Obama Says Turkey Has Right to Defend Airspace

[BeyondGeography]

Source: AP

President Barack Obama says the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey points to an "ongoing problem" with Russia's airstrikes in Syria.

Obama says Turkey "has a right to defend its territory and its airspace." And he says that Russia is operating very close to the Turkish border as it goes after moderate opposition groups that are supported by Turkey and a wide range of countries.

The president says that if Russia would instead concentrate its airstrikes on the Islamic State group, then mistakes would be "less likely to occur."

Obama is urging both Turkey and France to take measures "to discourage any kind of escalation" over the downing of the Russian warplane.

And Obama says that the downing of the plane underscores the importance of moving forward on efforts to find a political solution to the civil war in Syria.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/latest-obama-hollande-meet-discuss-fight-35391544

---

From the Hollande-Obama presser just concluded.

[underpants]

1. Well THIS is getting interesting

On edit -not a surprise though. We need Turkey's airspace too.

[TwilightGardener]

2. This is true. Turkey's been annoyed at Russian incursions since Russian involvement in

Syria began a couple months ago.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. Defend its airspace from what?

Was the Russian jet bombing in Turkey? Did it 'damage' the air over Turkey?

I think some sternly worded diplomatic cables might have been more appropriate than actually shooting down a plane.

Would the US actually shoot down Russian jets for flying over Alaska?

[LanternWaste]

4. Ankara has already issued concerns to Moscow in regards to previous unwarranted incursions.

"some sternly worded diplomatic cables might have been more appropriate..."

Ankara has already issued concerns to Moscow in regards to previous unwarranted incursions.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

6. Did they warn Russia that they WOULD start shooting down jets?

I think a direct warning is at least appropriate. If Russia then feels like flying over Turkey, then let the chips fall.

[LanternWaste]

7. warning from Turkey that future violations could lead to an implementation of...

The first reported violation of Turkish airspace took place on Saturday, prompting a sharp warning from Turkey that future violations could lead to an implementation of the rules of engagement (authorization for and/or limits on, among other things, the use of force) and condemnation from NATO.

[cstanleytech]

8. Yup, Turkey has been asking Russia to stop entering its airspace and either Russia choose to ignore

them or the Russian pilots are incompetent idiots.

[GeorgeGist]

40. Just curious ...

are there competent idiots?

[Xithras]

76. It's not pilot incompetence.

The border isn't really visible from the air, and pilots don't have Google Maps open on their dashboards to show them where they're at. The border between Turkey and Syria is so irregular that, in a space of only a couple of miles, you can go from Syria to Turkey and back to Syria again. When you're in a jet travelling hundreds of miles an hour, you're talking about SECONDS.

[cstanleytech]

98. I might be willing to accept your explanation except that it's happened multiple times

not to mention http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/nov/24/russian-helicopter-shot-down-while-searching-downe/

"Turkey says the Russian plane was in Turkish airspace and they warned the Russians ten times via the emergency guard channel."

[Zorro]

9. I suspect there had been previous sternly worded diplomatic cables

that the Russians ignored.

[Spider Jerusalem]

19. Unannounced incursion into a country's airspace by warplanes of a foreign power is an act of war

and the US actually would shoot down Russian jets for flying over Alaska if they were repeatedly warned for violating US airspace, yes. (The USAF would scramble interceptors to escort them out of US airspace, and shoot them down if they didn't turn back; Turkey apparently didn't scramble interceptors, but otherwise, they didn't act in a totally insane manner.)

[forsaken mortal]

94. Greece should declare war on Turkey then

Read up on the unwelcomed incursions Turkey has made into other couuntries' airspaces.

[Munificence]

109. So what

go you think of our planes in Syria?

[harun]

21. Of course the US would shoot them down.

As they would our planes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_U-2_incident

[Tarheel_Dem]

25. It's Russia. Since when do they listen to the concerns of others? Ukraine anyone?

[randys1]

31. Putin gets a lot of love around here sometimes, so who knows

[Tarheel_Dem]

37. It's uncomfortable, and something I hope we don't need to be concerned about. nt

[randys1]

39. GOP loves KGB, and I see some of that love here at DU. fact and we both know it

[Tarheel_Dem]

46. Two posters spring to mind immediately. Whenever the topic is Russia, they go on defense. It's....

uncomfortable, and it raises eyebrows.

