Syria shoots down Turkish jet

[HPLovecraft]

Turkey has been one of the most vocal opponents against Bashar al-Assad during the civil war going on in Syria. They've pressed for sanctions, etc., and it's long been suspected that if any military manoeuvres against Syria were to take place, Turkey would be heavily involved. It's been also suspected for awhile now that Syria has been purposely raising ethnic tensions in Turkey and along its border.

It now appears Syria has shot down a Turkish war jet.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tur...&NewsCatID=338

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middle...721460173.html

It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

[afc wimbledon]

Not a bright move by Syria, Russia will not be happy

[killer_carlson]

This is Syria trying to start a war, or, coming out and saying they don't think the world will intervene.

After butchering their own citizens, including women and children, shooting down a plane isn't that big of a deal (or so it would seem).

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

This is Syria trying to start a war, or, coming out and saying they don't think the world will intervene.

After butchering their own citizens, including women and children, shooting down a plane isn't that big of a deal (or so it would seem).

I suspect it is more likely a sign that command and control has broken down in Syria, Turkey and Syria have an long border, the last thing Syria wants is Turkey allowing the west to funnel arms through to the rebels across the border openly while the US ramps up Turkeys armed forces.
This sets up a possible Libyan end game with western advisors helping turkish forces to supress Syrian armour and artillary and allowing the rebellion to take hold

[FlameOn]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Turkey is a NATO member isn't it? NATO stipulates that an attack on any one NATO member constitutes an attack on all NATO countries. Turkey had previously said it would abide with intervention only if the security council approved. Syria shooting down a Turkish plane will probably change that.

[Sopure]

Heard on AM 660 this morning that Turkey might've accidentally flown over Syria.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Sopure

Heard on AM 660 this morning that Turkey might've accidentally flown over Syria.

Seems the jet may have been over Syrian territorial waters, but Turkey's saying that this is a fairly routine circumstance around the border. Interesting to see the response, considering the Syrian military has already fired into Turkish territory at refugee camps.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül said today it was not possible to ignore the fact that Syria had shot down a Turkish fighter jet and said everything that needed to be done following the incident would be done, Turkish media reported.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tur...&NewsCatID=338

[FlamesAddiction]

Even if the jet was over Syrian air space, the first response shouldn't be to shoot it down.

My first thoughts are towards the people in the area and for their safety, so I don't want to sound selfish, but does anyone know if travel insurance would cover a cancelled trip due to a war breaking out? I am going to be in Instanbul, which is far from the Syrian border, but the increased threat of terrorism would make it difficult to relax.

[karl262]

Turkey will now be an active supplier/partner with the rebels in Syria, so this is probably the beginning of the end for the regime.

On a side note, I think the F-4 is one of the most beautiful fighter jets ever built.

[GreenLantern]

We don't know what the first response was, we only know what Turkey is telling us.

For all we know that fighter jet just opened fire on civilians.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

We don't know what the first response was, we only know what Turkey is telling us.

For all we know that fighter jet just opened fire on civilians.

if it did that, then Syria would have probably thought it was one of theirs and offered a landing one

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by karl262

Turkey will now be an active supplier/partner with the rebels in Syria, so this is probably the beginning of the end for the regime.

On a side note, I think the F-4 is one of the most beautiful fighter jets ever built.

They already are active suppliers (to an extent) and partners with the rebels in Syria. Turkey is hosting a number of Syrian refugee camps, as well as the Syrian National Council (opposition group) which has its HQ in Istanbul. They're also an important member of the Friends of Syria group, and hosted its second conference in Istanbul to the great annoyance of Syria.

Turkey was raging against al-Assad's actions well before this. They've also presented the idea of creating a buffer zone within Syria to allow humanitarian aid into the country. This, of course, would require a military invasion.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

We don't know what the first response was, we only know what Turkey is telling us.

For all we know that fighter jet just opened fire on civilians.

No.

Damascus was the first to announce that they shot down the fighter jet, and issued an apology. President Gul in Turkey was still saying they were unsure what happened even after Syria announced it.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

No.

Damascus was the first to announce that they shot down the fighter jet, and issued an apology. President Gul in Turkey was still saying they were unsure what happened even after Syria announced it.

And according to one of the articles, the Turks admitted that it was in Syrian air space and are trying to figure out what happened.

I wonder if NATO is trying to "wag the dog" in order to make a case for intervention.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

No.

Damascus was the first to announce that they shot down the fighter jet, and issued an apology. President Gul in Turkey was still saying they were unsure what happened even after Syria announced it.

If they apologize, and were first to come clean over it, it hardly means war...

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Kavy

If they apologize, and were first to come clean over it, it hardly means war...

Who said it means war?

Not that an apology necessarily means much if you shoot down military hardware and possibly kill the occupants in a highly volatile situation like what's going on in Syria right now, and especially with Turkey and Syria at each other's throats already over it.

The Turkish government has refuted a statement from the Syrian Foreign Ministry that said Damascus acted in self-defense in shooting down a Turkish warplane on June 22, Turkish sources told the Hürriyet Daily News today.

“We have necessary information showing that the Turkish plane was shot at without any warning,” an official source said on condition of anonymity.
“We are 100 percent right and the act of Syrian regime is against all dynamics of international law,” Ömer Çelik, the deputy chairman in charge of foreign policy for the ruling Justi ce and Development Party (AK Parti), said on his Twitter account. “All data about the incident confirms that.”

In another important development, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has asked for appointments from the leaders of the other three main political parties in the Turkish Parliament on Sunday in order to explain the details of the incident and discuss the matter, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced.

This is an unusual move and has caused speculation about a possible parliamentary decision which is a requirement for any foreign military action according to the Turkish Constitution. “We are not considering a military action now,” a source told the Daily News. “But we want to inform the opposition and we want to keep all options open.”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syr...&NewsCatID=338

[Huntingwhale]

Wwiii

[HPLovecraft]

Turkey is stating that the jet was downed in international airspace, not Syrian, and that the Syrians knew all along it was a Turkish jet, and they have the evidence.

Turkey will be attending a NATO council soon, as well as a UN Security Council.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tur...&NewsCatID=338

[FlameOn]

Reports are in that Syria has apparently shot at (but not downed) another Turkish military plane that was taking part in the search/rescue of the first plane that Syria shot down. NATO has been doing everything it can to keep out of this conflict, but they might not have a choice soon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18586645

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Reports are in that Syria has apparently shot at (but not downed) another Turkish military plane that was taking part in the search/rescue of the first plane that Syria shot down. NATO has been doing everything it can to keep out of this conflict, but they might not have a choice soon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18586645

Haha, are you serious?

Turkey is a NATO member.

NATO is helping the "Free Syrian Army" train in Turkey along the Turkey/Syria border....this invlolves U.S./British special forces/intellegence agencies etc.

NATO along with the west-friendly oil monarchies (Qatar, Saudi Arabis) are arming and funding the Syrian "rebels" to slaughter civilians in Syria for the purpose of destabilizing the regime and creating petext for a NATO no fly zone/invasion.

Syrian regime change has been on the American/NATO agenda for a long time now.

This jet being shot down is a provocatiopn on behalf of NATO, nothing more. I suggest Turkey should keep their jets out of the air space of its sovereign neghbors.