As I remember, there were several threats against all US operating forces in the Persian Gulf at that time and that the crew of the Vincennes attempted to communicate with the Iranian flight after they had improperly identified it as a potential hostile. The radar operators had determined improperly that the plane was descending towards the Vincennes and as things ramped up, they continued to try warning after warning before they launched in what they believed to be self-defense.
Once the tragedy was upon them, everyone involved freely admitted the disastrous chain of events and accepted responsibility.
Conversely, the Russians are lying as they always have and always will. Mass murder is a Russian pastime and nothing to be apologized for as far as they are concerned. KAL007 as a case in point.
About as patriotic as Bill Ayers or Ward Churchill, aren't you..
Don’t be ridiculous.
The US never “admitted responsibility” for the Iran Air shootdown. It expressed regret and paid compensation. Better than nothing but not the same thing.
The captain and crew of USS Vincennes were never disciplined for the incident. All received routine end-of-tour medals and commendations. But the captain never commanded a ship again and was retired less than three years later. The record (as well as testimony from the commander of another US warship) is pretty clear that the Vincennes captain was recklessly provocative and negligent. It was only the political necessity of the US’s saving face in a confrontation with Iran that handed the captain a fig leaf to shield his reputation.
The chief disconnect between the Iran air and Malaysian incidents are that Putin has used paramilitary goons (who should never have had access to such dangerous weapons) to deny any connection whatever to the events. At least Uncle Sam was able to man up to the point of saying it was our guys and we’re sorry it happened.
"....the crew of the Vincennes attempted to communicate with the Iranian flight after they had improperly identified it as a potential hostile." Just as the Russians, Ukrainians, rebels or whomever did.
"Once the tragedy was upon them, everyone involved freely admitted the disastrous chain of events and accepted responsibility." Total B.S! As of five years later, the United States had not even apologized to Iran. Eventually a weasel worded, half apology, was issued stating that we ".... recognized the aerial incident of 3 July 1988 as a terrible human tragedy and expressed deep regret over the Loss of lives caused by the incident".
"Mass murder is a Russian pastime and nothing to be apologized for as far as they are concerned.” So, it is mass murder when they do the same thing as we have done but described as an accident?
"About as patriotic as Bill Ayers or Ward Churchill, aren't you." The last refuge of a despicable scoundrel running out of substance in debate is to resort to an Ad hominem attack.
For your information and the record, I proudly served our country in combat in Vietnam. I will post my DD214 after you post yours.