[randys1]

48. Or race, if Black or Brown is involved in a conversation you will see MANY members here

all of a sudden have a very keen interest in the conversation, and not for the same reason I do

[jeff47]

64. Russia shot down a 747 for flying into Russian airspace

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Lines_Flight_007
(Technically the USSR at the time)

You don't get to fly into a country without their permission. If you do so, they get to shoot at you.

Which is why "step 1" of our airstrikes on Iraq and then Syria was to blow up their ability to shoot at us.

[bemildred]

5. Does Syria have a right to defend its airspace?

The reason I ask is because quite a few countries are flying in Syrian airspace without explicdit permission. It seems like this defending airspace idea could get out of hand, or cause blowback, or not work out like it was planned.

[cstanleytech]

13. Any country can try to defend its airspace, succeeding at it is an entirely different issue.

In this case though the Russian military jets have been repeatedly crossing into Turkish airspace which they could easily avoid doing so I think safe to say that Russia was doing it on purpose, that or their pilots really suck.

[bemildred]

14. Do you think that is what Obama means? They can try if they want?

I would not put it past Putin to provoke them, but that doesn't mean they have to be stupid enough to take the bait.

[BeyondGeography]

15. Someone looks stupid here

and it ain't Erdogan.

[cstanleytech]

18. Yah, I agree Putin does look stupid but thats not surprising. nt

[bemildred]

23. Right, shooting down a Russian plane is brilliant.

Then shooting down the rescue helicopter too is even more brilliant. Bound to work out well.

[BeyondGeography]

27. And we can thank Putin for failing to understand that all this was quite predictable

Whichever version of events turns out to be accurate -- or even a combination of the two, in which the Russian Sukhoi had strayed into Turkish airspace and was shot down as it veered back into Syria -- it is clear that Putin has misjudged Erdogan. As one Russian report on the website Federal News Agency put it, Turkey claimed to have shot down a Russian drone in its airspace in October, shortly before Turkish parliamentary elections, and threatened that manned aircraft would face the same fate:

But no one attributed any significance to these words; they were thought to be empty election rhetoric on Erdogan's part. As we can see, the Turks don't limit themselves to rhetoric.

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-11-24/putin-has-misjudged-turkey-s-erdogan

[cstanleytech]

28. Ummm, Turkey did not shoot the copter down.

Or atleast not according to http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/nov/24/russian-helicopter-shot-down-while-searching-downe/

"The Free Syrian Army, whom Russian aircraft have been targeting in northern Syria to support the Assad regime, says it has shot down a Russian rescue helicopter while it was searching for the Russian pilots who parachuted from their SU-24 after being hit with a Turkish air to air missile. Turkey says the Russian plane was in Turkish airspace and they warned the Russians ten times via the emergency guard channel."


Edit: Bolded the text for people asking about Turkey warning the plane.

[LanternWaste]

33. Flying repeatedly over sovereign airspace after being warned not to seems even more brilliant.

Flying repeatedly over sovereign airspace after being warned not to seems even more brilliant.

No doubt, those great minds in Moscow, including air force commander General Viktor Bondarev are brilliant indeed.

[polly7]

43. But it's all ok,

because ............... Putie, and Russia!

RIP to the two human beings lost and condolences to their families.

[KoKo]

101. YEAH...Our "MSM" has Bias Comparing this to "9/11" .......what happened in France!

Pumping it all up to Profit of MIC!

-----------------------------

So Far there seems conflicting Reports abuot what happen to Russian Plane Fliers...

"First Reports" in "Fog of War" are often not true........

Yet......the reports are out there..so, should be considered truth until proven wrong that Turkey Shot Down the Russian Jet the Pilot/Co-Pilot jettisoned and were shot down as they landed.

A Russsian Helicopter arriving "On Scene" has the Pilot shot down and killed and the Turkmen's killed both pilots of the Russian Jet, shot down.

Supposedly, NEW REPORTS say the Russian Pilots survived and are being held in Turkey....

So what is the TRUTH OF IT? Whatever the MSM says...and until we see those Pilots Live......I reserve my judgement on what REALLY HAPPENED.

Lets see those two Pilots and the Helicopter Pilot for Rescue ....ALIVE and Speaking to the MSM before we got with the latest narrative.

[cstanleytech]

16. I cannot read minds so I cannot claim to know what Obama meant.

As for Putin, if he approved of violating Turkish airspace then its his fault that a Russian jet got shot down.

