CNN is reporting that a Russian warplane has been shot down by Turkey:
One of the world’s most volatile regions was roiled further Tuesday when a Russian warplane went down near the Turkish-Syria border. Turkey said it “responded” to a plane after the aircraft repeatedly violated its airspace and ignored several warnings.
Turkey’s semi-official Anadolu news agency quoted Turkish presidential sources in reporting that the Russian Su-24 was “hit within the framework of engagement rules” in Syria’s Bayirbucak area, near the border with Turkey.
But Russia’s state-run Sputnik news agency said that, “According to preliminary reports, the plane was gunned down from the ground.”
Russian officials denied that the plane had violated Turkish airspace. Both pilots ejected from the plane, but their fate is unknown, Sputnik said.
The photo above was taken from Turkish television. The situation could hardly be more serious and what actually transpired remains unclear. It might be that it’s exactly as the Turks have reported it and a Russian warplane was shot down after entering Turkish airspace and repeated warnings to turn back. It might be that trigger-happy Turks shot down a Russian warplane in Syrian airspace they thought might enter Syrian airspace.
It might be, as some accounts have reported, that the body of a dead Russian pilot was recovered by Syrian Turkmen. Or it might have been recovered by Turkish special forces. I’ve been reading accounts of Turkish special forces masquerading as Syrian Turkmen for weeks.
Is it ever possible to remain disengaged in the midst of a world crisis — one that we helped to create — without getting any soot or misery flung at our own country?
Maybe Obama is just an undercover genius!