Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Russians Down in Flames
Comrade Putin and Co. are PO'd. Their Syrian client/allies shot down a Russian transport aircraft, using missiles the Russians provided them. The Russians are blaming the Israelis, who had just conducted an air raid on Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria. The Russians claim Israeli aircraft hid behind the Russian aircraft, leading the Syrians to hit the wrong plane, destroying it and killing 15 Russian servicemen.
"We" at Unforeseen Contingencies are never happy hearing about our fellow human beans losing their lives, but it's not as upsetting when people are killed while making trouble, and even less so when they are hoist by their own petard. Even if the Russian government's charge against Israel is true (and the Israelis deny it), the Russians have no legitimate complaint, for three reasons. First, they are intervening in Syria to support a vicious dictator, Bashar al-Assad. Second, they are supporting Islamists there (Iran and Hezbollah). Third, they trained and armed the Syrians. There's a kind of irony in that the Russians themselves took the steps that killed their men -- intervening on the side of evil, providing the arms and training, and then sending their men to be killed. "We" don't find their protests persuasive.
Let's add insult to injury. It gets worse. The Russian protests are utterly hypocritical. Russia provided the Buk missile battery that shot down Malaysian Air Flight MH17 over Ukraine, murdering 15 crew members and 283 passengers. The missile was Russian Army equipment, directed from Russian territory. It was deployed in support of the unprovoked invasion of a peaceful neighbor. The same leaders who perpetrated this slaughter of innocent civilians are now whining when their troops are killed -- by their own allies -- while perpetuating injustices? Wow! What chutzpah!
Russia is a rogue nation. It would be wonderful if the Russians could change course, but until they do, it's important we keep that in mind.
"We" at Unforeseen Contingencies are never happy hearing about our fellow human beans losing their lives, but it's not as upsetting when people are killed while making trouble, and even less so when they are hoist by their own petard. Even if the Russian government's charge against Israel is true (and the Israelis deny it), the Russians have no legitimate complaint, for three reasons. First, they are intervening in Syria to support a vicious dictator, Bashar al-Assad. Second, they are supporting Islamists there (Iran and Hezbollah). Third, they trained and armed the Syrians. There's a kind of irony in that the Russians themselves took the steps that killed their men -- intervening on the side of evil, providing the arms and training, and then sending their men to be killed. "We" don't find their protests persuasive.
Let's add insult to injury. It gets worse. The Russian protests are utterly hypocritical. Russia provided the Buk missile battery that shot down Malaysian Air Flight MH17 over Ukraine, murdering 15 crew members and 283 passengers. The missile was Russian Army equipment, directed from Russian territory. It was deployed in support of the unprovoked invasion of a peaceful neighbor. The same leaders who perpetrated this slaughter of innocent civilians are now whining when their troops are killed -- by their own allies -- while perpetuating injustices? Wow! What chutzpah!
Russia is a rogue nation. It would be wonderful if the Russians could change course, but until they do, it's important we keep that in mind.