[bemildred]

20. Well thank you for clarifying your own thoughts on the subject then. nt

[KingCharlemagne]

44. Think August 1914 with nuclear arsenals added into the mix. Why, what could

possibly go wrong???

[bemildred]

49. I'm just trying to figure out if we have that (WWI) level of stupid again in our political classes.

Last edited Tue Nov 24, 2015, 06:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Clearly there is still plenty of stupid, but that much?

[KingCharlemagne]

50. I fervently hope Putin resists the advice of his hardliners. Otherwise, French

pilots flying inside Syrian airspace --where they were never invited -- should be feeling a tad bit apprehensive.

[bemildred]

52. I think he will go after the Turkmen is Syria, if he goes after anybody.

Provocation for provocation, so to speak.

But he would do better to do nothing, just keep fighting the war.

[jeff47]

63. Sure. However, we blew up their ability to actually do so. (nt)

[ozone_man]

108. Good one!

No, airspace only applies to us.

[They_Live]

10. I was first baffled by the headline

as I thought it had to do with Thanksgiving.


But I was wrong.

[BeyondGeography]

11. Levity

Always welcomed.

[geardaddy]

12. Me too.

[christx30]

17. You make jokes,

but looks like the cranberry sauce is going to hit the fan.

[csziggy]

116. Me, too - but that brought up the memory of

And I wondered how turkeys could defend their airspace.

[red dog 1]

22. K&R...Thanks for posting

I wonder how that war-monger Putin will react to this?

[cstanleytech]

24. My bet is be on him not accepting responsibility and blaming Turkey instead.

I could be wrong of course, I have been in the past and I am sure I will be many times in the future as well but right now based on Putins actions in the past I would place money on him blaming it all on Turkey if I was betting.

[KingCharlemagne]

53. Exactly what war or wars has Putin mongered, oh wise one? - nt

[EX500rider]

65. You mean beside the stealing of the Crimea and the invasion of the Ukraine...

....and the utter destruction in Chechnya?

Chechnya:

[KingCharlemagne]

114. You clearly have no idea what 'war monger' means and, by your jejeune comments

on Ukraine, betray your Russ-phobic bias. In short, your ignorance and bias mean your words and opinion can't be trusted.

[EX500rider]

115. "according to you" You mean?

Right, all those Russian tanks and artillery and rockets launchers and troops just went on vacation across the border......lol

An Inconvenient Truth In Ukraine

September 3, 2015: Since Russia first invaded Ukraine in early 2014 they have insisted that no Russian troops are involved. This was not true and embarrassing evidence kept coming from Russia. Earlier in 2015 Russia passed a new law that made data about soldiers killed in peace time a state secret. That meant any Russian who revealed these statistics or discussed them could be prosecuted. That sort of worked for a while.

Despite all those precautions a Russian business magazine (Delovaya Zhizn) recently published an article on pay for military personnel and one of the charts showed the number of soldiers who died (over 2,000) or were wounded (nearly 4,000) in Ukraine. This was part of a discussion on benefits paid to the families of dead soldiers or living but wounded ones. Russian government officials soon found out about this and the article (in Russian) disappeared from the visible Internet. But Google, as part of its effort to make everything quickly available to its billions of users worldwide keeps copies of just about everything in severs (caches) worldwide. Reporters asked Google to retrieve one of the cached copies of the Delovaya Zhizn article and now the Russian government is quite embarrassed.

http://www.strategypage.com/%5Chtmw%5Chtiw%5Carticles%5C20150903.aspx

[rusty fender]

26. Wow! I think that Obama should have condemned Turkey's

Last edited Tue Nov 24, 2015, 06:18 PM - Edit history (1)

escalation of the fighting by shooting down the Russian jet. Russia is more of an ally in the fight against terrorism than is Turkey. We actually need to cut Turkey loose(no pun intended) as a "friend."

Turkey has been absolutely no help in fighting ISIS.

[darkangel218]

30. I agree. Nt

[TwilightGardener]

32. Turkey is in NATO for a reason. We're not going to side with Russia in this matter.

Otherwise the alliance disintegrates in the face of the very reason it exists.

[Sunlei]

34. unlike Russia, Turkey is anti-Assad and a nato ally.

Russia backs the Assad Gov., Russia's jets are bombing the crap out of everything moving in Syria except in Assad's strongholds.

Russia will probably stay out of Turkeys airspace now unless Putin wants to lose another 10 billion? dollar jet and 2 more trained pilots.

