Posted on 08/11/2008 10:01:29 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
The new imperial Russia seems to have much in common with the weather: Everyone talks about it, but no one ever does anything.
Ground forces are out of the question, of course. Naval power has little to offer in the Black Sea.
But there’s a 12,000 foot runway in Erzurum, Turkey that’s just 125 miles from Georgia’s southern border and 200 miles to CAP stations overhead the Georgian capital city of Tblisi. There are 122 F-22 Raptors in the USAF inventory, against whom no aircraft could stand - especially those launching ground attacks on the undisputed territory of a democratic US ally. Who have no defensible reason to be there.
We remember how to fly out of Turkey. And we remember how to enforce no-fly zones.
Now, then: Who wants some?
Global reach, global power, baby.
We would have to have their permission to launch an attack from Turkey.
Russia knows this.
So.. politically, we are shackled. I think Bush should just say F*U* stupid libs, you already think I'm, Satan, so here's some more fodder for your hysteria. But he won't.
“The US defense official said about 8,000 to 10,000 Russian troops have moved into South Ossetia. They also have flown SU-25, SU-24, SU-27 and TU-22 fighters and bombers during the campaign.”
Su-25,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-25
“The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975. After testing, the aircraft went into series production in 1978”
SU-24,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Su-24
“was the Soviet Union’s most advanced all-weather interdiction and attack aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s”
SU-27,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Su-27
“The production Su-27 (sometimes Su-27S, NATO designation ‘Flanker-B’) began to enter VVS operational service around 1984, although manufacturing difficulties kept it from appearing in strength until 1986”
TT-22,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu-22#See_also
“The first serial-production Tu-22B bomber, built at Kazan Factory No. 22, flew on 22 September 1960,”
SU-30,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-30
“developed by Russia’s Sukhoi Aviation Corporation and introduced into operational service in 1996.”
Yeah, and Israel showed us something else works in Syria not long ago. I say we can, and should do it. The F22, America’s gift to freedom.
As an aside when I was a nugget I remember Lex spending an extra hour one night helping me understand a tactical concept, even though I wasn't in his squadron. A very good dude.
All our fighter aircraft could play havoc and obtain air superiority but without boots and mechanized equipment to hold the territory it would be wasted. The 8,000 mile logistics line is not possible with the military we have today and the fight being essentially in Russia’s back yard.
I believe Turkey would grant that permission at a very reasonable price. DO IT!
I've worked around the Turkish military long enough to know they prefer to do nothing if there is any possibility of being "wrong". Failure is brutally punished in the military ranks.
What Georgia needs most right now is relief from the air-superiority Russia enjoys currently. Take that away and they begin to have a little breathing room.
Personally, I say wipe out all Russian positions, ground and air, in Georgian terrority. Tuff luck for them. Putin is asking for it, so I say give it to him. Slap the smirk right off his face. Assassinate him with some of his own radioactive poison, so he turns into a pineapple face before he croaks.
Probably don’t need a “no fly zone” as much as a “no tankski zone.”
The Roosuns have been awfully busy supplying and supporting the nuclear ambitions of Iran lately, but will undoubtedly get around to what you say after that.
In the unlikely event I was advising President Bush, I would suggest he immediately appoint a personal representative, with no official position, but with sufficient reputation and gravitas to demand attention. Someone like say, Newt Gingrich. Have him fly to Moscow immediately aboard Air Force One, announce that he will be there exactly four hours and demand to speak personally to Putin. Tell him face to face that as of a certain hour the next day American planes will begin flying Combat Air Patrol over Georgia. If Russian planes encroach into the airspace of Georgia proper (outside of the disputed provinces), they will be shot down. If Russian ground units move into other parts of Georgia they will be attacked from the air. As Frank Gaffney said today, we need ot “draw a line in the air”, or we lose all credibility, and the security of eastern Europe is done for.
The Russkies are putting "business" first with Iran. Iran is throwing lots of money at them for nuke support. The Islamists in other areas are just throwing excrement at them. No reason to hold back in that case.
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