CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICENovember 24, 2015
Downed Russian jet may mean escalation in fragile, war-torn Middle East
Newswise — Barry Strauss, military historian, prolific author, and chair of the History Department at Cornell University, says escalation may result from the downing of the Russian jet in Turkey.
Strauss says:“Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet reminds us that the Middle East is war-torn and fragile – it’s a series of glass houses and many people are throwing stones. It’s also a house of mirrors where it’s difficult to sort out the competing narratives.
“Russia and Turkey, for example, have a long history of rivalry, and the competition of claim and counter-claim about where the plane was flying when hit is no surprise. Escalation is a real danger. Unfortunately, the idea that the United States can stay out of the region’s conflicts without paying a price is the biggest illusion of all.”
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