AP NEWSBREAK: RUSSIAN JET PASSES NEAR US WARSHIP

AP ^

[traumer]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Russian fighter jet made multiple, close-range passes near an American warship in the Black Sea for more than 90 minutes Saturday amid escalating tensions in the region, U.S. military officials said Monday.

In the first public account of the incident, the officials said the Russian Fencer made 12 passes, and flew within 1,000 yards of the USS Donald Cook, a Navy destroyer, at about 500 feet above sea level.

The U.S. warship issued several radio queries and warnings using international emergency circuits, but the Russian aircraft did not respond.

"This provocative and unprofessional Russian action is inconsistent with international protocols and previous agreements on the professional interaction between our militaries," said Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.

[Gen.Blather]

“All it takes is a fabricated provocation.”

Given that we have a weak-kneed beta metrosexual in charge that’s exactly why we need to get that ship out of there.

[Starboard]

This was a truely pitiful, but not unexpected, type of “response”. Obama’s weakness knows no bounds.

[Starboard]

LOL! Good post.

[anymouse]

"This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it."

[Zhang Fei]

Back when the Berlin Wall went down I warned people the Soviet Union was not dead by any stretch of the imagination. Some officers of higher rank actually got mad at me for saying such things. The Russians kept up their R&D on their nuclear weapons as we paid them billions of dollars to decommission their old ones. They used the money saved to design newer weapons and now that a total train wreck of a pResident has been in office they are acting almost exactly as I predicted. It is too bad that when I made those predictions I was only a Captain and now most of the flag officers are leftist political hacks who value their positions more than our Country and the Marxist in the White Hut really wants to turn the United States into a worthless third world country.

From a global security perspective, the problem with the Russians was never Bolshevism - communism (aka Comintern) merely gave Russian imperialists a convenient excuse and means to extend their empire on the cheap. The Romanov, Bolshevik and post-Bolshevik regimes have one thing in common - the drive for universal empire. It took the loss of 10% of the population for the German people to lose their appetite for empire. We may end up discovering Russia's uncle point if current events continue to their logical conclusion.

[Zhang Fei]

I believe they taunt because they know the US will not react but whine, kind of like Eric Holder does when he is challenged.

Holder's not whining - he's asserting black privilege.

[JimRed]

We’re in their back yard; it is to be expected. Hopefully, we’d show the flag the same way if a Russian warship showed up off Cape Cod or Savannah.

[Zhang Fei]

Absolutely no reason for us to have a ship there. It’s taunting and stupid.

Do you consider "Russian bombers buzz U.S. territory — again" taunting and stupid? Or do you only think that way when US ships patrol international waters near NATO allies like Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey?

[kenmcg]

There was a time, and not too long ago when that Russkie jet would have been blown to bits, but not by our “Chicken in Chief”.

[GeronL]

You pass within 1000 feet, you are getting shot down

[Dalberg-Acton]

The Black Sea isn't Russia's coastline

It sure looks like the have a lot of coastline on the Black Sea.

[Pecos]

Hate to break into your dream world, but no U.S. admiral of ANY era would have put a carrier into the Black Sea. Too easy to find and sink. Carriers operate best a few hundred miles from the opponents airfields so they have room to maneuver and keep the destroyer screen spread out across the threat axis. The only reason we put carriers into the Persian Gulf is because neither the Iraqis or the Taliban were/are an air threat.

The SU-24 was a reminder, not a real threat. The only real threat to the destroyer was the other Russian airplane further overhead.

[steve86]

I don’t think the Russians think the US is being a grownup here. I believe they taunt because they know the US will not react but whine, kind of like Eric Holder does when he is challenged.

Best insight on thread.

[wideawake]

Again, the Black Sea does not belong to Russia any more than the Gulf of Mexico belongs to the United States.

Your adoption of Putin propaganda is noted.

[steve86]

You pass within 1000 feet, you are getting shot down

As long as you're prepared to deal with the never-ending incoming barrage of cruise missiles, long after the Phalanx has run out of ammo.

[McGruff]

Here’s our response.

“This provocative and unprofessional Russian action is inconsistent with their national protocols and previous agreements on the professional interaction between our militaries,” said Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.

http://news.yahoo.com/u-condemns-russian-planes-passes-near-u-ship-161139347—sector.html;_ylt=AwrTWVUNC0xTTCYA9FPQtDMD

I Unfreind you.

[Dalberg-Acton]

Geography is Putin propaganda now? Cartographers of the world, unite!

[Paul R.]

By that very map, US allies have quite a bit more coastline on the Black Sea than does Russia.

[Dalberg-Acton]

Turkey, alone, has more coastline.

[Dalberg-Acton]

By that, I mean not even counting the other countries, Turkey has more coastline on the Black Sea than does Russia.