Israel shoots down Syrian warplane over Golan Heights

[golamv]

Israel shot down a Syrian fighter jet over the Golan Heights on Tuesday, the army said, indicating that it had crossed the cease-fire line into the Israeli-occupied sector.

It was the first such incident in three decades and the most serious incident to take place on the strategic plateau since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/09/23/world/israel-shoots-syrian-warplane-golan-heights/#.VCE7u2bTW2c

[Lonewolf_50]

What reason did the Israelis have to believe that the jet was a threat rather than just wandering a bit too close to the edge?

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

The Syrian government announced Sunday that it reserves the right to invade the Israeli-held Golan Heights at any time - May 13, 2013


Syria says it reserves right to invade Golan Heights | The Times of Israel (http://www.timesofisrael.com/syria-says-it-reserves-right-to-invade-golan-heights/)

[Lonewolf_50]

Fair enough, Fox, but you can't invade with a jet. ;) Invasion requires a few boots on the ground.

I suppose the Israelis are making a point with Mr Assad in this instance.
"We aren't letting our guard down."

Pity they couldn't have intercepted the jet and gotten it to turn back to Syria. Might not have had a section in the air in the right vicinity at the time.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

To be pragmatic:
"We reserve the right to invade at any time" is a de facto declaration of war.

I really don't think Assad understands any language except force, thus I am wholly in agreement with Israel taking every opportunity to kick him in the nuts.

Likewise, ISIS threatening Canadians would not feel secure even in their bedrooms is carte blanche to do anything to ISIS the Canadian Government chooses, in my book.

p.s. Meanwhile, here are a couple of Canadians feeling threatened ;)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ByHYr2zIEAI84dH.jpg:large
My daughter likes to read and shoot and she's great at math. She won't be an old man's wife. #securebedroomselfie

More here
Michelle Rempel responds to ISIS threat with #SecureBedroomSelfie - Politics - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/michelle-rempel-responds-to-isis-threat-with-securebedroomselfie-1.2774238)

[TBM-Legend]

Yesterday in Melbourne.

Teen terror suspect shot dead after stabbing police officers - World - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11330495)

These lunatics will stop at nothing...:mad:

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Is the implication that the Terrs are alive and well and serving in the Syrian Air Force?

I sometimes wonder if the Israelis see the bigger picture. A ruthless attitude, military competence and powerful friends in powerful places does not a reliable ally make. Sorry(ish), just my view for what it's worth.

[Whenurhappy]

Yesterday in Melbourne.

Teen terror suspect shot dead after stabbing police officers - World - NZ Herald News

These lunatics will stop at nothing...

Something about this story doesn't quite ring true...nonetheless we have an injured Constable and a dead 'suspect'. That will stop Jihadi recruitment.

[ShotOne]

Whether or not she had "the right" to do this, how does it benefit Israel? The demilitarised zone is no longer demilitarised. It is occupied by heaviliy armed militants who have kidnapped UN observers. At present they are fighting Assad but that could equally read Israel. This could backfire badly for everyone.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

It benefits Israel because it shows she will respond immediately and effectively to challenges to her airspace, etc. This makes it less likely that a nation or group will challenge her in the future. This in turn reduces costs.

Hamas will certainly be thinking twice about kidnapping and murdering Israeli teenagers in future.

[ShotOne]

Really? How does using its military might to enforce a terrorist safe-haven benefit either Israeli or our interests?

[Hangarshuffle]

Q.Why does the UK not have SAM systems on a par with what we have witnessed used by other nations this year? Such as the Ukraine or Russian, Israel, Syria.


Threat= Primary threat a short notice/reaction time terrorist based? Secondary threat same old same old as before?
Cost= Surely manageable?


Not counting RN used around inshore UK as "flak ships".
I just wonder.

[WhiteOvies]

Do you mean apart from Rapier batteries, as deployed around London for the Olympics??

[Hangarshuffle]

Yes, like the American Patriot system, or the Russian Buk system I read about (think that's spelt right). I always assumed Rapier was for defence against fairly low level targets around specific areas i.e. Mount Pleasant airfield and the port.
Why doesn't the UK have a defensive missile system around major conurbations?

[glad rag]

It benefits Israel because it shows she will respond immediately and effectively to challenges to her airspace, etc. This makes it less likely that a nation or group will challenge her in the future. This in turn reduces costs.

Hamas will certainly be thinking twice about kidnapping and murdering Israeli teenagers in future.

They didn't.

[Lonewolf_50]

Didn't kidnap or didn't think twice? :confused:
glad rag, your post was just a bit too cryptic for me.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

On August 20, 2014, a Hamas official Salah al-Aruri said that the organization's armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was behind the kidnapping and murder.

..and the main Hamas leadership praised the act.

Maybe a bit early for panto season but.....

Oh yes they did!

[Heathrow Harry]

I agree with Hangarshuffle - we only have a very short range GA missile - you'd have thought we'd at least have a few medium range batteries for say
the Falklands...........................

I presume the Army don't wan to pay for them as they see the RAF claiming all rights over Air Defence and they're not FJ's so the RAf don't want to pay either

[Fonsini]

Something about this story doesn't quite ring true...nonetheless we have an injured Constable and a dead 'suspect'. That will stop Jihadi recruitment.

Actually there were two injured constables, and I doubt that stopping Jihadi recruitment was top of their list of concerns as this maggot was stabbing one of them in the face.

Politicians can strategise about deterring extremist recruitment, but I'm with the cop in thinking a little more tactically when it comes to knife wielding nut jobs.

You shoot the f*****s until they stop twitching.

[Hangarshuffle]

I only take comfort (all I can take) that a far, far better brain than mine has thought the differing terrorist scenarios out many, many times and come to the conclusion that if London, or what someone may think are our vulnerable sites (nuclear power stations, oil refineries, docks, key motorways sections, airports and the like), are better protected by Fast Jet than anything else.
But I have thought at times, when coming into Heathrow in a plane (since 9/11), how vulnerable London actually is, what the response time would be for aircraft from Yorkshire,or Scotland, if the unthinkable was to become real.
Well I hope this has been thought through. People balk at discussing this sort of thing (and this is not the forum I agree), but at times I just pray we have this weighed off fully and correctly.


* Some of Len Deightons books are behind my concern, the chapter about the pre war/early war RAFs thinking in his book "Blood Tears and Folly" which is an objective look at WW2, are truly frightening (when you read what occurred, how and why).

[ShotOne]

"Better protected by fast jet than anything else...?" That rather depends on what from, HS. Sure, they are one tool in the box but couldn't have protected the 7/7 victims or Lee Rigby, or any of the thousands murdered by Irish terrorists.