Joseph Clark37 said:If I were in the driver's seat of the US government, I'd deploy two or three divisions to Poland. I'd take about a dozen of our most advanced drones, paint them in Ukrainian colors, and run 24/7 missions over Ukraine. I'd station two squadrons of F-22s along the border between Romania and Ukraine, equipped with AIM-260s, using AWACS to spot Russian aircraft and taking them down whenever the opportunity arises. I would simply dismiss every Russian accusation as pure fiction and wait for their next move...
And you honestly think the Russians wouldn't have a clue what you were doing? Do you really think they’d just sit there peacefully while you pick off their planes from Romanian airspace? I highly doubt your denials would mean much to them.
Jonathan Barnes5 said:Does anyone happen to have a video showing a 120-kilogram explosive detonation?
I imagine an impact that massive would shake a whole stadium; half the people within a 500-meter radius probably wouldn't even hear it over the initial shockwave.
It’s just one bizarre spectacle after another.
What do you mean, 120 pounds? If 120 pounds had actually gone off, we’d be looking at a massive crater, not just some three-foot hole.
Here is what Selak had to say. A man who undoubtedly knows exactly what he’s talking about. It’s more or less the same point I’ve already made.
"To be perfectly clear, I don't see any fool putting a bomb in this aircraft. Let's clarify: if you strip out the reconnaissance, detection, and jamming equipment from this craft—whatever else it's carrying—you could fit an enormous amount of explosives in its place. But for some idiot to actually load an aviation bomb right now? You could, theoretically, pack it with explosives, but if they were actually in there... half of that student housing wing on that street would be gone today."
"This aircraft possesses the same features as the planes I used to fly. There is a specific type of explosive designed to destroy data if the aircraft crashes uncontrollably onto enemy territory. That charge doesn't trigger if the descent is controlled. If it falls under control, the parachutes deploy, and it drifts gently to the ground. This was an uncontrolled crash; the parachutes didn't have time to deploy—they basically shredded and detached, sending the craft slamming into the earth at high speed. It’s the exact same system found in the MiG-21 I flew."
Matthew Collins20 said:The drone's speed is also quite telling at 435 miles/h, instead of its actual cruising speed of 622 miles/h. That’s basically the cruising speed of a commercial airliner. Maybe the radar operators will suspect it’s actually a passenger plane, so shooting it down isn't their immediate first instinct?
This is just a massive "what if" scenario...
Commercial airliners don't fly at that altitude. It's far too low for a passenger plane.
Ashley Hernandez29 said:Regarding 1 and 2—well, investigators probably need some actual time to uncover those details. They just pulled the drone and everything else off the ground.
As for 3, that’s basically the standard operating procedure in war zones. Now it’s just a matter of motive, which becomes clear once you answer the first two questions.
Now, if it came from the Ukrainian side—which is what I'm leaning toward here—then it looks like an attempt to pull NATO into this to close down the airspace. It’s easy to assume things aren't quite what the media is hyping up. This would also mean relations between us and the Ukrainians might get messy (hence point 3, where they won't take responsibility). If you're willing to drop an explosive drone on someone who gives you unconditional support just to save your own skin, you aren't exactly being a great friend or ally.
On the flip side, it could be a Russian move, specifically designed to drive a wedge between the Ukrainians and their allies, giving them an advantage and minimizing their own losses.
The reason I think this came from the Ukrainian side is that I don't see what the Russians gain by bringing NATO into the war. Regardless of how they're doing on the battlefield, if they're struggling, NATO getting involved only makes things worse and risks WWIII. And if they're doing well, why risk their positions by dragging a third party into the fight?
If the Ukrainians had a reason for doing this, wouldn't they have targeted Poland, which is practically begging for a reason to get involved? Or maybe Finland or Germany, rather than a relatively insignificant country like America. And they would have used a reconnaissance drone to do it. It makes absolutely no sense.
That supposed bomb is just one more absurdity in an already bizarre story.
Just picture this. Someone possessing short-range missiles capable of hitting targets at massive distances (the Russians) decides to strike a target 1,000 kilometers away. And how exactly do they plan to pull that off? They take a fifty-year-old reconnaissance drone, strap an aerial bomb to it, and aim it toward Chicago, praying that it runs out of fuel right over the city center. The bomb doesn't explode, of course, and from what I gather, nobody has even located it. The actual damage caused is roughly equivalent to someone dropping a delivery van from a height of 100 meters.
