Roland Pulfrew (your #21),

Perhaps it's beginning to dawn that Assad has the only "boots on the ground" available to deal with ISIS.

Turkey is standing aside; Israel is very wisely concentrating on self-defence (unless her security is threated).

The West is all talk and no action (the US will not deploy troops and we can't).

That's about the size of it.

Danny.

Danny

I know. What I was talking about was that pr00ne's post criticising the democratically elected leader in Syria has remained, but several posts pointing out that the terrorists are just as guilty of slaughter, in fact who are probably even more indiscriminate and more evil, have been deleted by censors unknown.

Let's face it "we" have backed the wrong side in Syria, just like we did in Egypt and Libya. And I still hope our brother pilot is reunited, unharmed, with his family.

Not that surprised given the Kingdom are flying very old hand me down Falcons (no pun intended), suppose it was only a matter of time though and it can happen to anyone, even with shiny new kit...

Saudi's will probably pay 'ransom' on behalf of the Kingdom (behind the scenes) with a prisoner exchange, and he will be home in a few months...(think positive)

Photos circulated in the media show CAVOK at the time so rather surprising the bad guys were not targeted by all manner of "assets" to prevent capture and give enough time for a CSAR EVAC... then again perhaps we have far less "assets" on station at anyone time than I am led to believe...