British diplomat summoned by Russia over 'missile' reports

BBC ^ | 10/12/15

[Enlightened1]

Russia summoned Britain's defence attache in Moscow to explain reports that RAF pilots had been authorised to shoot down Russian aircraft in the Middle East, the Foreign Office says.

Newspapers said RAF Tornados in Iraq had been fitted with heat-seeking missiles designed for aerial combat.

But the Ministry of Defence said there was "absolutely no truth" in this.

The Foreign Office said concern about Russian military action in Syria had been reiterated by the attache.

Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said Russian military intervention in Syria is helping only to support "the butcher", President Bashar al-Assad.

He has also expressed concerns that Russian forces are not discriminating between air strikes on Islamic State (IS) militants and others fighting the Syrian president.

The RAF has been carrying out air strikes against IS militants in Iraq since the action was approved by MPs in 2014, but UK military intervention in Syria has not been backed in Parliament.

[Enlightened1]

I can promise you Russia is probably warning the UK right now not to cross the Rubicon.

Can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with Saudi Arabia giving ISIS 500 TOW missiles?

Here is the Free Republic thread about it.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3347306/posts

[Enlightened1]

Here is the thread about the 500 TOW missiles.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3347306/posts

[Ben Ficklin]

Here's the 18 minute Frontline video from 2014 with details of the CIA training and providing TOW missiles to the rebels.

Syria: Arming the Rebels