Turkish F-4 Jet Shot Down by Syria

[Burhead]

BBC News - Turkish F-4 warplane 'shot down' near Syrian border

Just figured that it deserves its own thread since the huge implications it could have for the world. Syrian state TV confirming that Syrian forces did indeed down it. BBC reporting Turkey will respond "decisively" after full facts are known.

 

[zjcvols]

Uh-oh

 

[vol4eva]

This could be the green light for NATO intervention.

 

[TSwafford]

If the Turkish plane was in their airspace then they have every right to down it

 

[Burhead]

If the Turkish plane was in their airspace then they have every right to down it

I agree, that then raises the question why it was there to start with. I've seen on Twitter some reports saying it was 1 km inside Syrian space.

 

[zjcvols]

I agree, that then raises the question why it was there to start with. I've seen on Twitter some reports saying it was 1 km inside Syrian space.

So, basically what the US did in Cuba in 1898. "We. Dare. You."

 

[vol4eva]

Has it been established that it was in Syrian airspace?

 

[TSwafford]

i dont know.. sounds strange.. i seriously wouldnt be suprised if this was some kind of false flag incident

 

[Burhead]

Has it been established that it was in Syrian airspace?

It went down in Syrian territorial waters.

 

[VolsNSkinsFan]

Reuters is saying it was 1km in Syria airspace

 

[Burhead]

It won't be good if the pilots turn up KIA, still haven't found them either.

 

[Toujours Pret]

I read a few weeks back that Turkey could see the Syrian troubles as a possible fix for their Kurd problem, sorry I don't recall details.

 

[volfan6782]

Reuters is saying it was 1km in Syria airspace

Is there any gray area with border lines. 1km off course in a plane with a cruise speed of over 500mph doesn't seem very hard to do.

 

[BearCat204]

Is there any gray area with border lines. 1km off course in a plane with a cruise speed of over 500mph doesn't seem very hard to do.

There is a buffer zone before the "airspace boundary".......its not really an excuse to be in Syrian airspace and Syria did exactly what I would expect us to do.

 

[davethevol]

Very weird situation. It doesn't sound like Syria was in the wrong for this.

 

[Burhead]

President, Abdullah Gul admits the plane may have crossed over the border. The Prime Minister is having a second security meeting today.

 

[myrobbins7]

"An unidentified object entered our air space and unfortunately as a result it was brought down. It was understood only later that it was a Turkish plane," A Haber quoted Makdissi as saying in a translation of the interview. "There was no hostile act against Turkey whatsoever. It was just an act of defense for our sovereignty."

Turkey Vows 'Necessary' Action Against Syria

 

[Burhead]

The Foreign Minister will make a statement tomorrow about the incident, also Prime Minister Erdogan is inviting the heads of the major political parties for a meeting. Also a source inside the ruling party said that shooting down the plane amounts to a "declaration of war".

 

[mtt2d]

I'm not too worried about this incident.

 

[PKT_VOL]

I'm not too worried about this incident.

I tend to agree. All the reports that I have seen seem to indicate that the Turkish jet accidentally and unannounced veered into Syrian air space for whatever reason. The Syrian military had every right to shoot it down.

 

[therealUT]

I tend to agree. All the reports that I have seen seem to indicate that the Turkish jet accidentally and unannounced veered into Syrian air space for whatever reason. The Syrian military had every right to shoot it down.

I am less worried about what this incident will mean to with regard to Syria and more worried about what it could mean to the stability of the Turkish government.

 

[PKT_VOL]

I am less worried about what this incident will mean to with regard to Syria and more worried about what it could mean to the stability of the Turkish government.

Interesting. I'm not familiar with the stability of the Turkish government. I know they currently have and had severe cultural disputes within the country. It's difficult to have a state with different nations.

 

[Burhead]

The Turk government is now claiming it was an unarmed, training mission and that it was shot down in international air space;

"According to our conclusions, our plane was shot down in international airspace, 13 nautical miles (24km) from Syria," he said.

Turkey is also invoking article four of the NAT.

BBC News - Turkey calls Nato meeting on warplane downed by Syria

 

[SWIL]

If this isn't a foot in the door for NATO action, I don't know what is.

 

[Velo Vol]

I am less worried about what this incident will mean to with regard to Syria and more worried about what it could mean to the stability of the Turkish government.

What does it mean?