Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) advised that the Biden administration wanted to start out capturing down Russian army plane after a Russian-provoked incident on Tuesday led to the destruction of a U.S. army drone over worldwide waters.
U.S. European Command stated that two Russian fighter jets have been harassing a $32 million unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea when one of many fighter jets clipped the propeller of the drone, forcing the U.S. to down the drone within the physique of water.
“They shot down our drone,” Fox Information host Sean Hannity stated to Graham throughout an interview Tuesday evening. “What should our answer be?”
“Well, we should hold them accountable and say that, ‘If you ever get near another U.S. asset flying in international waters, your airplane will be shot down,’” Graham responded. “What would Ronald Reagan do right now? He would start shooting Russian planes down if they were threatening our assets. American foreign policy’s in free-fall.”
“Weakness breeds provocation. They know they can get away with it. Mexico is blaming us for the fentanyl crisis and Joe Biden is like a deer in the headlights. He needs to up his game quickly,” Graham continued. “So President Biden, you’re the Rodney Dangerfield of world leaders. Nobody respects you. And if you don’t change your game and up your game, we’re gonna have World War III.”
The assertion from U.S. European Command added that each of the Russian Su-27s dumped gasoline on and flew in entrance of the MQ-9 in a reckless method that was environmentally unsound and demonstrated a “lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” stated U.S. Air Power Gen. James B. Hecker, commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa. “In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”
“U.S. and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,” Hecker added.
The assertion stated that the incident adopted a “pattern of dangerous actions” by Russian pilots whereas interacting with U.S. and Allied plane over worldwide airspace that would “lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”
“U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa routinely fly aircraft throughout Europe over sovereign territory and throughout international airspace in coordination with applicable host nation and international laws,” the assertion added. “In order to bolster collective European defense and security, these missions support Allied, partner, and U.S. national objectives.”
Learn the complete article here
