For you history people...

...and those who like to be alive, breathing, etc.

http://www.richmann.com/StanislavPetrov.htm

History people? What freaks, who likes history anymore?
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I agree with the Soviet's decision in shooting down that plane. If it was American instead of the USSR, we would do the same. A plane enters a man's country's airspace, he is probably going to lose control of the trigger stick.

If things didn't go smoothly like that missile incident, Petrov would be the world's most infamous man. That is, if we are all still alive.

Karl Marx wrote:History people? What freaks, who likes history anymore?
[/sarcasm]
I agree with the Soviet's decision in shooting down that plane. If it was American instead of the USSR, we would do the same. A plane enters a man's country's airspace, he is probably going to lose control of the trigger stick.

If I might:
I disagree with that statement. I think that the shooting of the plane was rather uncalled for, even though the guy didnt respond, A pilot would have to be a novice not to be able to identify a passanger from a spy/fighter jet. Moreover, I dont think that America would have shot down the plane if it was in our soil; the public outcry would be WAY too much for the government.

Well the Russians didn't wait to find out now did they? It would be more logical to punch 2 missiles into an unknown aircraft than to wait for a response. Rules of engagement in Moscow states that : Everyone is potentially under opposition control.

Its is possible that the aircraft was not just a normal flight carrying passengers. After all they did enter Russian airspace. Also, passenger flights have distinct paths that airplanes travel on which would probably not conflict with foreign airspace.

Karl Heinrich Marx wrote:Well the Russians didn't wait to find out now did they? It would be more logical to punch 2 missiles into an unknown aircraft than to wait for a response. Rules of engagement in Moscow states that : Everyone is potentially under opposition control.

Its is possible that the aircraft was not just a normal flight carrying passengers. After all they did enter Russian airspace. Also, passenger flights have distinct paths that airplanes travel on which would probably not conflict with foreign airspace.

but, they were leaving the airspace when they were shot down, its not like they were lingering around. If the US wanted to spy ets. They have much better planes they could have sent with much more mobility than a passeneger jet. The Soviets should have known this. Honestly though, you cant blame them. Irrational decisions are made during irrational times of constant terror.

Exactly, i wasn't blaming them. I said i agreed with them. It was a time where no one was to be trusted. What would you have been done? I was distracted, hence the fail grammar.

Karl Heinrich Marx wrote:Exactly, i wasn't blaming them. I said i agreed with them. It was a time where no one was to be trusted. What would you have been?

I honestly dont know what I would have done, like I said, wierd times can cause people to make decisions they consider to be wierd.