Syria war: US missiles 'took out 20% of aircraft'

[Frequent Ranter]

Source: BBC

3 hours ago

A US air strike in response to a suspected chemical attack damaged or destroyed 20% of Syria's operational aircraft, the US has said.

Defence Secretary James Mattis said Syria would be "ill-advised ever again to use chemical weapons".

Syria has denied a chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last week that left 89 people dead.

G7 nations are meeting in Italy to discuss policy and how to persuade Russia to abandon its Syrian ally.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39561102

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Imagine: American military technology is so precise, we can "damage or destroy 20% of Syria's operational aircraft" without even taking out the runway(s) they were on!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Supposedly they were in hangars or bunkers, not on the runways.

Airplanes don't sit parked on runways. But it was Kabuki theatre anyhow.

[atreides1]

2. Wow

Considering the Syrians have more then one airbase, that's a pretty big claim by Mattis!!! Maybe, Mattis is doing alternative facts now?

[rzemanfl]

3. My guess is they took out a few hangar queens. Anything that could fly got out of whatever

Dodge is in Syria.

[Hulk]

4. Contrary to all evidence and all previous information...

Absolute bull shit. I had read that six aircraft under repair were destroyed, and the runways were INtact. I am also puzzled by the fact this administration claims 59 Tomahawk missiles were fired, and something like 35 targets were hit???? This makes zero fucking sense to my mind.

Can't believe ANY shit from this cabal of idiots.

[hack89]

7. Critical or tough targets may have had multiple missiles aimed at them

It is not always one target = one missile

[Historic NY]

12. Exactly there weren't enough aircraft on the ground..

and there were some still in intact revetments. The initial damage assessments said 6 aging MIGS.

[iluvtennis]

13. +++ AGREE

[Jim__]

5. Remember the question: If Trump claimed that North Korea launched a missile at Hawaii, ...

... would you believe him?

I wouldn’t.

That goes for his claims about Syria too.

[hack89]

6. The planes were in hangers and revetments

Not on the runways.

[Wolf Frankula]

8. What He Means Is

they took out 20% of one aircraft.

Wolf

[kacekwl]

9. More lies

[iluvtennis]

10. Olbermann:Trump's "Syrian Raid" was a cheap, stupid STUNT swallowed by some cheap, stupid media

Link to tweet

[Kennah]

11. Pre Civil War estimate of 575 fixed wing aircraft

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Arab_Air_Force#Pre_Syrian_civil_war_aircraft_inventory

[Phoenix61]

14. So who are they going to buy replacement planes from?

Just wondering.