I did not refute any published news about Russia’s probable involvement in the shoot down. I wanted to point out that Russia probably had supplied the Ukraine with such capable missiles when their man was president. When their man left the Ukraine in a hurry the missiles did not go with him. I gather you are not historically up on tricks and lies used by all nations over times to further political actions. Think of Hitler and WWII in which I served. Think of Ike and the U2 incident. Think of LBJ and the Gulf of Tonkin. Think about Khrushchev and the Cuban crisis. Think about all the disinformation put out by Arab nations. With many years in my mind I believe I am closer to reality and knowing sometimes one’s common sense is just that, common but not necessarily factual.
Since you brought it up, the US has a rather poor performance record compared to the Russians who are expert and well trained at counter intelligence the use of it to agitate populations and their governments in countries where they have a strategic interest. Or to respond to what they view as aggression. The US record of success, except for a string of good results during the Eisenhower administration has been rather poor and in fact pretty sad... In WWII the Roosevelt and Truman admins were infiltrated with both Nazi and Russian spies. The Russians were very successful in the US. They were able to steal out first atomic bomb plans and the B-29 to deliver it. The Nazi's were more effective in Great Britain where their agents were able to steal papers right off the desk of the Prime Minister's office. The Nazi's, for example, during WWII, went into Mexico and stirred up passions of many people there to demand from the US, the return of Texas, New Mexico and Southern California, leading eventually to a movement that we are dealing with today.
Much of what you read in the media today is in fact propaganda. Some of it from the US government, and regarding the Ukraine, it comes from Russia, placed in the foreign press which is picked up by media in the US.
There is no question that the Ukrainian govt. responds to it with their own versions of the truth.
But I don't decide what is true and what is not true by reading what they put in print or in the media and nor should you, if you have the experience that you claim to have.
That article and variations of it about the Ukrainian gov’nt launcher, supposedly with the same numbers on it that were purportedly also on the launcher that launched the missile, is out right disinformation and propaganda.
As is the vast majority of pro-Russian articles that have been circulating in the media.
But I did not even attempt to say the current Ukrainian Govt does not have SAM’s or launchers. If you read what I said about it, I stated that there was no logical reason for them to deploy one, and that the area where this missile came from was not in their control anyway.
Thus it would be entirely unfeasible for a Ukraine gov’nt launcher and crew to be in that area at that time. Not to mention again, that they are not fighting off air attacks, which is the only purpose for a SAM. The Russian Separatists have no planes.