Following Russia’s warning that US-coalition warplanes that stray outside of certain parts of Syria will be considered targets for their air defense, Australia has announced it will be totally halting air operations inside Syria as a “precautionary move.”
The Australian Defense Department presented the move as temporary, and insisted that strikes in Iraq will continue. Among US coalition members, Australia is carrying out one of the highest levels of airstrikes in both countries, though naturally they are all far fewer than US strikes.
Analysts were complaining Australia’s move threatened to show disunity within the coalition and put the US in a “very difficult position,” though to be fair getting their planes shot down by Russian air defense would’ve put Australia into a pretty difficult position as well.
That Australia reacted to Russia’s warning reflects how seriously many are taking it, though the US appears to be shrugging it off more or less entirely, having carried out another attack on pro-Syrian forces today, shooting down an Iranian drone in one of the areas Russia told the US to stay out of.
Does the Russian defence missile system WORK…..????? Or is it useless like OUR NORAD was on Sepptember eleventh…..???????
We may soon find out.
Uh, no rush…
The Russians weren’t really clear on how they took out those cruise missiles in Syria; they might be fed up enough to quietly give the Coalition warplanes a few unexplained and unexpected mechanical failures.
And you should Australia for the belligerents in the Trump cartel have you believe that you some how have international law on your side by violating Syrian airspace when in fact it is the complete opposite; therefore, making Russia’s threat very serious and lawful. So, good decision.
Remember Gallipoli, Aussies? It’s not too far away from Syria.
As an Australian i hope we have a government that one day cuts all military ties with the most corrupt war machine on the planet , the USA. But that will never happen as Australia is a politically pathetic spineless nation that blindly follows Washington into nearly all of its military disasters since 1960.
“… though to be fair getting their planes shot down by Russian air defense would’ve put Australia into a pretty difficult position as well.”
Good one.
Australia buys its warplanes from the U.S.; the Aussies needing F-18 replacements from Boeing would be good for business for the U.S. on top of the 72 or so F-35s they somehow already fell for buying.