The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by Anthony Storheim:

#21
Wrong. The Early warning system detected EXACTLY where all the planes were. the PEOPLE at NEADS didn't know which one to shoot. AND . . . BECAUSE THEY WERE PROFESSIONALS . . . didn't want to shoot. Put yourself at NEADS, and imagine the first plane just crashed, you SUSPECT there are others, you have a pretty good idea where they are, and now you have 2 or 3 minutes to tell a pilot whether or not to bring down a civilian airliner. That's right . . . only on your suspicion, at that time you aren't POSITIVE that it is a terrorist attack. Not so easy is it.

NOTE! Someone actually has to TELL the pilot to bring down the plane, he or she does not do it unilaterally.

#15:

As to your first point, we're not talking about a knuckle head Russian pilot straying off course. We're talking about a knuckle head Russian pilot straying off course, and then pushing the 'FIRE' button rather than the button to activate the navigation system. AND pushing that 'FIRE' button at just the right time for the bomb to slam into a city in a country that Russia has escalated tensions with. If you believe that Russian pilots are that inept, then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Regarding your point number 2. It doesn't matter how many flight hours they get. They get enough hours in the sims to know the difference between the targeting computer, the throttle and say . . . the eject lever. These are the things that would need to be confused to let a bomb loose on a civilian populace.

As touching your point number three, NO ONE, not even the Georgians, have claimed that the Russian peace keepers have been anything but professional. Georgian commanders were in the command center WITH the commanders of the Russian peacekeepers at all times, AS PER THE AGREEMENT. They may be acting to give Russia leverage, but they are acting WITHIN the constructs of an agreement outlined by Russia, Georgia and the West. They did NOT break the agreement, the Georgians did. Guess what, you can't break treaties and NOT be invaded.

And lastly, the US early warning system is the best in the world. Literally a movable feast. Appetizers comprised of Radar stations from Norway to Turkey and beyond. Including unofficial agreements with nations that would prefer that no one know we are there, or at least what we are doing. These are both active and passive by the way. A main course of top of the line early warning satellites, the bulk of which get Russian duty. And for desert, recon satellites that can catch Russian bomber pilots taking leaks behind sheds during breaks in their exercises. AWACS is for when we feel gluttonous and we want seconds. There are no meaningful gaps. Over a place like Georgia, THERE ARE NO GAPS AT ALL. We have generals FAR more intelligent than you or I who do nothing but make sure of that. These Generals are supported by an array of Colonels and promising Majors whose creativity and brilliance have crossed the border into genius. Your assertion that Russian bombers can come an go in a place like Georgia without us knowing is patently ludicrous.

You and I will agree to disagree sir.

After reading through everything, I am confused as to how the Georgians can be surprised. I am even more confused as to how this is Russia's fault. The Georgians shell the place while it is full of Russian peace keepers, and then act surprised when some die and Russia invades.

Guess what, YOU signed the agreement to let these peacekeepers in a long time ago. The agreement was clear. And the Russian peacekeepers were acting in good faith. You can't bomb them.

Which brings me to the ridiculous story that Russia started everything by bombing Georgia. If the Russian air force had planes in the area, they were where they were supposed to be. People like to think the Russian and American military are bullies, but this is not the case. These are VERY well trained professionals. Russian pilots don't unilaterally start dropping bombs on hospitals in foreign countries. That just doesn't happen. The US has satellites and radar trained on Russian bombers 24/7, if they had engaged in anything untoward the US military would be raising STRENUOUS objections right now. We would know they had done it. We would not need Georgia to tell us. I have to say, the Georgian story sounds suspect.

Speaking of the US military, I can tell you unequivocally that if Iran was launching shells into Iraq and killing our peacekeepers, they had better expect some bombs to fall on Tehran at least. A column of American tanks crossing the border seems reasonable to me.

You don't want to be invaded? Obey international law.

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