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CNN reports that the US Navy launched four armed F/A-18 fighter jets to intercept two Russian Tu-142 Bear aircraft that were flying near the 100,000-ton aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan while it was participating in a bilateral training exercise with South Korea in the Pacific Ocean. "It is standard operating procedure for U.S. planes to escort aircraft flying in the vicinity of U.S. Navy ships," says Navy Cmdr. William J. Marks. "This type of interaction is not unprecedented. Overall I would characterize the interaction as safe." The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered USS Reagan is essentially a floating airport, complete with an air traffic control center that tracks and communicates with nearby aircraft. When the carrier engages in flight operations, it institutes a carrier control zone, which extends up to 2,500 feet and within a five-mile radius, according to the Navy's flight training instruction carrier procedures.
The lack of communication by the Russian aircraft conflicted with general aviation practice. Even commercial airports of any significant size generally expect two-way radio contact when aircraft fly as close as the Russians did, according to international aviation guidelines. Encounters such as these were common during the Cold War. They subsided with its end but picked up again under current Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Over the last few years and particularly this year and last year, with the start of the Ukraine crisis, Russia has picked up the number of sorties," says Nick de Larrinaga. adding that Putin wants to show Russia is "still a global military power and a force to be reckoned with."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Monday November 02 2015, @08:32AM
Because we treat other people like dogs. We have done NOTHING in the mideast that I'm proud of. We have done a hell of a lot that I'm ashamed of.
Are you aware that Iran was a democracy? Five years before my birth, Iran was "The place to be". The people were enlightened, wealthy, educated, and they had a perfectly legitimate democratically elected government. It was as near to perfect as any human endeavor or human institution can be. Things were great.
Then, Operation Ajax. The Wikipedia article on Ajax is pretty accurate. It has plenty of links that you can follow to understand it better. An internet search will find enough more links that you can write a thesis. I invite you to look.
Much of our policy since, many of our actions since, are just as deplorable. How 'bout Iraq? We hated that sumbitch, Saddam. Positively hated him. Our hatred blinded us to who and what Saddam was. As evil as he was, he provided a measure of stability in the region. Few Americans understand what stability means. Take a very good look at ISIS/ISIL/DAESH. THAT is what instability is.
We've spread that instability to Tripoli. We tried to spread it to Syria. We spread it to Ukraine.
Russia said "Enough is enough. Russia is in Syria now, and they are beating DAESH down. And, we hate it. Our candy assed politicians have done everything in their power to destabilize the governments of the region, and Russia has put a halt to it.
Yes, I've skipped over a lot of other crap, only pointing out the high visibility stuff. There's been one hell of a lot of dirty shit in between Ajax and Desert Storm.
Our government is an embarrassment. Good or bad, our government is a supporter of Zionism. Definitely bad, we treat all opponents of Zionism as dogs.
No, the world doesn't love us for our cavalier attitude to the rest of the world. What would you expect? We don't "build nations". We sacrifice humans on the Altar of the Almighty Dollar.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Zz9zZ on Monday November 02 2015, @09:00AM
Exactly. The Russians are not much (if at all) better, but it is easy to wave the patriotic flag and think we're above such things. Thanks for the wake up call.
~Tilting at windmills~
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 02 2015, @04:07PM
No. The Russians ARE better for now.
For one they are not hypocrites. Russia says they are doing stuff for Russia, not for freedom, not for democracy not for whatever bullshit the US likes to say before they mess things up.
I bet that part of the ocean the US aircraft carrier is in isn't US territory. If it's not Korean territory either but international waters then the Russian planes have the same right to be there as the US planes and ships even if the US military doesn't like it. The US is trying to pretend it owns the ocean. And the US likes to pretend its doing it for defense when aircraft carriers are NOT for defense. Planes flying from airbases on your soil around your territory could be for defense, but planes flying from an aircraft carrier halfway across the world is not defense. It's "projecting power" e.g. swinging your fist. Don't be surprised if other people take offense when you swing your fist near their nose and start putting their fists near your fists as well.
Yes Russia is exerting its power but the US has exerted its power in the Middle East and arguably made things worse. Have all those drone strikes made things better? Did getting rid of Gaddafi or Saddam make Libya better? The US keep supporting the Saudis who are arming the ISIS: https://theintercept.com/2015/10/26/bbc-protects-uks-close-ally-saudi-arabia-with-incredibly-dishonest-and-biased-editing/ [theintercept.com]
Sure the Russians are backing Assad, but think about this if the US had backed Assad or just not got involved do you think Assad would be sponsoring acts of terror in the USA? In contrast the USA is sponsoring the allies of the ISIS in their fight against Assad and others. These allies often switch to joining the ISIS completely. If these allies and/or ISIS win, you'll get plenty more schools for terrorists.
The US plays with fire and feigns surprise or innocence when others or itself gets burned.
(Score: 2) by turgid on Monday November 02 2015, @09:12PM
Yes, that nice Mr Putin [youtube.com] is just doing what any other self-respecting, red-blooded man would do. What could possibly go wrong?
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 02 2015, @04:17PM
And as an outsider I don't even see how most of the bad things the US Gov has done actually would help the US people in the long run.
Destabilizing the middle east and making groups the ISIS get stronger = more muslim extremists and more terrorists.
Swapping a few big bad guys for thousands of bad guys is not a good idea.
(Score: 2) by soylentsandor on Monday November 02 2015, @06:21PM
You might want to read "The Authoritarians" [umanitoba.ca] (online and free) to get a grasp of why some people might think that's a good idea.
The book was discussed [soylentnews.org] on this very site last year, though I think this [goodreads.com] is a better review.