Active Now

my2cents
Reverend Muhammadovsky
Discussion » Statements » Rosie's Corner » So the Iranian missile that shot down a Ukranian plane killing 176 people, 63 of whom were Canadian was an ACCIDENT?
RosieG

So the Iranian missile that shot down a Ukranian plane killing 176 people, 63 of whom were Canadian was an ACCIDENT?

Can anyone explain how a missile can be directed at a target without knowing 100% for sure what it is?

There is no oops sorry here.

It was allegedlyUNINTENTIONAL. All well and good but 176 are dead. What is the responsibility of the country that caused this tragedy? Obviously if it is unintentional thetr cannot be any "payback" directed at them. On the other hand do they just get off with a "sorry"? How do you affix a value/worth to lives and would money change anything? Would being paid because a loved one died be comforting to you? It is just such an awful thing. The Canadian leader said it was thought to be unintentional He said it with great sadness. Whose move is next and how does it never happen again? Condolences to all the families who lost loved ones.

Posted - January 10, 2020
Tags : None

Responses


  • 1152
    This is why military conflict is inherently dicey.

    Almost since humans started recording their experiences of combat, the phrase "fog of war" (or the equivalent) has been used.

    "Fog of war" describes that combat involves people working under maximal stress with limited information and with very significant potential outcomes (people die) riding on every decision.

    It is not surprising that people under those circumstances make mistakes, and people die as a consequence.

    Hopefully people who wish to immediately blame Iran for being particularly bloodthirsty or particularly negligent remember a United States Navy vessel did almost the exact same thing back in 1988.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655
      January 10, 2020 7:31 AM MST
    2

  • 113301
    Thank you for your thoughtful and informative reply SP and the link. I appreciate both. War is so awful when it's purposeful. I mean dead is dead of course but the terrible sadness of it being an "accident" must be so painful to those who lost loved ones. Happy Friday to thee! :)
      January 10, 2020 7:38 AM MST
    0

  • 6023
    I agree with SaltyPebble.  "Fog of war".

    Also, I'm not sure if it's still true ... but I heard that passenger jetliners have the same "radar signature" as some bombers. 
    During the Cold War, Russia and the US often practiced flying bombers on airline passenger routes to (hopefully) delay knowledge of incoming attacks.
    The Iranian equipment comes from Russia, and they are trained by Russians.
    The Iranians also allegedly informed the Swiss prior to the missile strike.  So they may have thought all passenger air travel in the area would be suspended during the attack.
    All that together, and the missile operator may have thought it was an incoming counter-attack.


      January 10, 2020 7:46 AM MST
    0

  • 2219
    They probably gave some credence to the US Prez's threats of a massive response and were just a bit trigger happy in the face of an apparently possible threat. 
      January 10, 2020 10:35 AM MST
    0

  • 3719
    The Iranian forces do have identification systems, but unfortunately no system can be 100% reliable 100% of the time; especially in a very edgy time when the operators are probably nervous and prepared for possible real action.

    If you think about it strategically, you see that they would have had no reason to shoot that airliner down deliberately; IF indeed it was shot down ( likely but yet to be proven).

    If it was deliberate then the whole world will demand to know why, and the Iranian Government will find it very hard to explain itself; especially after being so virtuous about attacking USAAF bases without killing anyone.

    The international consensus, from analysts and Governments less closely involved seems to be that if it was shot down, then it was a terrible accident. The Iranians have not helped themselves though if reports are accurate of the wreckage being left unguarded for scavengers to pick over, then the site being cleared hastily and crudely.

    A dreadful consequence of war.... 
      January 10, 2020 3:08 PM MST
    0