burn them out....Reports are coming out that Palmyra has been surrounded and a whole bunch of daesh are still inside the ancient city.
Too bad we can't use chemicals or neutron bombs.I just hope that they can get rid of ISIS there without destroying what is left of that beautiful city...
Erdogans speech about their right to defend themselves was absolute bullcrap, since the Russians aren't threatening the Turks. But that just might change.
Turkey can't have it both ways though. You can't go and declare any fighter craft flying out of Syria to be the enemy (reserving the right to shoot said plane down in the process), and then try to invoke Article V when YOU shoot down a fighter jet that was using your airspace as a short cut. It certainly doesn't help your case when the rebels that you are arming and aiding go and destroy a rescue helicopter and its crew.While you're strictly correct it's true that Russia have been bombing the Turkmens.
Turkey have told Russia on many occasions that if they send jets into Turkish airspace then the Turks will shoot one down. Russia have continued to send jets through a little bit of Turkish airspace either because it's convenient, because they didn't believe the NATO/Turkish threats or because they didn't care. That's led to the loss of two Russian aircraft and, much more sadly, two Russian crew (one flyer and one marine, as I understand it).
The threat was always there, it was always spoken and it was always real. Putin's pootin' but this was always on the cards, particularly as there's never been any love lost there.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/01/turkey-greece-cyprus-aegean-air-space-nato.html#According to the agency, in just the first month of 2014, Turkish jets violated Greek airspace 1,017 times. That is twice the total number of violations in the first six months of 2013.
Turkey can't have it both ways though. You can't go and declare any fighter craft flying out of Syria to be the enemy (reserving the right to shoot said plane down in the process)
and then try to invoke Article V when YOU shoot down a fighter jet that was using your airspace as a short cut.
So, Turkey is upset that Russia kept crossing into their airspace, yet they do the same to Greece?
why is there a video of Turkish fighters firing shots at the pilot who was parachuting down?
So, Turkey is upset that Russia kept crossing into their airspace, yet they do the same to Greece?
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/01/turkey-greece-cyprus-aegean-air-space-nato.html#
The one thing I can't see Turkey explaining is even if they had justification to shoot the jet down, why is there a video of Turkish fighters firing shots at the pilot who was parachuting down?
This clearly shows how "moderate" these rebels are. At least the confirmed dead pilot wasn't tortured to death or burnt alive.There's video of Turkmen (not Turkish army) shooting at the pilot... the same Turkmen that Russia have bombed heavily in recent weeks. Hardly a surprising reaction from them, I have to say.
Yes, he has.Has Putin explained why he annexed Crimea?
Oh this is so proven by the international investigators...Or explained how/why russian backed rebels shot down MH17?
Oh this is so proven by the international investigators...
Do you think it is OK to start a tribunal (that is meant to punish the culprits) before the investigation (that is to define the culprit) is complete? Punishment precedes the investigations?Do you really think Russia would veto the UN Security Council tribunal if they were innocent?
This clearly shows how "moderate" these rebels are. At least the confirmed dead pilot wasn't tortured to death or burnt alive.
Normally, an opposing force would try to capture the pilot alive and have good use of it (the scandal would be much less serious if both pilots were alive). Shooting someone who's not in the condition to resist isn't cool. Even Luftwaffe didn't shoot enemy pilots parachuting down during the WWII.
Immoderate response to immoderate actions. Arrange a ceasefire with SAA and let's go fighting ISIS together, then you'll be moderate. But the Turks and Turkmen seem to be more hostile to the Syrian govt than to ISIS. They turn out to be helping ISIS, one might say.Was the Russian bombing of them "moderate"?
Geneva conventions, Protocol I, Article 42:I quite agree that shooting at a parachuting pilot isn't the done thing amongst airforces, but they were enemies parachuting into enemy territory. Good to hear that they're both alive and well.
There's a big difference between a paratrooper and a pilot who's forced to parachute out of a shot-down plane...Who said their methods against the far from "moderate" Assad were "moderate"? Was the Russian bombing of them "moderate"?
I quite agree that shooting at a parachuting pilot isn't the done thing amongst airforces, but they were enemies parachuting into enemy territory. Good to hear that they're both alive and well.
the Turks and Turkmen seem to be more hostile to the Syrian govt than to ISIS. They turn out to be helping ISIS, one might say.
Ok, so I have a question. Some of you seem quite in the know of all this, so here goes: The Turkmen, who have been bombarded by the Russians, have they been members of the ISIS or some sort of helpers, or are they a completely different group alltogether?.
Geneva conventions, Protocol I, Article 42:
One Su-24 pilot and one marine soldier from the search-and-rescue team are dead.
There's a big difference between a paratrooper and a pilot who's forced to parachute out of a shot-down plane...
Completely different group altogether, the Turkmen oppose Assad but have nothing to do with ISIS.
Here is a quote from the Turkish Prime Minister back in October:Do you have a source for them making that blanket statement?
Even if it’s a flying bird, whoever violates Turkish airspace will be subject to the necessary actions… Turkey’s rules of engagement are valid for Syria’s, Russia’s or another country’s warplanes.
Not saying that it is, but when you consider where the plane actually crashed, Map Here, I would certainly give Russia the benefit of the doubt here. 4km from the Turkish border is still in Syria, and the Russians were bombing in the area (I think the intended target was ISIS oil convoys since Turkey imports ISIS oil (see Breitbart link).Even if your former statement is true then I don't see how the second is remotely connected? You make it sound like "a shortcut" is okay?
I wonder if the Caspian Sea fleet might accidentally throw a cruise missile off course and have it touchdown in Turkey.
Do we know the circumstances of the pilots death? I'm confident that he was armed, no doubt concerned he was in hostile and possibly barbaric territory, do we have any evidence he was executed or wasn't involved in a gun fight?
I wonder if the Caspian Sea fleet might accidentally throw a cruise missile off course and have it touchdown in Turkey.