Vladimir Putin’s Excellent Syrian Adventure was all fun and games so long as he was hitting Bashar al-Assad’s enemies (which rarely meant Daesh until that group downed a Russian airliner) and those enemies couldn’t fire back.
However, Russian pilots had the unfortunate habit of straying into Turkish airspace. This was understandable, as the air space in the war zone was rather tight. But the Turks warned Russia after the last incident that another violation of their airspace would bring about a response.
Today, a Russian jet again strayed into Turkish airspace. According to Turkey and the coalition command in Baghdad, Turkey warned the Russian plane ten times to leave its airspace. The Russians either didn’t hear the warnings, or ignored them, at which point Turkey downed the Russian jet. The pilots ejected, but didn’t survive. (The details of their deaths are still sketchy, but it seems that Syrian rebels shot them down.)
Mr. Putin, desperate to show that Russia is still an important power aside from its possession of nuclear weapons and a veto on the Security Council, decided to go in militarily to prop up his client Mr. Assad. At the time that he did so, I said that Russia had learned nothing from its adventure in Afghanistan.
It’s even worse. NATO warplanes weren’t flying over Afghan skies in the 1980s. Syria is even more of a quagmire than Afghanistan, and prone to something Afghanistan wasn’t: direct confrontation with NATO air forces.
Mr. Putin calls the downing of his fighter a “stab in the back”. But, it was a predictable outcome. Once Russia became involved in the Syrian fighting, it was only a matter of time before an incident like this occurred.
What happens next? I’m not a prognosticator. But a NATO member nation shooting down a Russian jet is not a good development. This is why Ben Carson’s casual talk of imposing a no-fly zone over Syria and shooting down Russian jets if they violated it was so insane. I’m not saying this one incident will lead to a wider war; but it’s not something to be taken lightly. Here’s to hoping cooler heads prevail.
The Obama Diary 
Great info LL, as usual. Thank you.
Safe travels, dear VP.
I’m wondering if there’s another collaboration of some sort going on with the Pope…….
Oh, good idea. I hope so.
Me, too!
Interesting…. maybe working on a Guantanamo solution perhaps?
One thing we know, meta. Just like President Obama, the Pope takes advantage of every possibility to collaborate, toward the common good! And neither do it for the publicity. Fingers crossed – and great idea!
Hi Meta. Definitely safe travels dear VP. How I wish he was running for President.
But for the intrusion of fate……..
Yeh. [deep sigh!]
Adding my deep sigh to the chorus…
Great to hear this. That was quick so good for the police.
“Yesterday the Minnesota 7th Congressional District Republican Party posted the following statement on their Facebook page: “MN #DFL now propose a “special session” to deal with their self-created “#Negroproblem”. You don’t have to look far to find ignorant hate speech masquerading as acceptable party messaging. However, this is not the first time the Minnesota Republican Party and their affiliates have posted racially insensitive material.”
“racist and bigoted” Ya think? Can’t believe I can still be shocked by stuff like this but congrats Minnesota GOP, I’m SMH and speechless (other than a string of expletives).
Donna, sometimes I think I’m in a time warp and have gone back to the 1940’s. Then I realize I’m learning about these things on a computer and it’s 2015, which means decade after decade has gone by and these knuckleheads have not progressed one iota.
Republicans are straight up racists. There is nothing they could say that would shock me at this point in time. Trump tweeted a racist lie about Blacks and not one Republican leader/politician called him out for it. Neither did any Republicans call Trump out for supporting the beat down of a Black protester at his Birmingham rally.
They’re pathetic.
Shit.
Good grief!!!
Good Afternoon TODVille!
Damn!
Sigh!!
THERE’S AN ONGOING hostage situation in the northern French town of Roubaix near the Belgian border.
RTL says that several people have been injured when a Kalashnikov was fired at police during a traffic stop.
A number of other news outlets are quoting medical services and are reporting that a number of people have been injured.
News outlet iTele are reporting that a number of men fired at police during an attempted robbery and are now holed up in a house.
http://www.thejournal.ie/roubaix-hostage-2464883-Nov2015/?utm_source=twitter_self
Not terrorism. It had to do with a robbery.
It’s sad that I actually feel relief that it’s JUST a robbery, even though the situation is still awful and people are injured and may die. Goes to show how bizarre things have become.
ALL H-E-double hockey sticks is going to break loose tomorrow when that dash cam is released of his murder. That police officer killed this young man in cold blood.
Donna, please be sure to link us to the dash cam video when it becomes available. This is simply astonishing.
Will do!
It’s going to be a really nasty situation when the world gets to see how this young man was murdered. Sigh!!!
I’m so worried about the aftermath of that video release.
shot 16 times including twice in the back. It’s going to get really ugly in Chicago.
