Iran condemns U.S. after warplane fly-by panicks Iranian airliner passengers

[SouthernCal_Dem]

Source: Reuters

July 24 (Reuters) - Iran on Friday dismissed a U.S. explanation that a U.S. jet was conducting a visual inspection when it "harassed" an Iranian civilian airliner, saying the plane was forced to rapidly change altitude to avoid collision, injuring and panicking passengers.

State TV video footage of the inside of the airliner shows a passenger lying immobile of the floor and another with a wounded nose and forehead, presenting his bloodied face mask to the camera.

Several passengers, some seen screaming and shouting, were injured in the incident over Syria on Thursday, according to Iranian media, but the U.S. military said its F-15 was at a safe distance.

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"The harassment of a passenger plane on the territory of a third country is a clear violation of aviation security and freedom of civilian aircraft."

Read more: https://news.trust.org/item/20200724103212-opyll

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Why are American military planes terrorizing a passenger plane?

[procon]

1. Need I ask why Trump's military is terrorizing

Iranian passengers on a commercial airline plane?

We accused the Russians of acts of terrorism for escalating tensions by doing the same thing, so how is this any different? Did Trump get his orders from Putin to proceed or is he merely a copycat?

[still_one]

2. It is not entirely unwarranted, and many might not be aware when the U.S. did shoot down an

Iranian passenger jet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655

[McKim]

8. Thanks for Mentioning This Earlier Incident

Thanks for mentioning this as many are not aware of this earlier aggression. I have to ask at this point, why do we always have to have “adversaries” and “enemies”? It is barbaric, medieval and such a waste of resources in this hurting world. I just don’t buy into war anymore, hot or cold.

[IronLionZion]

3. As if we don't have enough problems at home

might as well pick fights with as many countries as possible

[Yeehah]

4. The USA under Trump and the republicans is a rogue, hated state

I still fear idiot Trump will get us into war with Iran.

[Coleman]

5. Or

Iranian, Russian, and Chinese commercial aircraft are known to have flight paths near or over sensitive areas. The planes are routinely equipped with signal intercept equipment and/or imagery equipment for spying. It is routine for the US and our allies to do flybys to inspect the outer part of the commercial aircraft. If they do discover something they take pictures, notify the nearest flight tower to have the plane change its route, or shut down US operations and communications until the aircraft is out of range.

The same thing happens to US commercial aircraft approaching sensitive areas operated by our adversaries.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. This was flying from Iran to Lebanon over Syria

There was no justification for a US fighter to claim 'spying'.

[Coleman]

9. I know, it's not like we have any operations in Syria. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. "Operations" don't count; it's about having sovereignty over the airspace

which the USA clearly doesn't have. You can't hassle civilians when you move your troops next to them.

[Igel]

11. Depends on the part of Syria.

I'm fairly sure that the US would deny Russian and Syrian planes access to the space over US-held territory and even stretch it a bit over disputed territory.

Otherwise bomber-fighters could just kind of circle until they got a really good shot, kill US soldiers and Kurds, and leisurely fly away.


Distrust is a killer. It makes police distrust many of the communities they work in and as a result they do things like what the (justified!) Iranian pilot does--overreact. (Works the same way for community members with police. Look for who's vaunting the agitprop to make a bad situation sound like it's a much, much larger problem. That's where I place the blame. In this case, whoever's indoctrinated the Iranian pilot to believe that every interaction between an Iranian plane and US fighter must end in death and destruction. When the one example was a plane downed in 1988 (that's 32 years ago), and that wasn't downed by a plane but a SAM launched from a ship.)

Incite terror, distrust, suspicion, and paranoia--whether for racist reasons or political/ideological ones--and you're lucky the pilot did something much worse.

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. That's not sovereignty, that's war - military planes interacting, not unarmed civilians

I don't think the Iranian pilot was "indoctrinated". The US assassinated an Iranian general a few months ago. First reports were that the pilot wasn't sure if it was an American or Israeli plane - neither of whom are likely to be respectful of Iranians and their human rights.

In your analogy, the Iranian pilot isn't the police - he's the unarmed community, who is threatened by the armed police overstepping its bounds.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. What the fuck is that all about?

It's standard procedure to tail or observe a war plane. It's terrorism to be buzzing an airliner.

We already fucked up when the USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 under Reagan.

[Happy Hoosier]

18. Visual inspections are not unheard of....

Especially if the flight were off course or near sensitive areas. The plane would get close enough to visually ID the plane and verify it is what it claimed it is. “Buzzing” the plane is not part of this procedure and if that was the pilot should be disciplined.

[ancianita]

12. Now I'm ashamed of the military, too.

[orangecrush]

13. No need to be

Since the Navy shot down an airliner they misidentified as a warplane years ago,, they probablyvthought it prudent to send planes up to make a positive identification.

[ancianita]

14. I wonder if they'll have that story. I hope you're right.

Maybe Putin asked donnie to spell his minders for awhile.

[orangecrush]

16. Most likely

Our military really doesn't intentionally shoot down airliners to satisfy assholes like 45.

[ancianita]

21. Of course.

I didn't think it would.

There's nothing for the military to gain by being globally called out as a terrorist adjacent, with no care for human civilians.

I guess I wanted us to have been more professional about the communications surrounding the actual event, and the military being more forthright about what happened.

[GemState]

15. Perhaps such routine visual "confirmation"

has prevented a repeat of the tragic 1988 Iran Air disaster.

[orangecrush]

17. My thoughts exactly

[sarisataka]

20. I would bet flight PS752

Would have appreciated visual confirmation.

[Devil Child]

23. So would Iran Air Flight 655 n/t

[sarisataka]

24. Yes they would have

it appears the US military has learned from their mistake.

[rickford66]

19. The Iranian aircraft most probably had it's transponder on. Easily identified.

If not I could understand the visual inspection.