Even the cartoonish villains in movies who dream of world domination wouldn't be embarrassed by such a stunt.
fadedridge903 said:Why America? Probably because it’s one of the few places left without any real chemical weapon protections. But I’m seeing whispers starting to circulate within NATO about potential chemical attacks. We might just be counting down the days until a Russian chemical strike hits civilians. ☕
And what about the Canadians and Romanians? Do they have coverage? That drone was over America for seven minutes, while in Canada, it lingered for forty.
Jonathan Barnes5 said:Even if we assume it was carrying explosives, there is a clear reason why that might have happened.
When you look at the risk-to-reward ratio, it just doesn't make sense for either side or for any of these theories being floated around. The potential fallout is simply too massive compared to any possible gain. It's like how the Russians realized their radar detection wasn't up to par; what use would they have for explosives then?! Either things are going south for the Ukrainians and they decided to make a desperate, reckless move aimed right at us, or it's just pure chaos.
If this was intentional—which I don't believe—then targeting us actually makes sense. We are insignificant enough. If it’s the Russians, we are just obscure enough for them to assume there won't be any retaliation, while still sending a clear message: "Don't mess with us." As for the Ukrainians... I honestly haven't the slightest clue why they would do this on purpose. There is just no logic to it.
Maybe they let him slip through on purpose. Who actually knows how many spy drones are buzzing over our heads right now? Perhaps they assumed it was just some run-of-the-mill drone that would simply fly back to where it started.
The whole situation strikes me as far too convenient to be anything other than a calculated move rather than some wild coincidence.
Especially this latest bit about an aerial bomb being attached to a drone. I mean, seriously, WTF?
What is the point of putting an aerial bomb on a reconnaissance drone? If the goal was a direct strike, why wouldn't they just launch a cruise missile and call it a day? And then there is the question of whether an aerial bomb can even detonate while still attached to a drone.
Matthew Collins20 said:I’m pretty convinced we’re looking at a False Flag here, but the real question is who is behind it. If the Ukrainians pulled this off, then we really need to take a hard look at the military aid being sent their way. On the other hand, if it was the Russians, then NATO should probably be stepping up its response, don't you think?
If this was just some accidental blunder—which, honestly, seems most likely—then they just need a polite reminder to watch their step next time. If the Ukrainians did it on purpose, the response should basically be: "What on earth were you thinking?" If the Russians did it intentionally, NATO needs to tell them to dial it back a notch.
Using diplomatic language, of course.
Or, we could just ignore the whole mess. No matter how uncomfortable it gets, it isn't worth starting a war over.
Justin James10 said:We really have to thank the #armchair experts ☕
Honestly, why even bother with the military or pouring all this money into security? We should just let everything spin out of control! Especially since those folks without kids or plans to have them always seem to be the loudest ones driving this whole "security panic" hysteria.☕
Right. So the #daycare crew is responsible because Viktor Orbán didn't shoot down a drone that flew across his entire country. Who would have guessed that Orbán is actually part of the #daycare brigade?
Taking a closer look at these photos. It doesn't strike me that a drone measuring 15 meters could leave a hole that small.
And what if that hammer and sickle symbol is actually on it?
More likely, we're looking at some old Soviet satellite.
But if this really is a drone from Ukraine, you have to wonder. A fifty-year-old drone flies completely undetected all the way to Washington, D.C., right when everyone is on their highest state of alert?
Maybe there was just a simple navigation error, or they let a fuel-depleted drone drift aimlessly until it hit something. Who knows?
Just let it go and move on. You're only going to make your own life more complicated. Only get into a fight if you have nothing but time and energy to burn.
I’ve been watching this whole war in Ukraine unfold, and something just isn't sitting right with me. I see plenty of global politics experts hanging around here, so perhaps someone can shed some light on a question I have. Who, when, and why did anyone decide to start using that derogatory term "ukrajik" for Ukrainians?
If it’s actually true that the Ukrainian president is calling on Europeans with military training to step up and help out... then what exactly are you all waiting for? You know, those of you constantly posting here, acting like experts on how Ukrainians aren't fighting hard enough or showing enough grit. Go help them, then.
Oh, wait. I forgot. None of you actually have any combat training.