As difficult as it is, I hope people remain calm and focus on nailing the murderer and keeping the spotlight on him.
But Trump racists supporters loves it.
Great tweet! The man is a bigot and is leading Republican Presidential polls. That says it all about how low the Republican Party has fallen.
Where anyone listening to the D.A. from Chicago talking on MSNBC about charging the officer for killing that 17 year old black boy, shooting him 16 times.
Donna, Sorry for the duplicate post. Didn’t see yours!
No problem 😉
I’ll settle for that.
À PRIORI, CE SERAIT UN ACTE CRAPULEUX – UN CAMBRIOLAGE – QUI A MAL TOURNÉ.
Prise d’otages en cours à Roubaix, plusieurs blessés par balles
Flash Actu
Mis à jour le 24/11/2015 à 20:51
Un ou des hommes armés étaient retranchés mardi soir avec des otages
dans une maison d’un quartier de Roubaix, a-t-on appris de sources
concordantes.
De source policière, le ou les auteurs se sont retranchés dans une
habitation qui serait habitée par un couple, qu’ils s’apprêtaient à
cambrioler. Des échanges de coup de feu ont eu lieu à l’arrivée de la
BAC, qui a été alertée de cette tentative de cambriolage.
Le ou les auteurs auraient alors pris les occupants en otage.
La mairie de Roubaix a fait état d’un “braquage”.
Une unité du Raid est attendue sur place et un périmètre de sécurité a
été établi, ont ajouté la mairie et la source policière.
Cette prise d’otages se déroule dans un quartier prisé de Roubaix,
jouxtant la commune de Croix.
LL, thanks for your post about Putin.
I remember how many on the right used to refer to him as strong, decisive, determined, almost a man of vision (particularly when he was shirtless). He should have kept his shirt on and his troops at home. Now what???
The Right, GOPers, US News Media and some Emoprogs will assign all ills to Pres Obama and they will use any one, be it Putin, Merkel of Hollande to malign President Obama.
It has been going on since Jan 20th, 2009.
Oh, finally, The Donald is called a demagogue?
“Yet Mr. Trump is regularly rewarded with free TV time, where he talks right over anyone challenging him, and doubles down when called out on his lies.”
“This isn’t about shutting off Mr. Trump’s bullhorn. His right to spew nonsense is protected by the Constitution, but the public doesn’t need to swallow it. History teaches that failing to hold a demagogue to account is a dangerous act. It’s no easy task for journalists to interrupt Mr. Trump with the facts, but it’s an important one.”
^^THIS^^
Well, it’s a start, Pf. Let;s see if anyone else picks this theme up after Trump turns on the NYT. This is when you you see who stands up for their convictions and who collapses like a cheap suit.
Well finally. It’s about dang time.
Once again good read, LL, but I was under the assumption that all of the air space issues concerning Syria and the neighboring states were all ironed out. My only concern is that Putin with his “I’ll cut a bitch” attitude might try to start some shit.
As did I. But, fog of war, etc. Makes me wonder how good Russia’s air control systems are.
A Russian marine was killed during an operation to rescue a pilot whose Su-24 warplane was shot down by Turkey near the Syrian-Turkish border, according to Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti.
The other Su-24 pilot was killed in the air by fire from the ground, the agency said.
CNN.com,
Putin might ask POTUS to intervene on his behalf. How about that?
Putin asking PBO for a favor? Now THAT I’d pay to see!
Guess what Putin? Turkey is NOT the Ukraine and they do not push easy…….Time for NATO and the EU to get off their collective asses!
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/middleeast/warplane-crashes-near-syria-turkey-border/index.html
This is why the Pentagon reaction is interesting:
With all this awful fearmongering going on something awfully bad is destined to happen in this country. Mark My Words!!
Sad to say that the real trouble is gonna come from “The Bundy Brigade & Militias” types…..All in the name of GOD!
Now, if that was reversed?
The Muslim Woman would have been called a Terrorist and the Police and other Armed Law Enforcement Agencies would have moved in and No way would that lady not have been killed in the process.
What about Her right to walk peacefully on a Public road and go about her way to worship as the Constitution has freely stated?
Fact …..
A punk bitch with a gun.
This is NOT the Land of the Free when ONLY one Race in a Diverse Nation of 320M are afforded the Constitutional Rights guaranteed to All.
The Police have the Guns……..yet they overwhelming shoot unarmed Citizens.
The Majority have the most guns, yet they fear the Minorities most.
The same Majority speak of Love of Country, God, Family and Freedom………..yet, they are easily duped with Propaganda, they recoil when they see those that they have dehumanize when confronted…….by that I mean through peaceful marching, speaking back or just by saying enough……..their FEARS of the OTHER overflows.
