Iran says it shot down a US drone

[Rusty Shackleford]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/04/iran-shoots-down-us-drone




i doubt the US would retaliate militarily though. if it did happen, there was no loss of life and i doubt anyone would get behind an attack over that. there are other reasons why american jingos would.

[RadioRaheem84]

They won't react to a drone attack but I am sure the pundits will rail on and on about how evil Iran is and how we need to see some action from the unresponsive President.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Yeah, I read this story today. The US isn't prepared to go to war with Iran over a drone. However, now the patriotic folk in the US are going to get upset and start demanding action. The US knew the drone would get downed, they just want to make Iran look like the bad guy for shooting it down.

[RadioRaheem84]

How do US leaders keep getting away with this stuff using the same formula?

[Waltraute]

1 part poorly disguised propaganda attempt plus two parts imputed naivity is a consistently useful traditional formula, it's a useful formula

[Rusty Shackleford]

too bad it wasnt a spyplane.

[suppman]

Who knows, maybe the republicans will try and spin this to say "hey, the current pres isn"t doing anything to protect us and Iran has weapons of mass destruction" haha

[Le Socialiste]

If anything, this will only result in further isolation for Iran from the international community (if what it claims is true). The U.S. will use this as evidence to prove that Iran is a hostile power in an unstable region, and needs to be punished (either diplomatically or militarily - for now, I'll say the former). The two will continue to add fuel to the conflict for however long it remains profitable.

[Psy]

If anything, this will only result in further isolation for Iran from the international community (if what it claims is true). The U.S. will use this as evidence to prove that Iran is a hostile power in an unstable region, and needs to be punished (either diplomatically or militarily - for now, I'll say the former). The two will continue to add fuel to the conflict for however long it remains profitable.
How? It was a unmanned drone, that if shot down was in unauthorized airspace.

[IndependentCitizen]

too bad it wasnt a spyplane.
Isn't that exactly what a drone is?

[Rusty Shackleford]

Isn't that exactly what a drone is?
i mean like an SR 71

[piet11111]

Isn't that exactly what a drone is?

Its quite clear he is thinking about something like the manned U2 spyplane maybe even wanting another gary powers for the Iranians ?

[Meditation]

http://assets.diylol.com/hfs/093/73b/b16/resized/ahmadinejad-troll-meme-generator-problem-america-272afa.jpg?1310310063.jpg

[Salyut]

i mean like an SR 71

Nah. The RQ-170 is a high altitude drone that has sensors out the ass. Its stealth, the Blackbird relied on being balls out awesome and fast to keep itself safe.

I'll believe it when I see the airframe. :tt1:

[Le Socialiste]

How? It was a unmanned drone, that if shot down was in unauthorized airspace.

Because both sides will use this to "prove" the agressiveness and hostility of the other. America could always just paint Iran as belligerent, while Iran can accuse the U.S. of messing around in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. The problem is, America - for the most part - has the support of various leading powers, while Iran doesn't have much in the way of a stable ally (Russia is about as close as it gets). The U.S. is testing Iran while at the same time pushing it into a diplomatic corner.

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

good for them;)

[Le Socialiste]

good for them;)

Why, exactly, should we praise a reactionary, theocratic power for downing a U.S. drone?

[Psy]

Because both sides will use this to "prove" the agressiveness and hostility of the other. America could always just paint Iran as belligerent, while Iran can accuse the U.S. of messing around in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. The problem is, America - for the most part - has the support of various leading powers, while Iran doesn't have much in the way of a stable ally (Russia is about as close as it gets). The U.S. is testing Iran while at the same time pushing it into a diplomatic corner.
Yet from a legal standpoint the US had nothing just like it had nothing in the 1960 U-2 incident, the USSR said they shot down a U-2 and the USA had to backpedal calming it was a NASA weather research aircraft that had oxygen problems and the pilot passed out while in autopilot as the USA knew from a legal standpoint they hadn't had a leg to stand on. The USSR took it to the UN where they lost only by one vote for the UN to officially condemning the USA for repeatedly violeting USSR air spacing on purpose.

[Le Socialiste]

Yet from a legal standpoint the US had nothing just like it had nothing in the 1960 U-2 incident, the USSR said they shot down a U-2 and the USA had to backpedal calming it was a NASA weather research aircraft that had oxygen problems and the pilot passed out while in autopilot as the USA knew from a legal standpoint they hadn't had a leg to stand on. The USSR took it to the UN where they lost only by one vote for the UN to officially condemning the USA for repeatedly violeting USSR air spacing on purpose.

Perhaps, but the U.S. only acknowledges legal action when it suits them. It's when it interferes with their interests that it ceases being an issue. Add to that the fact that Iran isn't the USSR, and doesn't have nearly as much sway on the diplomatic/international front that the Soviets had. There's very few governments willing to oppose the U.S. when it comes to Iran - in part because it isn't a profitable stance to take. From a legal standpoint, America could certainly be found in the wrong; however, Iran isn't in a position to do much about it. Even if things were taken to the U.N., the U.S. could easily place pressure on those who might otherwise sympathize with Iran's predicament - and emerge unscathed.

[RedZero]

Iran state television displays 'downed U.S. surveillance drone' -- http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/iran-state-television-displays-downed-u-s-surveillance-drone-1.400377

Video: http://nasimonline.ir/NSite/FullStory/News/?Id=303710

Pictures:


https://p.twimg.com/AgJ9fPqCQAAoGkl.jpg (https://twitter.com/#%21/felix85/status/144816720069148672/photo/1)
https://p.twimg.com/AgJ9jAxCEAEPxBq.jpg (https://twitter.com/#%21/felix85/status/144816322696577024/photo/1)
https://p.twimg.com/AgJ9raACAAITiAe.jpg (https://twitter.com/#%21/felix85/status/144816113757339648/photo/1)

[RedZero]

U.S. official tells CBS News it believes Iranian TV images are of the real U.S. drone -- http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57339834/u.s-official-iran-does-have-our-drone/