SO. WAS IT REALLY A SHOOTDOWN ??
Well, lets keep this simple and short given this event will
have multiple updates as the day moves on.
My best guess is the Syrian Anti Aircraft unit shot the
Turkish fighter down thinking it was yet another defecting pilot.
Syrian AA units are about 1/100 as trained and proficient as
a typical NATO or Western unit.
What they probably did get was a standing order to fire on
any aircraft flying in a certain area that
was not properly identified.
Syrian aircraft to not have FF, Friend or Foe, electronics
and a trigger happy AA battery commander would only be thinking about what
would happen to him if he allowed another Syrian Jet to travel his air space
without authorization.
So, I don’t buy the
theory this was a deliberate act, but the actions of a poorly trained AA unit
and paranoid leadership.
This would explain why Turkey has responded so carefully, knowing
full well what a disastrous event this
could turn into.
Bottom line, this is just another indication of just how
dangerous this whole crisis is becoming.
Have countries fallen into conflicts over a miss communication
or a paranoid mistake?
Really… is that a serous question?