[EX500rider]

68. SU-24's entered service in 1974 and cost about $24 million each

[Sunlei]

70. 24 million, thats expensive for an old jet. Wonder what Putin charges Assad.

[EX500rider]

71. I thinks that's cost as built new in 1997 dollars...

....used beat up ones go a lot cheaper i bet.

[BeyondGeography]

35. This is what Obama would really like to see happen

Get Russia to back off its confrontational pro-Assad stance with the West, including Turkey, and focus on wiping out IS:

The president says that if Russia would instead concentrate its airstrikes on the Islamic State group, then mistakes would be "less likely to occur."

The point was calmly and rationally made. And, since Putin can still be a hero, it's a good one.

[ozone_man]

105. Why would the U. S. Want to wipe out ISIS?

Or any of the terrorists, including Al Queda, Al Nusra, Muhadeen responsible for killing the pilots today, against the Geneva Convention, or the FSA? They are all there at our bidding, directly (FSA), or indirectly. This is not about terrorism or bombings in France. Those events only give pretense to go in and start the next war with boots on the ground.

Call it Obama's war. Forecast by the neocon Plan for a New American Century quite a while ago.

[BeyondGeography]

111. But of course!

[NobodyHere]

112. Obama also killed Kennedy

[840high]

45. ....x10+

[Democat]

54. Obama may have a chip on his shoulder about Russia

Recently he appears to want Russia to look bad more than he wants shared goals achieved. I didn't expect that from Obama.

[Xolodno]

61. Won't happen.

Turkey is a NATO member and everyone in NATO is going to publicly show they stand together and/or urge "calm". They have to show unity.

Behind the scenes, its probably a different story. Turkey just screwed the pooch on their "image" and signed a death warrant for Turks that live in Syria. This does not further their goals.

[jeff47]

66. You don't get to cross a country's border without their permission.

If you do, that country gets to shoot at you.

Turkey did not shoot in previous incidents, and told Russia to knock it off. This particular plane was told 10 times to leave Turkey's airspace before they fired.

This is why "step 1" of our bombing of Syria was to blow up their ability to shoot at us.

Turkey has been absolutely no help in righting ISIS.

Neither has Russia. They're mostly bombing anti-Assad/anti-ISIS rebels.

[Adrahil]

95. Wait.... Condemn Turkey? Why not Russia?

They are the ones who hace violated Turkey's airspace multiple times.

FFS....

[Sunlei]

29. Hollande-Obama presser, that was a long and very good live presser by both of them.

people should watch the entire thing if they missed it and want to know more about what France & USA are dealing with about IS. & what will happen in future with refugees.

probably the entire presser is on whitehouse.gov website under press menu.

[bemildred]

36. Footage Reveals Who Shot Down Russian Rescue Helicopter at Syrian Border – And It Looks Pretty Bad

Footage provided by the FSA purportedly shows Syrian rebels using a U.S.-made TOW missile to finish off a rescue helicopter sent to secure pilots ejected from a downed Russian Su-24 fighter jet.

While Russian fighter pilots descended by parachute from a plummeted Su-24, footage allegedly shows Syrian rebels shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and trying to kill them in the air – a violation of the Geneva conventions.

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/11/479569-disturbing-footage-of-just-who-shot-down-russian-helicopter-shot-down-at-syrian-turkish-border-trying-to-rescue-fighter-pilot/

[polly7]

42. Attacking persons parachuting from an aircraft in distress is a war crime under Protocol I

in addition to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, Turkey being one of the notable exceptions not ratifying it.

So what now, I wonder ..

This is all so sickening.

[restorefreedom]

67. good luck prosecuting it

i believe their families will have to get in line behind the families of those burned alive at the kunduz hospital

[mike_c]

77. only if they have been removed from combat....

It is expressly NOT a war crime to shoot troops descending by parachute, even if their plane is in distress. So while this incident was likely a war crime, as someone notes up thread "good luck prosecuting it." If the pilots were armed, and they almost certainly carried arms when they ejected over hostile territory, then their status is debatable.

And lets not forget that those pilots were killing Syrians up until the time Turkey downed their plane. People are acting as though the Russian pilots were innocents. They were not. They found themselves making a slow, swinging descent over the very people they'd been killing from out of range previously. Karma sucks sometimes.

[Democat]

55. Did Obama condemn these war crimes?

Will he condemn the murder of these pilots like he condemned Russia for crossing into Turkish air space?

