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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syrian pilot defects, bombs army positions

2013-01-20

A Syrian pilot who defected used his jet to bomb government forces in an area outside Damascus, opposition activists said Saturday, dpa reported. The opposition Military Council in Damascus said "a (defector) pilot with his Soviet-made MiG warplane shelled military regime bases in Moadamiya district."

Damascus-based activist Haytham al-Abdallah told dpa the pilot was ordered to bomb civilians areas in the Ghotta region, east of Damascus, but he refused to obey orders.

Activists would not reveal the whereabouts of the pilot and his plane.

Posted by:Steve White

#3 There may be a lesson in this for other leaders who might someday overstep their bounds and expect their military to continue to obey them.

You're always gonna get defectors, especially when you're 10% and the people you're relying on to get the job done are 60%. If he hasn't already purged his air force of Sunnis, it's time he did so. It's the one branch of the armed services where barrier troops cannot be used to keep the Sunnis in line.

Posted by: Zhang Fei 2013-01-20 12:45

#2 The Air Force is often the key instigator in your coupe de grasse, coupe de grasse, in tin-horn land.

Posted by: Shipman 2013-01-20 12:22

#1 There may be a lesson in this for other leaders who might someday overstep their bounds and expect their military to continue to obey them.

Posted by: Glenmore 2013-01-20 09:36

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