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0 pointstpmx5y ago0 comments

Not EU, but some of the EU member countries (France, Spain, Portugal and Italy). They denied flyover permission to that aircraft, causing it to divert.

Since it was heading for Bolivia it obviously had enough fuel to go back to Moscow, if needed - for instance if Snowden had actually been onboard.

The thing that happened today (faked bomb alert and landing order accompanied with a fighter jet escort) is not on the same level.

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6 comments · 1 top-level

adolph5y ago· 5 in thread

Is a window with different dressing not the same window? Does the window matter or the dressing? Belarus is clumsier than the US but the game is the same.

ars5y ago

A threat of violence is a very large difference, I would not call that just window dressing.

Also lying (fake bomb threat) is a big difference.

It's like the difference between someone stealing your wallet, vs. letting you play some kind of street game where you don't actually have a chance of winning.

The method employed matters, it's not just about the final result.

tpmxOP5y ago

Also, the final result also isn't the same.

Today's hijacking: the result was that the journalist was arrested and now may be facing the death penalty.

The denial of flyover rights to Morales' jet: there was no risk of capture to Snowden - worst case, he'd just have to back to Moscow. If he had been on the flight.

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mopsi5y ago

In addition, it was a scheduled passenger flight between two capitals of EU/NATO countries, not some private flight with special clearances. Completely unrelated civilians returning from a holiday inside the EU were taken hostage.

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seppel5y ago

> A threat of violence is a very large difference, I would not call that just window dressing.

They forced the plane to land by locking all airspace around it. And yes, they would also have started fighter jets if the plane would enter the forbidden airspace.

danlugo925y ago

USA good Russia bad. Or USA bad Russia good.

Both situations are crap.

I see it like: egomaniacs running those 2 governments, bad.

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