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[h=4]Analysis: Downing of Russian jet sets back France's anti-ISIL plan[/h]The downing of two Russian aircraft by U.S. allies in Syria shows that beneath the rhetoric of unity and diplomacy, Russia and its allies, and the USA its allies are very far from agreement on the ground.
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What you need to know about the Russian warplane shot down near the Syrian border. USA TODAY
A still image made available on 24 November 2015 from video footage shown by the HaberTurk TV Channel shows a burning trail as a plane crashing after being shot down near the Turkish-Syrian border, Nov. 24, 2015.(Photo: EPA)
Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border Tuesday complicates France's drive<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to build an alliance with the United States and Russia to defeat the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Islamic State in<span style="color: Red;">*</span>retaliation for the Nov. 13<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Paris terrorist attacks.
Turkey said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>its fighter jets downed the Russian aircraft after it violated Turkish<span style="color: Red;">*</span>airspace. At least one of the two Russian pilots who parachuted from their stricken jet may have been<span style="color: Red;">*</span>killed in Syria by rebels, the Associated Press reported.
USA TODAY
Reports: Turkey shoots down Russian fighter jet
Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at Turkey on Tuesday, saying<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the plane was shot down over Syria and posed no threat to Turkey. He said the incident would have “serious consequences” for relations with Turkey, and accused Turkish<span style="color: Red;">*</span>leaders of being “<span style="color: Red;">*</span>terrorism accomplices."
The incident occurred as French President Francois Hollande was about to sit down with President Obama at the White House to press Washington and Moscow to join in a united effort to combat the Islamic State in its home base in Syria. He planned to visit Moscow immediately after leaving Washington.
His mission was dicey from the start. That’s because Russia, Turkey, the United States and France<span style="color: Red;">*</span>are all involved in Syria's 4-year-old civil war but<span style="color: Red;">*</span>supporting different factions, some of which are fighting each other.
All oppose the Islamic State. But Russia supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the conflict, while Turkey and the United States want him out. The U.S. is<span style="color: Red;">*</span>supporting rebels seeking to overthrow Assad and has accused<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Russia of targeting some of those rebel groups instead of the Islamic State, which also is fighting Assad.
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Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns discusses Russia and Turkey relations after the downing of a Russian warplane. He speaks on "Bloomberg Markets." Bloomberg
Russia says it, too, is fighting the Islamic State and other terrorists, and it<span style="color: Red;">*</span>increased its attacks against the extremist group<span style="color: Red;">*</span>after a Russian<span style="color: Red;">*</span>airliner was brought down by<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a bomb over Egypt’s Sinai peninsula on Oct. 31, killing all 224 aboard. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.
Turkey has long advocated for greater Western support for the rebels battling Assad. The U.S., which is seeking a diplomatic<span style="color: Red;">*</span>solution to the Syrian civil war, has sought to enlist<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Russia and Iran —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Assad’s main supporters —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>along<span style="color: Red;">*</span>with<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Turkey<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and other supporters of the Syrian rebels to back peace talks. But that effort is making scant progress.
After the Paris attacks, Hollande said defeating the Islamic State is the top<span style="color: Red;">*</span>priority, a stance seconded by Obama,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>who said he would consider coordinating efforts with Russia so long as they stay focused on their common enemy, the Islamic State.
Now,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the downing of the Russian warplane by a U.S. ally illustrates how far<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Hollande is from his goal of bringing<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Moscow and Washington into his grand alliance.
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