Ruskies buzz the Cook! What should Obama do in response?

Russians buzz us all the time....always have.

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Russia has been showing its teeth it the Baltics for years.

And it begins...

 

MOSCOW — Russia's Defense Ministry has rejected complaints by U.S. officials who claimed Russian attack planes buzzed dangerously close to a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Baltic Sea earlier this week.

The U.S. European command said the Russian planes buzzed multiple times on Monday and Tuesday. Sailors aboard the destroyer Donald Cook said the aircraft flew low enough to create wake in the sea waters surrounding the ship, and the ship’s commanding officer said the incident was “unsafe and unprofessional,” the defense official said.


NAVY TIMES

This is why the Navy didn't shoot down Russian jets


Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said Thursday that the pilots of Russian Su-24 jets saw the ship and turned back "while using all measures of precaution."

Konashenkov said he was baffled by what he described as the "distressed reaction of our American counterparts."

The U.S. European Command statement said Wednesday that officials are using diplomatic channels to address the matter.

http://www.navytimes.com/story/mili...a-navy-destroyer-us-fly-by-jet-buzz/83021012/

 

Russian pilots rattled nerves aboard the destroyer Donald Cook, buzzing within yards of the ship in the Baltic Sea. Provocative, sure. But they weren't a credible threat.

So concludes a retired Navy commanding officer, who reviewed photos and videos from the run-ins on Monday and Tuesday, when unarmed Sukhoi Su-24 fighters flew within 1,000 feet of the ship — once coming as close as 30 feet in what U.S. officials called "simulated attacks." On Monday, a low-flying Russian Ka-27 Helix helicopter also appeared to take photos of the ship.


NAVY TIMES

Russian attack aircraft just flew within 30 feet of a U.S. Navy ship


This was definitely provocative, but it doesn't amount to a threat, said the retired frigate and cruiser CO.

"Well, we’re not at war with Russia," Capt. Rick Hoffman said. "It would be one thing to be operating and have a threatening attack profile from someone who might not recognize me — that’s not the case here."

If you have visual identification of the jet, can see it isn't carrying weapons, and don't detect any electronic emissions suggesting there was a missile lock on the ship, there's nothing to be done.

http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/04/13/why-navy-didnt-shoot-down-russian-jets/83000858/

 

We should totally start World War III over this RD2.

 

Trump probably would.

 

The question really is, what will he do about it?

The answer: Either absolutely nothing or call Iran for help. It's a tossup.

 

My money's on "nothing." If I were in his shoes, I'd use my ambassadors and administrative contacts to let the Russians know this wasn't funny, nor tolerable; and any future such hijinks would be witness to the clearing and testing of our Patriot and other anti-aircraft systems. They've been forewarned, so any pilots that accidentally fall into the fire zone...well, we'll issue the public apology, but can't be held responsible for test-firing incidents that the Russians were fully informed were going to happen....