Home of the Brave?
Cowardly pretentious Patriots hiding under GUNS.
Shameful!
How scary is that???!!!!@@@!!!!!!!
That is not a protester, that is a terrorist. His face is covered so he is not recognized. they are poor excuses for being Americans.
Exactly!
Masked armed men are stalking a woman in Texas and there’s no police intervention? What have we come to?
Damn these gun idiots who stalk and terrorize! They MUST be jailed!
So now Americans are being straight up threatened by bigots in broad daylight and no one is speaking out? This shouldn’t be happening in the land of the brave and the free.
EXPECTED…IT’S A CIRCUS OUT THERE AND TEXAS HAS BEEN BIRTHING THE BAZAAAAAAAR IN GUN CARRIERS EVER SINCE PBO CAME INTO OFFICE THIS HAS GONE ON SINCE 2008 AND NOTHING GOOD WILL COME OUT OF IT!
I am sorry, but this hooded, gun totting, Texas man is not a protestor. He is a terrorist! He even dresses like the terrorists.
Vindication!
I’m not worried about refugees coming from anywhere in the world, I’m more concerned about some guy walking into my son’s school and start shooting kids, I’m more about worried sitting in a goddamn movie theater and some guy walking in and start shooting people. The only reason I’m not worried about getting shot in a church is because I don’t go to church, but my friends and family do. So I don’t have time to worry about some refugees coming over here and killing people. And don’t even get me started about the Police.
Don I know what you mean. Those white men walking around with those assault weapons we should be worry about too. Anyone remember Dylaan Roof, there are alot of people that feel the way he does. But they don’t get the attention that some Muslim get.
Wise advice.
Whoa…you tell ’em Jon:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/kentucky-governor-restores-voting-rights-felons-35391201
About 15 years ago, Mantell Stevens spent 30 days in jail for drug possession. He has not been able to vote since then.
The 36-year-old Lexington resident pleaded guilty to a felony, which means he lost his right to vote under the state constitution. And because Kentucky was one of four states that did not automatically restore people’s voting rights once their sentences were completed, Stevens never got it back.
On Tuesday, an executive order from Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear changed that. His order will automatically restore the voting rights of people convicted of certain felonies as long as they meet specific criteria.
“Being able to participate in democracy and being able to vote for elected officials is so important,” said Stevens, one of an estimated 180,000 Kentuckians who are out of prison but cannot vote because of their felony convictions. “I think I’m able to possibly elect some officials that might help better my community.”
Beshear’s order does not apply to anyone convicted of bribery, treason, violent crimes, or sex crimes. It does not apply to people who have other pending charges or arrests. And it does not apply to those who have been released from prison but have not paid their court-ordered restitution.
CNN Fails, yet again.
Thank you, Dudette.
I weep for my country.
Great post, LL.
Putin is despicable, no doubt.
Divide and conquer is his MO.
I get why Turkey shutdown the Jet Fighter.
I just had wished they didn’t, at least not now. Putin has been egging for confrontation for years. Looking for attention in all the wrong places. He must be denied that Blood Thirst that he craves like a Vampire.
I am suspicious of Turkey’s motives in shooting down a Russian jet. It was a provocative and unnecessary act. My suspicion is that it is an attempt to break up any united effort to deal with ISIS as Turkey has aided ISIS all along and benefitted from the oil trade with ISIS.
Typical Trump to retweet this. Some of the Bernie Bots have the same sentiment but many of them tend not to vote or end up voting Green Party or something anyway. The Far Right usually falls in line and heads to the polls. I hope and pray he is ultimately denied the Repub nomination and all those Trump a$$holes stay home or vote “Gold” party (the 3rd party he will run on when he (still praying) doesn’t get the R nomination).
Throw away the key!
Russians have been ordered to attack them.
Putin promised to attack ISIL/Daesh. This Jet Fighter proves that Putin Lied.
Karma has a way of delivering Justice.
Karma said: Homie don’t play that!
Oh….so if that horrific video didn’t exist, they would continuing raising funds for this murderer?
Of course they would. Some are still gonna send him money, just through other means.
Shut up John, go back to the bar and drink yourself silly.
That was meant for Boehner!
STREAM IS UP: President Obama Awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Thanks JER!
Thanks Neena!
Translation not required …
No question that Vlad’s intervention is to prop-up Assad, but he’s speaking the truth on this matter ….
bbl …..
My distrust of Turkey…..the Government and their 10yrs plus dictator.
NATO needs to re-examine their agreed contract with Turkey so long as this man remains their Leader.
Wow!
Thank you soooooooooooooooo much LL!!!
Heads up
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/11/24/president-obama-awards-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom/