The first casualty of war is truth.McClatchy ISTANBUL
A Russian warplane on a bombing run in Syria flew within five miles of the Turkish border and may have crossed into Turkey’s air space, Turkish and U.S. officials said Sunday.
Within 5 miles of the border? May have crossed into Turkey's airspace? Said unnamed officials?
The incident raises new concerns that Russia’s armed intervention in Syria could spill over to neighboring countries, lead to an unintended military confrontation and trigger an even bigger regional conflict.
Russia's intervention could spill over into neighouring countries? Whaaaat?!Turkish "official"
A Turkish security official said Turkish radar locked onto the Russian aircraft as it was bombing early Friday in al Yamdiyyah, a Syrian village directly on the Turkish border. He said Turkish fighter jets would have attacked had it crossed into Turkish airspace.
Unnamed Turkish 'official' said Russia was bombing in a Syrian village on the border.Telling us the bombing could have taken place miles from the borderHe said Turkish fighter jets would have attacked had it crossed into Turkish airspace.Telling us all that the Russian plane did not cross into Turkish airspace? American "official"
"U.S. military official suggested the incident had come close to sparking an armed confrontation. Reading from a report, he said the Russian aircraft had violated Turkish air space by five miles and that Turkish jets had scrambled, but that the Russian aircraft had returned to Syrian airspace before they could respond"
US official "sparking an armed confrontation" - Russian aircraft violated Turkish airspace by five miles? Turkish "official" already informed us that Russian planes did not cross into airspace because fighter jets did not attack, but would've if the planes crossed into Turkish airspacePunch and Judy officials together?
The Turkish security official said he could not confirm that account. (The American account)Both officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the news media.
Do you believe that this incident, as reported by McClatchy, actually occurred?
A NATO spokesman referred all questions to the Turkish government, which had no immediate comment. The U.S. Central command, which oversees military operations in Syria, said it was working on a response to questions from McClatchy.
NATO was passing up such a good PR opportunity? Not chomping at the bit to address such timely and heinous incident? Really?!The Turkish government had no comment? And US centcom was 'working on a response'? Never let a good opportunity go to waste...... that's the saying in the disinfo business. Yet, Turkey and the US appear to be doing just that? Or will these "officials" run with this news all week? Perhaps Centcom can "work on a response" to turn this into an international incident that can spill out globally tomorrow. Talk shows. Outraged politicos. Charlies Rose can interview someone. Oh the possibilities....But did this incident actually take place? I have some serious doubts, myself.How about you? UPDATE: It appears the officials took the never let a good opportunity go to waste route!Even if one has to fabricate the 'opportunity'? I still cannot verify, to my satisfaction, if this actually took place. But there are multiple Turkish/US hence NATO reports. Linking a few below..Important- This incident allegedly took place October 03/2015. I picked up on the reporting October 04/2015 'Russian aircraft violated Turkish airspace near Syria'A Russian Violation of Turkish AirspaceStripes
“I call on Russia to fully respect NATO airspace and to avoid escalating tensions with the alliance,” Stoltenberg said in a statement. “I urge Russia to take the necessary steps to align its efforts with those of the international community in the fight against” Islamic State militants"
Odd that NATO wants Russia to align it's efforts with the 'international community' when Russia had been trying to do exactly that but the 'international community' rejected the cooperationThe news of this failure to cooperate and communicate on the part of the "international community" aka NATO has been covered here previously, but, still I'll include a news item for your reading pleasure- Russia offered and is still offering U.S. direct military contacts over Syria
The incident occurred on Saturday, south of the Turkish border province of Hatay, which in recent years also has been a regular transit route into Syria for Islamic militants fighting across Syria and Iraq.
Russia is targeting IS militants- what is NATO's problem? ;)
In addition to deploying aircraft to Syria, U.S. military officials also say Moscow has established sophisticated anti-aircraft weaponry in the country. U.S. European Command chief and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Gen. Philip Breedlove, warned those moves could function as an anti-access/area denial zone.
We talked about this Russian strategy last week in two posts. Recall?
- Russia building an A2/AD Bubble over Syria/Levant
- A2/AD Bubble, Syria and the Bigger Strategic Picture.
It appears that the spin is largely coming through via Turkish, US/Canadian media sourcessuch as Washington Post, CNN, CTV etc., Nothing forthcoming in the way of Russian acknowledgement or denial