On August 19, a Russian Su‐27 fighter intercepted two U.S. surveillance planes flying near Russia’s Black Sea coast. It was the sixth such incident in that region over the past four weeks, and it followed a similar foray earlier in the day farther north off the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. The use of spy planes in that fashion is not terribly unusual to test the radar defenses and gain additional intelligence on countries that are considered U.S. adversaries. But such a flurry of flights over a short period of time is not typical, and it raises questions about the possible rationale.
As I discussed in a recent National Interest Online article, it also is a needlessly reckless practice. Following a July 30 episode over the Black Sea, U.S. officials claimed that the Russian Su‐27 “buzzed” the American aircraft, creating a serious safety hazard. It is a frequent U.S. complaint following such encounters.
Both sides can be faulted for the provocations that arise from intrusive flights near the borders of the other country, but the United States deserves the bulk of the blame. Granted, Russian aircraft have sometimes conducted provocative aerial approaches to U.S. territory, especially near Alaska, and the frequency of that behavior seems to be growing. Nevertheless, the number of such incidents is dwarfed by the surge in U.S. military activity along Russia’s borders. In other words, most of the encounters are taking place near Russia and thousands of miles away from the American homeland.
One would think that U.S. military and political leaders would exercise greater caution. Indeed, the current crop of officials should have learned that lesson from the April 2001 crisis that erupted when a U.S. surveillance plane collided with a Chinese fighter. That incident led to a very tense confrontation between Beijing and Washington and hardliners on both sides engaged in shameless jingoism. Fortunately, more sober officials in George W. Bush’s administration prevailed and resolved the quarrel through diplomacy.
It is a safe bet, though, that given the current extent of hostility toward Russia among America’s opinion elites, hawkish types would be even more likely to magnify any crisis involving a similar incident. There would be massive political and media pressure on the White House to take an uncompromising stance against Moscow and “stand up to Vladimir Putin.”
Ratcheting‐up the number of surveillance flights near Russia is especially unwise now, given the turbulence in neighboring Belarus as demonstrators try to unseat the country’s longtime autocratic ruler. Belarus is an important Kremlin client state, and Putin already has issued a pointed warning to Western governments not to meddle in that country’s affairs. Relations between Russia and the West, which have been deteriorating for years, are especially tense at the moment. An incident similar to the 2001 episode with China could easily escalate out of control.
It is highly unlikely that the information gathered from spy planes flying off of the Russian coast add so much to the intelligence already available from satellites and other means that it is worth the risk of an aerial collision and the dangerous diplomatic and military fallout that would ensue. The Pentagon needs to stop its provocative conduct immediately.
#1: Cynicom To: Ada (#0)
Horseshit...
Having been in that business long ago, the author is spewing nonsense for propaganda to feed to the weak minded on 4um.
Cynicom posted on 2020-08-22 08:25:59 Reply Private Reply
#2: BTP Holdings To: Ada (#0)
I heard someone tried to shoot down Putin's plane, but shot down a civilian airliner instead.
This has similar connotations as the Iranians shooting down a Canadian airliner when the military mistook it for an incoming cruise missile. :-/
BTP Holdings posted on 2020-08-22 08:41:46 Reply Private Reply
#3: Ada To: Cynicom (#1)
Aren't we overflying? Or if we are, is there a legitimate and unprovocative reason?
Ada posted on 2020-08-22 10:26:08 Reply Private Reply
#4: Cynicom To: Ada, noone222, BTP Holdings, randge (#3)
Overflying as allowed by both countries is routine, on predetermined routes. Information gathered is routine. Snooping around the periphery is where the important information is gathered.
We do much more snooping around the borders than the Russians. There is a reason for this that tells us why it is not necessary for Russia to do so.
Few know why we must snoop to ssuch an extent, Russia does not????????
Cynicom posted on 2020-08-22 10:47:20 Reply Private Reply
#5: BTP Holdings To: Cynicom (#4)
Francis Gary Powers was shot down in a CIA U-2 flyover of the Soviet Union in 1960.
He was at 100,000 foot altitude. The Russians had no missiles that could go that high. But he flamed out and was forced to drop to 60,000 feet to restart the engine. That is when they got him. ;)
BTP Holdings posted on 2020-08-22 11:41:51 Reply Private Reply
#6: Cynicom To: BTP Holdings (#5)
Give it some thot, WHY DO WE HAVE TO SNOOP AROUND THE FRINGES, RUSSIA DOES NOT????
Cynicom posted on 2020-08-22 14:25:46 Reply Private Reply
#7: BTP Holdings To: Cynicom (#6)
Do the Russians have planes like the SR-71 Blackbird? ;)
BTP Holdings posted on 2020-08-22 15:30:01 Reply Private Reply
#8: Ada To: Cynicom (#4)
IOW like the emperor's new clothes, only the virtuous know the reason.
Ada posted on 2020-08-23 08:26:37 Reply Private Reply
#9: Ada To: BTP Holdings, Cynicom (#5)
Congress loved the U2 and were willing to keep funding it but the Pentagon said "no". Very strange for the Pentagon to refuse money, but they knew they had something better: spy satellites which these days can read the license plate on a car. No need for overflights to get information.
Ada posted on 2020-08-23 08:30:11 Reply Private Reply
#10: Cynicom To: Ada, BTP Holdings (#8)
Stalin knew about Manhattan when it started thanks to Jew communist Americans, including Oppenheimer, the head of Manhattan project.
Jew infestation of traitors has been with us since WWI and persists to this day.
Latest example, Col. Vindman and his brother. Re read above. Stalin showed no special interest because he knew everything BEFORE TRUMAN DID.
Cynicom posted on 2020-08-23 09:27:12 Reply Private Reply
#11: BTP Holdings To: Cynicom (#10)
Why do you think that the Soviets rushed to take the Kuril Islands in the north of the Japanese archipelago and the northern part of Korea?
MacArthur never would have allowed a Soviet presence on Honshu. ;)
BTP Holdings posted on 2020-08-23 13:50:39 Reply Private Reply
#12: randge To: Cynicom (#4)
You are saying that Russian intelligence on us, human and otherwise, is more comprehensive and effective than our spy work is on the goings on in Russia.
Ergo, we have to do much more snooping around the borders than the Russians do.
Do I catch your drift??
randge posted on 2020-08-23 16:18:56 Reply Private Reply
#13: Cynicom To: randge (#12)
randge...
Robert Oppenheimer the head of Manhattan Project to the youngest member, John Hall at age 18, made sure that Stalin new MORE than FDR and HST ever knew. As Truman wrote above, Stalin showed no interest in A bomb because he knew more Truman did and was in on it from day one.
Our "intelligence" agencies, domestic and foreign are riddled with spies. Robert Hanssen sat in FBI HQ for 22 years selling secrets to Russia.
Recently Col. Vindman was WALKED out of the NSC. His brother also a Colonel was walked out. Older Vindman was born in Russia, younger born in US...Both are Russian Jews and ended up at top of National Security Council........
Born in Russia and sitting on NSC???? Happenstance?????
This coup to get rid of Trump has a vast network WITHIN the government, buried and out of sight.
Cynicom posted on 2020-08-23 19:02:04 Reply Private Reply