[AtheistCrusader]

58. Hahah oh shit. Russia is going to pave that entire region.

They've got more conventional munitions in warehouses than WE do, and they are not shy about using it.

That was a BIG mistake.

[bemildred]

60. Yep, and arm the Kurds. nt

[ozone_man]

107. Those are our boys!

Geneva procol be damned.

[alcibiades_mystery]

38. Right and left wing Obama haters like to post a photoshop of Putin talking to "little boy" Obama

But Obama just sonned Putin about as severely as I've ever seen somebody get sonned diplomatically on a global stage.

Dayum.

[BeyondGeography]

41. The man can play a hand, not that you'd realize it at that presser

Poker face defined: an impassive expression that hides one's true feelings.

[840high]

47. Why does that make you happy?

[alcibiades_mystery]

51. because Putin is a bully and a thug who needs to be told to fuck himself sideways

from time to time, and I'm glad Obama just told him to do that.

[840high]

56. I would rather USA and Russia worked together.

[alcibiades_mystery]

57. There's nothing about telling Putin to stop fucking around that precludes that

Indeed, it seems a necessary precondition.

[AtheistCrusader]

59. Putin is all that, a bully and a thug. BUT

this has implications FAR beyond petty PR posturing.

Shit is going to get real.

[MattSh]

62. Give it up Obama...

Obama says Turkey "has a right to defend its territory and its airspace." And he says that Russia is operating very close to the Turkish border as it goes after moderate opposition groups that are supported by Turkey and a wide range of countries.

They ain't no moderate opposition groups and anyone paying attention knows it.

[restorefreedom]

69. well now its clear why obama did not want to prosecute cheney and bush

he is falling for this pnac bullshit hook, line, and sinker. it is clear that "regime change" in syria is more important than calling out this shoot down. i am not a fan of putin, but this was wrong. turkey's activities regarding isis have been questionable, and now they are going after russia because russia is actually fighting isis and helping assad in the process. (or helping assad and fighting isis in the process). the kurds are caught in the middle, and what does obama do? sides with the republicans and plays the nato card.

another in a long line line of disappontments. kinda regret voting for him now.

[BeyondGeography]

73. Oh, for the love of tinfoil

The incident will resolve itself; Russia isn't going to fuck with NATO and vice versa. Obama is doing the obvious thing, using it to keep the focus on ISIS. Putin will settle his score with Erdogan as and when. A reassuring article (for those who are capable of being reassured) is here:

Even with the tough words for Turkey, and promises of consequences, Russia has been working with international countries on attacking ISIS. Maynes says they are in constant communication with NATO forces about airstrikes, telling them where they plan to fly and what they plan to hit. For now then, for a number of reasons, Russia is likely to contain its response to words.

"They want to try and link themselves to this wider cause, this anti-ISIS coalition," says Maynes. "And I think it's important for them to stick to that message."

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-11-24/turkey-shoots-russian-plane-out-sky-moscow-will-likely-remain-focused-isis-now

[restorefreedom]

90. he should have called it out.

and stop placating turkey.

[Cali_Democrat]

80. LOL! PNAC!!!

I'm surprised you didn't mention Victoria Nuland's cookies.

[restorefreedom]

91. you don't think some dems have signed on to it?

keep dreaming....

[eissa]

72. Why is Turkey attacking a country that is fighting its enemy?

Turkey is against ISIS (on paper, at least.) Russia is fighting ISIS. Why is Turkey opposed to Russia briefly flying over their airspace to fight a mutual enemy? Probably because ISIS isn't really Turkey's enemy.

[Sunlei]

74. Turkey is anti-Assad & a NATO ally (of course anti IS, like every other country in the world)

Turkey also is caring for 2 million Syrian refugees who can't go home to Syria.


Why can't the 2 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey go home to Syria?

Because Putin & Assad are bombing the entire country to rubble, except for a couple of Assad stronghold areas.

[Igel]

75. Because the Russian bombing run wasn't against ISIS.

But against "moderate" Turkmen rebels.

In other words, not against ISIS, and against what I guess Putin would call part of the "Turkish world."

Moreover, Russia could have requested fly-over rights. It chose not to. Probably because for such a great power to ask a pipsqueak country like Turkey, one that has had long-standing feuds with Russia, would be "humiliating" and not equal to Russia's "true" status.

[darkangel218]

82. Thats bs. ISIS took down a Russian commercial plane,

Russia is chasing down ISIS, just as they have officially stated!! Turkish military shot down the Russian jet within matter of seconds,( by US officials)! It was a premeditated action!

