putin's standing domestically (at least in his mind). The danger I see in the Fencer shootdown is Putin's cult of personality. Don't expect him to act rationally.