Friday, June 22, 2012

Why would a Turkish jet be shot the very next day after a Syrian pilot defects in a training jet? Why now, of all times, does Syria invoke its air defences when in 2007 the Israeli air force violated Syrian airspace a number of times and also bombed a suspected nuclear enrichment site?

Something is rumbling inside Syria's regime. The fact that a Syrian pilot has defected with his plane has clearly rattled them, and for the Syrian defence establishment to reveal its cards and shoot down a Turkish jet, something that interests Israel greatly, could only mean that the regime feels it has nothing left to lose and is ready to use its formerly hidden assets. But then its curious that a Turkish jet should be shot down so soon. One view might be that it is a show of strength, to prove to the world that the defection of this pilot, and the threat of action against the regime, will not shake them. It's one hell of a way to rattle your sabre, but then again why not?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Debka says the difference is the technology used by Israel in the 2007 attack. Apparently, Turkish planes are lacking technological upgrades since cutting military ties with Israel.