Syrian rebels down Russian plane, kill pilot

[stevenl]

26 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

Yes and a fair one, a handgun versus fifty Kalashnikov 

Then maybe he should have surrendered.

[phutoie2]

28 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

Yes and a fair one, a handgun versus fifty Kalashnikov 

There's not much sympathy for aircrew after they have just dropped a couple of 1000 lber's on your neighborhood.

[Grouse]

7 hours ago, simple1 said:

I assume you're trying to be sarcastic. You would not want to be captured by Assad's forces with their terrible history of torture and eventual murder. 

Irony actually; rather different from sarcasm ?

[ilostmypassword]

26 minutes ago, Franko666 said:

Great sources of information you have quoted there.

At least he's honorable enough to provide a link.

[Grouse]

Some rather unpleasant types in the Middle East. At least Assad ran a multicultural secular dump rather than an Islamic dump. I'm with the Russians on this.

[ilostmypassword]

 

2 hours ago, ChouDoufu said:

Russia enraged at U.S. arming Syrian rebels with ManPADS

The Russian Foreign Ministry declared U.S. intentions to provide Syrian “rebels” fighting the Assad regime in the Syrian Civil War as a “hostile move.” Barack Obama signed the 2017 Defense Authorization bill on Dec. 23rd of this year. The bill provides authorization for the Department of Defense to arm the rebels with shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles or ManPADS.....

 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/27/russia-enraged-us-arming-syrian-rebels-manpads/

There are lots of different rebel groups out there. Your citation proves nothing about this case. Al Qaeda in Syria was not a direct recipient of US aid. Still, given that weapons have a way of getting distributed in all kinds of way, it may be that ultimately the US was the source. But not intentionally.

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, Franko666 said:

Obamas rules of engagement for his troops, "shoot any Muslims with getting authorisation in triplicate" even in a fire fight and you go to jail. Obama didn't wage war, he pretended. The boss did the job and did it good!!! Ask any Vet, who is the best guy to be Commander in Chief and it will be Trump every time.

Really, you got a citation for that? And if it's true, considering how successful the US backed counter-offensive was under Obama, maybe "getting authorization in triplicate" is a good thing.

[Morch]

6 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

"The United States has never provided MANPAD missiles to any group in Syria, and we are deeply concerned that such weapons are being used". 

In order (American) words, Father Christmas was in town again. I recall the secret war in Laos, their non-involvement in Chile and Argentina, so go figure the "honesty" of the united states of missile and war liars. 

 

Plenty of Russian, Chinese and Iranian made MANPADS is Syria and the ME. Using captured arms are not uncommon.

[Morch]

2 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

Yes and a fair one, a handgun versus fifty Kalashnikov 

 

Not nearly as "fair" as SU-25 vs. 50 Kalashnikovs, eh?

[ChouDoufu]

5 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Plenty of Russian, Chinese and Iranian made MANPADS is Syria and the ME. Using captured arms are not uncommon.

captured/looted in libya perhaps, shipped via bengazi annex?

or purchased in bulgaria, transferred via saudi/qatar?

[Morch]

15 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

captured/looted in libya perhaps, shipped via bengazi annex?

or purchased in bulgaria, transferred via saudi/qatar?

 

Or captured from Assad's forces, Iranian sponsored militias, and competing rebel/opposition organizations. That's without factoring independent black market sellers.

[maximillian]

"Rebels" and "fighters" when they are against our enemy. "Terrorists" when against us.

Stop interfering in other countries, stop lying about human rights and democracy when in real it's all about oil, pipelines and regime changes, stop all those bloody wars. Europeans have to deal with the refugees, not the US.

[Morch]

2 minutes ago, maximillian said:

"Rebels" and "fighters" when they are against our enemy. "Terrorists" when against us.

Stop interfering in other countries, stop lying about human rights and democracy when in real it's all about oil, pipelines and regime changes, stop all those bloody wars. Europeans have to deal with the refugees, not the US.

 

The plane shot down was Russian.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

[boomerangutang]

6 hours ago, Franko666 said:

Obamas rules of engagement for his troops, "shoot any Muslims with getting authorisation in triplicate" even in a fire fight and you go to jail. Obama didn't wage war, he pretended. The boss did the job and did it good!!! Ask any Vet, who is the best guy to be Commander in Chief and it will be Trump every time.

Are you kidding?  US military chiefs don't want to work with Trump.  They even have pacts among themselves on how best to not carry out an order by Trump (if it's crazy and/or illegal) - because they all know Trump is a dangerous dufus.  Even ex-general Kelly concurs with his military brass buddies on this.  

 

 

[Ron19]

A number of off topic posts and answers to them have been removed.

[Trouble]

I would not want to be a Syrian rebel about now.  Only a matter of time before Assad with Russian backing subdues the rebels. US will not continue backing them forever now that ISIS is mostly defeated. 

[Basil B]

Quote

Russian jet pilot 'pulled grenade pin' to avoid capture in Syria's Idlib

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42944357

 

Why would a pilot carry a grenade? is not a service pistol good enough?

 

Fact is I see the only use for a grande is to kill ones self and maybe take one or two of the enemy out as well. must be like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded AK45. 

[ilostmypassword]

23 minutes ago, Trouble said:

I would not want to be a Syrian rebel about now.  Only a matter of time before Assad with Russian backing subdues the rebels. US will not continue backing them forever now that ISIS is mostly defeated. 

The Syrian rebels aren't the only ones in trouble. What about the American presence in Syria?

[Morch]

10 hours ago, Trouble said:

I would not want to be a Syrian rebel about now.  Only a matter of time before Assad with Russian backing subdues the rebels. US will not continue backing them forever now that ISIS is mostly defeated. 

 

Does the US provide direct support for the Syrian rebels in Idlib?

[Morch]

10 hours ago, Basil B said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42944357

 

Why would a pilot carry a grenade? is not a service pistol good enough?

 

Fact is I see the only use for a grande is to kill ones self and maybe take one or two of the enemy out as well. must be like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded AK45. 

 

Wasn't aware Russian pilots carried grenades on flights. Seems kinda risky and a bit of an overkill (no pun intended).