Russian plane shot down by a NATO member

Well, the Russians have be intruding into our airspace, near enough daily, for decades with their bombers testing our air space. And only this year part of the Russian Fleet sailed through the English Channel along with some strike aircraft as a show of strength and "cocking a snoot" at the UK and European Governments when Putin got upset about criticism over his starting a civil war in Ukraine whilst supplying weapons, including the one that shot down the Malayan passenger aircraft, to divert attention from his annexing the Crimean area to recover the Black Sea ports.
The Turks are a loose cannon caught between Europe and the Middle East and are not known for retreating in the face of threats. They have been holding back in crossing over into the Syrian border and are no friend of Bashar al-Assad. They are also taking the brunt of the vast flood refugees and have an estimated 1 Million of them still within their country and have problems with extreme Nationalism, terrorists claiming to be Muslim, the Kurds etc, so it's a very edgy place to be.
Ever since Putin decided to act separately with air strikes to back up Bashar al-Assad and also, more importantly in his eyes, retain their air bases in Latakia, and their huge Naval Base at Tartus in Syria, the Turks have been repeatedly warning the Russians about repeated incursions into Turkish air space, so I think it was inevitable that something like this has happened.
Having said that, this particular incursion was, reportedly, only for around 17 seconds and to take the decision to fire, guide, and make contact with a Side Winder missile takes a lot longer than that. So that means, to me, that the decision had already been taken to shoot down a Russian aircraft at the next incursion of air space. It also means that instead of self destructing the missile when the Russian aircraft re-entered Syrian air space they pursued it with the missile and the aircraft was probably shot down whilst over Syria.
I found this quote by Mark Twain [1869] which shows things and attitudes haven't changed all that much in a way over a hundred and sixty years later as it mentions countries involved in the present day!!

“ I never disliked a Chinaman as I do these degraded Turks and Arabs, and when Russia is ready to war with them again, I hope England and France will not find it good breeding or good judgment to interfere."

Me, I like the Turks and have worked and known a few of them and you can't deny they have added good things to the world over the centuries.

 

I agree to a certain point. But let's not forget that Russia has never offered to join the coalition, has jumped in without any merging in the campaign thereby causing a real problem and danger of aircraft and air strikes clashing. Putin has his own agenda of being seen to be doing something after the downing of the Russian passenger plane, keeping the Naval and Air Bases in Syria and thereby having to strike at Assad's opponents rather than ISIS while telling his country that he is attacking ISIS.
I honestly don't see what more Obama can do. He's blocked and criticised at every turn by the Republican Party who hold the power in Congress. Putin's recent macho actions, politically and militarily, have earned him Gangster/Black Sheep recognition by the World governments, and sanctions against him and his cronies.....not exactly the kind of Leader any Government, including ours, want to be associated with at the moment. America is conducting air strikes in Syria, unlike us, has Special Forces on the ground along with France.
Turkey is Turkey, I'm afraid and historically have earned themselves a reputation of being aggressive, awkward, and defiant They were like that a thousand years ago, and no doubt in another thousand years will be the same.

 

I was there with my Squadron at RAF Akrotiri in July 1974 when the Turks invaded the Cyprus Pan Handle, Jack. That was caused by the Military Junta in Greece in cahoots with EOKA to stage a annexation of Cyprus after deposing the Cypriot President Arch Bishop Makarios. As you know there were/are a lot of Cypriot Turks and the Turks, onstentatiously, invaded to protect them. In actual fact, it was to gain a toe hold in Cyprus for Military action should they go to war with Greece. The Turks did absolutely nothing for the invaded area either financially or materially and that area just wound down which was a shame as it was/is a lovely area.