Malaysian Airlines passenger jet shot down over Ukraine

[clacy]

Not confirmed, but sounds like it.  Not good.  285 passengers aboard.

[clacy]

Sounding like it was shot down by pro-Russian rebels, but likely not sanctioned by Russia.  Surely they wouldn't do something that stupid as the optics are horrible.

This will lead to more serious sanctions against Russia by the US and likely the EU will have to come out more forcefully against Russia as well. 

[Pointedstick]

It looks like Obama has issued an executive order banning importation of Saiga rifles. That'll show 'em!

[Ad Orientem]

Looks a dreadful tragedy. Very probably shot down by ethnic Russian rebels, almost certainly by mistake. Prayers for the families and loved ones.

[Reub]

Obama still fundraising in New York tonight so the story must be overblown by Fox.

[Kriegsspiel]

It looks like Obama has issued an executive order banning importation of Saiga rifles. That'll show 'em!

Who was it that said you can't miss an opportunity to exploit a tragedy? Wasn't it Biden?

[Pointedstick]

It looks like Obama has issued an executive order banning importation of Saiga rifles. That'll show 'em!

Who was it that said you can't miss an opportunity to exploit a tragedy? Wasn't it Biden?

No, he's not smart enough for that. It was Rahm.

[Reub]

I reaffirm that Putin is an evil, dangerous man. It is still possible that he murdered much of the Polish government and many of its high ranking military in a "plane crash" over Russia a few years ago.

But Obama is a much better fundraiser.  Couldn't he give it up for just one night?

[Jan Van]

what about this?

The Mystery of a Ukrainian Army ‘Defector’

As the U.S. government seeks to build its case blaming eastern Ukrainian rebels and Russia for the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the evidence seems to be getting twisted to fit the preordained conclusion, including a curious explanation for why the troops suspected of firing the fateful missile may have been wearing Ukrainian army uniforms.

After last Thursday’s shoot-down, I was told that U.S. intelligence analysts were examining satellite imagery that showed the crew manning the suspected missile battery wearing what looked like Ukrainian army uniforms, but my source said the analysts were still struggling with whether that essentially destroyed the U.S. government’s case blaming the rebels.