F-15E shot down over Iran

[MikeD]

Something I was thinking about last night, but I bet the Russians and Chinese have been absolutely flooding the Iranians with MANPADs since the start of the war. I mean, I'm not a mil guy, but it's what I would do. If the big geopolitical enemy went to war with another country I would give them all the assistance I could without stepping in if only to test out the equipment I have. It has probably taken them 30 days or so to even get a sufficient amount of MANPADs into the country to make it painful for us. Then the Iranians had to decide where they can be dangerous. I won't be surprised if we don't see further airplanes shot down, then eventually further escalation because it's good for China and Russia if we're bogged down in this. Karl Vilson's war instead of Charlie Wilson.

The definition of proxy war. Iran has the advantage of having both US equipment and Russian equipment. And has continually been getting Russian equipment in trade for other weapons such as drones.

Russia has been doing that against us for many decades, just as iran has been doing the same thing against us since ‘79, through their various groups.

 

[DropTank]

Something I was thinking about last night, but I bet the Russians and Chinese have been absolutely flooding the Iranians with MANPADs since the start of the war. I mean, I'm not a mil guy, but it's what I would do. If the big geopolitical enemy went to war with another country I would give them all the assistance I could without stepping in if only to test out the equipment I have. It has probably taken them 30 days or so to even get a sufficient amount of MANPADs into the country to make it painful for us. Then the Iranians had to decide where they can be dangerous. I won't be surprised if we don't see further airplanes shot down, then eventually further escalation because it's good for China and Russia if we're bogged down in this. Karl Vilson's war instead of Charlie Wilson.

It's a long stand tradition of proxy wars.


(edit)

Dammit, ninja'd

 

[ppragman]

The definition of proxy war. Iran has the advantage of having both US equipment and Russian equipment. And has continually been getting Russian equipment in trade for other weapons such as drones.

I mean, I am absolutely not in favor of this conflict to be clear, but it's been pretty clear who the "Axis of A-Holes" has been for the last decade or so.

Russia + China + Iran + North Korea + Belarus + Cuba + Venezuela a few other randos versus America + Israel + a reluctant EU + the GCC + a smattering of American vassals.

I don't know, if you were to write this in a novel it'd probably be considered "too trite to publish" but how this is playing out seems pretty damn obvious.

 

[FlyingAccountant]

Always surprised that people are surprised that war isn’t bloodless

Trust me, I understand the human costs of war as well as anyone else here does.

The point I was trying to make is yesterday had a lot of carnage in an aerial war that hadn't had much up until that point, at least lost to *enemy* fire.

 

[Inverted]

Most of the "cost of doing business" crowd has never served.