Syrian Turkey Shoot of 2015?

[JustinR]

H/T Drudge: http://apnews.myway.com/article/2015093 ... 3b009.html

So, as the line from The Hunt From Red October goes, "having your aircraft and ours in such close proximity is inherently dangerous."

With Russia conducting air strikes without coordinating with Washington, how likely is it that a misunderstanding or hotshot Russian pilot that wants the first F-22 kill starts an air-to-air missile throwing contest? That could escalate VERY quickly. Thoughts?

[First Shirt]

It's been a while since I last read "Alas, Babylon" but IIRC, that version of WW III started off in Syria, with a couple of fighter pilots (on both sides) getting stupid.

[toad]

Our present day book should be titled, "An Ass Babeling On."

[Baja boy]

When someone shows me where in Our Constitution that we are the worlds policeman ??

[mekender]

With Russia conducting air strikes without coordinating with Washington, how likely is it that a misunderstanding or hotshot Russian pilot that wants the first F-22 kill starts an air-to-air missile throwing contest? That could escalate VERY quickly. Thoughts?

I think it is very likely, I expect it to happen within the next couple of weeks in fact...

The only question I have is, do we go into a proxy war like in Vietnam or do we start blasting Migs out of the sky at will?

[PawPaw]

I dunno? Does ISIS have an Air Force? Does Al-Queda?

I'd suspect that both sides (Us and Russia) know that other aircraft in the zone are presumed not hostile. Both Air Forces should be able to pound ground targets without getting into an air-to-air conflict.

I admit I don't know the ins-and-outs of air war planning, but it should be easy enough to tell the pilots not to shoot anything that's flying.

[mekender]

Latest news is that Iranian ground forces are now in country to support the Russian strikes... What could go wrong?

[skb12172]

When someone shows me where in Our Constitution that we are the worlds policeman ??

+1

Paw Paw also makes good sense. Still, the potential for enthusiastic misunderstanding is very high.

[D5CAV]

We can only hope that men of judgement and character are in those seats and on the ground on both sides.

There was a movie several years ago with Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson with bad Russian accents. I think it was "K19 The Widow Maker". Anyway, the XO of the boat was played by Liam Neeson (I think they used a different name than Vasily Arkhipov, the real XO).

A few years later, Vasily Arkhipov was XO on a boat that got into a touchy situation during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The captain got nervous and ordered a nuclear tipped torpedo readied for launch. Although only the XO, his strength of character and the credibility he had in the soviet sub fleet due to his actions on the K19 enabled him to convince the other officers to over ride the captain.

We came really close then. You can look him up.

[blackeagle603]

Putin WANTs a mishap/shootdown of our aircraft or one of our allies aircraft. No way BHO does anything but bluster and backdown, esp if it's an allie's aircraft.

That will remove any vestige of doubt about Putin being THE power in the region. Welcome back to the 60's and 70's. Bear is expanding his borders once again.