US flights over Iran, hoping Iran will shoot down a US plane

[Eric J in MN]

as a pretext to war?

That is what Sam Seder, Bill Crowley, and Janeane Garofalo are talking about on "Air America Radio," (based on a UPI report of the US flights in Iranian airspace, and a commment by William Safire that we'll only attack Iran if they attack us first.)

[babylonsister]

1. I'm not listening, and would like to think that's

ludicrous, but after being on DU for awhile, not much would surprise. This would, however, not be an opportune time to ever attempt this unless it's to take attention away from Iraq? I can't even believe my mind is thinking like this and/or our gov't would be capable of it.

[Eric J in MN]

3. You find it difficult to believe that there are US planes flying

over Iran without permission?

Or that it's to setup a pretext for war?

[Postman]

5. "ludicrous"?...I've got news for you, it's happening...

we did it back in 1986 when I was in the US Navy, against Libya.

I was on a carrier sitting off the coast of Libya and we were launching "fighter sweeps" toward Libya in the hopes they would come up for a confrontation.

Protocol requires that a flight plan be filed with the regional Flight Information Region. (the world is broken up into different regions that commercial/military aircraft must file flight plans with)

In our case, the Flight Information Region for our area of operations to file flight plans with was - Tripoli, Libya.

Needless to say, no flight plans were ever filed. The goal was to get the Libyan planes up in the air to "investigate" all that air activity around them.

The propaganda of the times used back in 1986 was that we were conducting "Freedom of the Seas" exercises.

[DELUSIONAL]

11. It happens frequently --

At the beginning of bushie reign -- remember the Chinese/US planes colliding? The plane was tempting the Chinese air defenses.

This is an old cold war tactic -- US Navy & Air Force flew over Russia, North Korea and Russia (the "Red" countries).

The Navy's spy squadrons was called VP-22 -- they frequently engaged the "enemy" to test radar etc. VP-22 was a military/government secret until the late 1980s.

The fly boys love this sort of cat and mouse games -- I know because my dad would brag about it as well as the other fathers.

If they are playing cat and mouse -- the airmen are going to brag and it will get out.

[kcass1954]

14. In the early 60's

my dad was flying RB-47's over Russia, China and North Korea. He had a few close calls. I'm not sure they were trying to provoke anything. That's just the only way they had at that time to gather intel (pre-satellite and other high-tech methods not available). So I'm sure it happens.

[knight_of_the_star]

7. Timing won't matter

They'll use this as a pretext to heap demands on Iran until they can get the public worked up enough to be willing to go to war with "them sandniggers and ragheads."

[CHIMO]

18. UPI: U.S. Air Force Launches Flights Over Iran

UPI is reporting the U.S. Air Force has begun flying combat aircraft into Iranian airspace in what could be viewed as an act of war. The report comes less than two weeks after investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported that secret US forces are already on the ground locating possible sites to target.

According to UPI, the US military is hoping to lure Tehran into turning on its air defense radars which would allow US pilots to pinpoint where the radar systems are located so they could be targeted during an invasion.

UPI also reports that US Special Forces are using Iraqi Kurds near the Iranian border as well as members of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e Khalq or MEK to gather intelligence inside Iran. UPI reports the MEK are now launching incursions into Iran from Basra as well as Pakistan.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/27/1359238

[uppityperson]

2. USA will provoke Israel/Iran conflict, then step in.

Overflights could be the first step. I never misunderestimate them.

[BrotherBuzz]

4. Remember the Maine!

"Yellow" Journalism, too. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[oasis]

6. The Iranian people, when free of their chains, will throw flowers on the

liberating forces. I do hope Americans will be the ones who free them from their tyranical leadership.

We'll set them up an interim government and soon they will have elections.

It's all so clear now.:silly:

[hector459]

8. Why hasn't Iran protested to the UN, given us a warning, and then take

the pre-emptive action they think is necessary. Who would back us except Israel in this provocation? A world-wide sanction against the US might bring about some results in a few years.

[LynnTheDem]

9. They did this last year, too.

Remember the 5 planes that violated Iran's air space last year, hot-dogging around? And they said oh gee we didn't realize we had crossed into Iran's space.

[Rapcw]

10. It's only a matter of time till we start bombing. n/t

[wicket]

12. kick

:kick:

[lovuian]

13. They are mapping theri radar capabilities

Believe it our airforce is mapping their defenses!!!

[leesa]

15. If we are invading Iraq's airspace, we have already committed an act

of war. This is without doubt an act of war and the rest of the world will consider any Iranian response as justified.

[MattNC]

16. Majority Report = College Radio n/t

[BillZBubb]

17. They don't want a shootdown just yet.

What they are doing is recon. They fly near-to or into Iranian airspace and get their radar installations to light up. Then we know where their air defenses are. There probably have been U2 overflights as well looking for nuclear facilities (or something that Condoliar can go to the UN and claim are nuclear facilities).

I would suspect all this intel will end up in Israeli hands if they coordinate a bombing strike.

If they want to create a casus belli incident, they'll be a little more subtle than this. Maybe a sort of "Persian Gulf" incident involving the Iranian navy. The Iranians last year seized a British vessel and took the Brits captive. No doubt the neo-con criminals latched onto to that incident and filed it for further use.

[Selatius]

19. These are textbook reconnaissance missions, imho

This is done to probe their defenses to test their reaction time and capabilities. It is dangerous to attack without knowing the opponent's defenses. Once enough information is gathered, military plans can then be calibrated and refined to take into account their strengths and weaknesses to increase the effectiveness of a possible first strike if one should be called.

amBushed knows what he's talking about.