[darkangel218]

79. Because Turkey is really against ISIS on paper only.

"Probably because ISIS isn't really Turkey's enemy."

That!^

[eissa]

100. Glad someone gets it

People seem to think that because Turkey is a NATO ally, we should stick by them right or wrong. Saudi and Pakistan are also allies, and they are no different than Turkey when it comes to putting their agenda ahead of our security.

[cstanleytech]

99. I would ask Putin first why he apparently thinks Russia can arbitrarily ignore Turkey's request

that Russian military aircraft stay the fuck out of Turkish airspace.

[darkangel218]

78. Mr. Obama is wrong here.

[Cali_Democrat]

81. Mr. Obama is correct. nt

[darkangel218]

83. No he is not. nt.

[Cali_Democrat]

84. Yes he is. nt

[darkangel218]

85. No he isn't.

Turkish military took down a Russian plane who was fighting ISIS in Syria, within matter of secs of that plane flying over their air space.

President Obama might be right on a zillion of things,, but he is wrong here.

[Cali_Democrat]

86. Yes he is

Russia has violated Turkey's airspace numerous times and they've sent letters of protest in the past. Duration doesn't matter when you violate someone's airspace. A violation is a violation.

Russia was bombing anti-Assad forces along the Turkish border which are not affiliated with ISIS.

It was only a matter of time.

Did Putin expect NATO to be throwing flowers at him?

[darkangel218]

87. Russia was bombing ISIS!

'matter of time'?? They sure executed that plane didn't they! they didn't even allow them time to clear the airspace!

Putin is fighting ISIS. Do you have a problem with that?

[darkangel218]

89. I read what you posted before the delete.

Shame on you for the personal attack.

Cali_Democrat

88. Nope

View profile


They were bombing anti-Assad forces in the north along the Turkish border. Not all anti-Assad fighters in Syria are affiliated with ISIS.

That's Putin's dirty little secret. He doesn't care about ISIS. He's bombing everyone opposed to Assad and calling them all ISIS terrorists.

His only interest in Syria is to keep Assad in power.

You should educate yourself on this subject matter before posting and regurgitating those talking points.

[KoKo]

103. Obama is Wrong Here....

Yes..he's protecting his Legacy.

[grahamhgreen]

92. And I suppose it's ok to commit the war crime of shooting the pilots in parachutes????

And people here said this thing wouldn't escalate - the same ones who will justify all of this.

[darkangel218]

93. Obviously they're ok with it.

they even gave reasons why it is ok, even though shooting pilots in parachutes is a war crime.

Sickening, isn't it??

[JudyM]

96. Couldn't Turkey have just sent up a handful of jets to escort Russian pilot back out?

I mean, if they were in contact anyway, why not take the less aggressive route?

[KoKo]

104. Erdogan isn't much in the MOOD to do that, though...

He's fighting for "Public Opinion of Himself" with Turkish Voters and he makes MUCHO MONEY off the Syrian Situation.

Plus........he's a member of NATO and is going to USE THAT for ALL IT IS WORTH! Sadly... He is a "Tool."

[roamer65]

106. Turkey couldn't do that because they would have been in Syrian airspace.

The "incursion" last 17 seconds and the missile from the F-16 hit the Russian Su-24 in Syrian airspace. So, Turkey violated Syrian airspace to shoot down the plane.

[JudyM]

110. Almost like they were waiting for one false move, and then.... attack. Nt

[Lil Missy]

97. OMG, I thought Obama was making a joke about flying turkeys!

[Joe Turner]

102. President Obama shouldn't have said that

We need Russia's cooperation in the fight against ISIS -among many other geopolitical concerns. Plus, this just isn't the way one cools down tensions. He could have got his point across without being so blunt.

[christx30]

113. Agreed.

Any other country (with the means to do it) would have scrambled fighters to escort the foreign planes out of their airspace. Not even the US would blow them out of the sky, if they were complying with commands.
But Turkey just up and shoots at planes that were in their territory for 12 seconds, and the plane is hit and goes down, and not even in Turkish territory?
Obama should have held off on his remarks and not shot from the hip to defend the NATO country. He should have waited. At this point, Russia would be justified in a retaliatory strike against the base that launched the planes.
Let's just hope calmer heads prevail.

[Aria36]

117. Very strong language

Given the circumstances. It almost makes me wonder if Turkey had permission from NATO to do this.