LOS ANGELES (OC).–U.S. F-15E was shot down over Iran, with two pilots ejecting safely but only one found by search-and-rescue operations, leaving one piot unaccounted for. President Donald Trump said in a nationwide address April 1 that the U.S. controlled the skies in Iran, suggesting that Iran had no air defenses. Whatever hit the F-15E, it was likely a surface-to-air missile, possibly supplieD by the Russian Federation. Whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has actively involved himself in Iran’s defense is anyone’s guess. What’s know for sure is that Iran supplied Russia with Shahed predator drones to combat Ukraine’s growing attacks inside the Russian Federation. Whatever happened, a U.S. plane went down with only one-of-two pilots rescued from the theatre, leaving one fending for himself. Israel says that it’s assisting the U.S. in any search-and-rescue operations.
With Israel making thousands of sorties into Iran, not one Israeli fighter jet has been shot down, leading both the U.S. and Israel to fly missions with impunity in Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran’s military capability has been significantly degraded. But Iran doesn’t need much military capability to use mobile rocket and drone launchers something, they still have plenty of resources. If Trump wants to prevail over Iran, he can’t fool around with negotiations that go nowhere, only delay U.S. military objectives. After nearly five weeks of conflict, the U.S. and Israel have made thousands of sorties, hitting Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile installation. When it comes to controlling the skies, even the most primitive militaries have surface-to-air missiles capable of shooting down enemy aircraft. Trump can’t hesitate much longer to take out the big guns.
Nothing gives Iran more propaganda value that shooting down a U.S. fighter jet and capturing its pilot. Whether the unnamed pilot has escaped detection and awaits a U.S. or Israeli search-and-rescue operation is anyone’s guess. Trump’s main contact in Iran parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Gailbaf taunted U.S. officials saying the war focus now is on finding their lost pilot. Gailbaf said Trump no longer focused on regime change only on getting back its lost pilot. “As a war like this drags on, it becomes increasingly likely that some incident like this happens . . .” said former U.S. Amb. to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney. Ratney thinks the shoot-dwon exposes U.S. vulnerability and gives the media something to write about, an umistakable embarassment to the White House. Trump heard about the shoot-down today but barely discussed the matter to the press.
Iran looks for anything now to prove its fighting back against the United States, certainly capturing a U.S. pilot would be a major prize. Waiting for the next phase of the war gives Iran the false belief that it’s surviving U.S. and Israeli strikes. If Trump says he plans to bomb Iran into the Stone Age, he’d better get to it before another mishap takes place. Whatever plan Trump has, he’d better get to it before another incident occupy the news nation. Iran declared its sovereignty over t he Strait of Hormuz, something Trump can’t allow. EU officials and the U.k. declared yesterday that only diplomacy that open up the Strait of Hormuz. No one in the EU or NATO wants to join Trump’s military campaign, primarily because they weren’t consulted before Trump launched the attack. Whether admitted to or not by Democrats and the fake news, the attack on Iran was long overdue.
Iran wants to dominate the entire Middle East after attacking a number of Arab Gulf States. But after its terrorist attacks on commercial ships and Arab Gulf States’ infrastructure, no one in the Gulf States want any diplomatic relations with Iran. All Arab Gulf States have not called for ceasefire but quietly support Trump attempt to end the mullah regime. Whatever Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have done to degrade Iran’s military, the real objective involves regime change. If Trump turns the lights out in Tehran, it would signal to the restive population that it’s time to revolt. So far, ordinary Iranians have not seen the effect of war on the Iranian public. Once Trump knocks out Iran’s electrical grind, Iran will sing a different tune about opening up the Strait of Hormuz. Trump gave Iran until April 6, unless he extends the deadline again.
Trump is going it alone with Israel as his only ally to neutralized Iran’s nuclear and military capability. EU and NATO looks feckless refusing to help open up the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has made clear that allies require reciprocity when it comes to mutual defense. He also pointed out that Europe and Asia have vested interests in seeing the normal flow of oil and natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz. Seizing the Strait of Hormuz Iran has shown its true terrorist state, not concerned about the consequences to world oil markets. If it can exact the biggest economic toll on the U.S., it’s all for that. Why the EU and U.K. have rejected Trump’s calls for help is anyone’s guess. Iran has been the world chief sponsor of state-run terrorism. Diplomacy will not push Iran to change it’s terrorism ways. Iran only responds to the use of force, something the EU and U.K. won’t do.
About the Author John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
