The investigation of the Russian jet liner that crashed after departing Sharm el-Sheikh is still in its early stages. Preliminary reports are attributing the crash to technical error though others are wondering if ISIS was involved. Indeed, ISIS is claiming responsibility for the crash which killed all 224 passengers on board.
One could make the argument that ISIS would shoot down a Russian plane in retaliation for Putin’s military action in Syria but it seems unlikely. First, how would ISIS have the capability to shoot a plane down at an altitude of 31,000 feet? This would suggest that the action was backed by a country which also would make little sense. Who would dare challenge Russia by doing something so bold?
I’m of the opinion that ISIS is claiming responsibility because they know they didn’t do it. This may sound counter intuitive but here is my reasoning:
The general public will read the headline that ISIS may have been involved. They will assume there is some connection thereby making the public more fearful of ISIS. The investigation will take months and the by the time it is completed the general public will have lost interest.
Although ISIS is a radical group of terrorists who seek to destroy everything in their path, they are not so irrational to take on Russia. The only reason they can claim responsibility is because they didn’t in fact do it.
Regardless of the cause, it is important to remember that 224 innocent people lost their lives. This is something the media forgets when they spend hours analyzing what could have gone wrong, especially when there weren’t Americans on board.
I booked my tickets to Sharm for after the Athens marathon and despite this tragic event, I’m not going to cancel them.
