Plane shot down with 27 Aussies on board.

[Dave70]

Horrible news to say the least.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/malaysia-airlines-plane-with-295-people-on-board-shot-down-on-russianukraine-border-27-australians-confirmed-dead/story-fnizu68q-1226992872367

 

[hellbent]

Horrible news to say the least.

The world is just going crazy at the moment, wars everywhere, when will they ever learn from past history?

 

[sponge]

I was watching the coverage of that this morning. Crazy stuff, and such a god dam shame that it happened, especially when it could've been easily avoided.

And to think that myself and the mrs had everything organised for our honeymoon starting in the Ukraine and working our way down to Turkey until we decided at the start of the year to do south-east asia instead.. We're even happier we're going elsewhere now.

 

[n87]

just what i want to see on the day i am catching a plane.

 

[NewtownClown]

just what i want to see on the day i am catching a plane.

Probably the best day to catch a plane, these tragedies don't occur in pairs.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

What I don't understand is Russia is such a huge country, why don't the separatists in the Ukraine just **** off and move into Russia, it would even be to Putins advantage to give them a resettlement allowance for doing so.

 

[Bribie G]

It was the former Soviet Union that flooded ethnic Russians into Ukraine, as they did in all the other now-independent nations. As thou sowest also shalt thou reap.
Three scenarios:

Ukraine shot down the plane to blame the Separatists
The Separatists shot down the plane to blame Ukraine
Putin shot down the plane to gain a pretext to invade Ukraine.

If the third scenario is found to be accurate it will destroy any credibility that Putin still has around the world.

Nearly all the wars around the planet are the end-games in the unravelling of the old European empires. For example Iraq is the end game in the Middle East that was carved up the Treaty of Sevres when they dismantled the old Ottoman Empire, and the current borders of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon etc are totally fabricated. Similarly in the old Soviet Union, which was the second last Empire to fall... it was really still essentially an Empire until the 1990s.

It takes a couple of hundred years for these end games to play out. An interesting example is Central and South America (plus Mexico which is in North America) which was colonised mainly by Spain and Portugal. They were already old empires when Captain Cook went sailing. These empires have long gone, and it's noticeable that despite a couple of squabbles over the odd island or watershed in the Andes, all these countries rub along together ok in modern times.

Anyway it's bad news to wake up to.

 

[Bribie G]

What I don't understand is Russia is such a huge country, why don't the separatists in the Ukraine just **** off and move into Russia, it would even be to Putins advantage to give them a resettlement allowance for doing so.

Most if not all of Russia's gas exports to Europe (their main earner) passes through Ukraine.

 

[Dave70]

Ukraine shot down the plane to blame the Separatists
The Separatists shot down the plane to blame Ukraine
Putin shot down the plane to gain a pretext to invade Ukraine.

If the third scenario is found to be accurate it will destroy any credibility that Putin still has around the world.

Pretty much agree with this.
The finger pointing is already in high gear. All sides are well aware whoever the of blame falls on is getting thumped. Big time.

With Putin's ruthlessness, manipulative behavior and all his macho pro social risk taking, wouldn't surprise me if he was at least on the spectrum for a psychopath. Nothing would come as a shock with him. Take out a plane full of non coms to reach his goals? No biggie.

 

[Bribie G]

Joe Hockey considering offering free plane rides over the Tanami Desert for pensioners, the disabled and non employed Australians under the age of 30.

 

[Forever Wort]

Utterly terrible news to wake up to.

Just another reminder that we are so lucky in Australia (for now) and to live life to its fullest.

My thoughts to all affected. I checked with all the Aussies I know traveling in Europe and thankfully they are all good.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Most if not all of Russia's gas exports to Europe (their main earner) passes through Ukraine.

As America is the largest producer of natural gas, sanctions against Russia could be in Americas favour for putting their finger in Putins pie.

 

[Weizguy]

Three scenarios:

Ukraine shot down the plane to blame the Separatists
The Separatists shot down the plane to blame Ukraine
Putin shot down the plane to gain a pretext to invade Ukraine.

4th scenario, occurred to me this morning: CIA organised the shooting of the plane, to generate the opportunity to "support" Ukraine in removing these terrorists.
Seems that the alleged terrorists are claiming responsibility (perhaps even just for the publicity etc.), and that plays into the US plot?

* Edit. As MHB's quote states: The truth is out there, in no-man's land, being shot at by both sides.*

 

[DU99]

They thought it was a military aircraft.makes you wonder why it was flying near a hostile area.

 

[Bribie G]

I flew over Ukraine two days after the Chernobyl disaster, airline didn't seem to know too much about it at the time.

 

[Weizguy]

They thought it was a military aircraft.makes you wonder why it was flying near a hostile area.

Cheaper to fly straight line to destination. All about the money, and poor work from who ever made the risk management decision.

"I'm sorry, we'll have to hold on to your performance pay increase as you're responsible for the decision that led to the death of close to 300 people. Hope you can eke by with your $150k+ salary."

 

[pat_00]

I flew over this region a week ago. I was watching the inflight map and the conflict came to mind, but I thought at 30000 feet it'd be OK.

I've heard rumours that some of the eminent doctors and researchers on AIDS/HIV were en route to Melbourne for the global conference. Tragedy upon tragedy.

Also, a pro Russian Separatist commander apparently boasted on social media about shooting down a plane at the exact time the MH flight was shot down.

 

[Dave70]

4th scenario, occurred to me this morning: CIA organised the shooting of the plane, to generate the opportunity to "support" Ukraine in removing these terrorists.
Seems that the alleged terrorists are claiming responsibility (perhaps even just for the publicity etc.), and that plays into the US plot?

Not sure if serious..

 

[Droopy Brew]

Malaysia Airlines will have some serious PR issues after the last 6 months.
A great shame to be sure but how much bad luck can 1 airline have?

 

[Dave70]

I'd book a flight with them over Qantas any day.

Those delightfull hosties know how to keep a man happy on a long haul. Hot towel and screwdriver happy.