MH17 crash: Dutch experts say numerous objects hit plane

[karynnj]

85. That is OPEDNEWS editorializing

The first paragraph is in no way at odds with the report. They are saying that the report's description of the damage is consistent with a SAM attack. From detailed, informed comments here from people who understand how these missiles work, that is the case. The next part says the blame was not assigned. IMO this paragraph is completely accurate and unbiased. (Note that saying the report is consistent with a SAM attack does NOT mean that ONLY a SAM attack could have caused this.)

As to giving "indirect support" to US and Ukrainian claims -- it absolutely does because as the first sentence says the damage is consistent with a SAM missile attacking. Whether you have a problem with this sentence depends on what you think "indirect support" means. Note that they qualify it as INDIRECT support. Had the report DEFINITIVELY said it was a SAM missile, ruling out everything else AND they made the case that it HAD to have come from Separatist controlled areas that would have been direct support. Even stronger direct support would have been something like - "everything points to the plane having been shot down with a SAM fired from a separatist controlled area."

This report, as a preliminary report, not written to assign blame, actually is just what the NYT says - it indirectly supports what the State Department says when combined with assessing what could have led to the results described. However, there will be a more detailed forensic investigation with its own report. THAT report might include far more evidence of what kind of SAM (if it ultimately is seen to be a SAM) and likely a definition of the locus of points from which it could have been fired given the way it hit.