MH17 story has similarities with KAL007: Can West confront Russia?

The shooting down of the Malaysian passenger flight flying in the Ukrainian air reminds one if the destruction of a Korean aircraft by a fighter jet of the former Soviet

in 1983. That plane, which had entered the Russian air space due to navigational errors, was suspected to be an American reconnaissance plane and was shot, killing 269 people on board, including 63 Americans. The incident at the height of the Cold War had a serious impact on international politics.

Pro-Russian militants were reportedly found saying that they had mistaken the MH17, the Malaysian plane, as a Ukraine military cargo plane. They had even shot down a few of those planes in the days preceding the MH17 crash.

The crash of the Korean and Malaysian jets have another similarity. Like in the case of MH17, the Malaysian plane, Soviet officials had initially refused to admit the shooting down of the Korean plane. They had even said that the Americans painted the plane to look like a military plane and was thus responsible for a "false flag" operation. In case if the MH17, too, pro-Russian militants claimed the plane was a "false flag" operation of Ukraine and that many victims were dead even before the aircraft had taken off.

Both Moscow and the pro-Russian militants have resorted to either blaming Kiev or floating conspiracy theories divert the attention off their back but can Russia really ignore having a link with the MH17 crash, just like the KAL007 in 1983?

There are already signs of Russia's involvement in the disaster. Here are some points [See this report]:

Militants talked to Russian intelligence officer

On July 14, pro-Russian militants had a talk to a Russian intelligence officer on shooting down planes with Buk missiles, according to an audio released by the Ukrainina security service. The separatists even talked about the Buk missile system reaching their hands.

Online video shows a Buk missile launcher travelling through Snizhne, a town held by the rebel

Ukrainian authorities released a video claiming the transport of a Buk missile system in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border. Although that video was not conclusive enough, another video released on July 17 showed a Buk missile travelling near Snizhne. Other sources also identified the Buk missile system and the town of Snizhne.

Operation of Buk missile requires specialised training

Military sources in the US said it was hard to believe that the militants shot down the MH17 without any help from Moscow for the Buk is a sophisticated weapon system and would require technical assistance. The USA also revealed that the rebels were trained in operating tanks and anti-aircraft systems across the border before returning to Ukraine.

Ukraine also has Buk missile systems but none near the MH17 crash site

Defence analysts said while Ukraine also has Buk missile systems, but none of them are near the MH17 crash site for the region had already been taken control of by the separatists.

Boasting on the social media

Igor Strelkov, a pro-Russian separatist leader said on the Russian social media that a Ukrainian military transport aircraft had been brought down. Strelkov, a Russian linked to Russian intelligence, might have mistaken the MH17 as a Ukrainian plane. The post by the militant was even referred to by a number of Russian news websites, confirming its authencity.
Pro-Russian militants were reportedly speaking about the downing of a military plane before understanding the actual disaster.

Can Obama play the role of Ronald Reagan to take on Russia over MH17 issue?

Pro-Russian militants were reportedly caught speaking on the phone about shooting down a military transport aircraft before realising that they had shot down a military aircraft. One of the militants were heard saying in the leaked phone calls that the aircraft they shot down was a passenger one. One even said that the plane was carrying spies.

Militants allegedly tried to destroy evidence and block investigators and media from accessing the crash site

The action of picking the wreckage and transferring the bodies raised suspicion about the pro-Russian militants. Observers for Security and Cooperation in Europe were also disallowed from reaching the site. If Ukraine was responsible for the shooting down, then why did the pro-Russian militants didn't want the wreckage, lying scattered in the area held by themselves, to be probed?

The MH17 crash is a part of the greatest power game between the eastern and western worlds since the Cold War. A resurgent Russia is desperate to bring back the days when it ruled behind the Iron Curtain and has already flexed its muscle in Crimea. It is trying to realise the same aim in Ukraine and is even not prepared to recognise the political rights of the Ukrainians who went to elections recently.

The Ukrainian Army is engaged in a fierce battle with the pro-Russian separatists and the MH17 was a collateral damage of the power game.

Now the question is: Will the western world put up a joint force against the Kremlin after the MH17 in a substantial way after all the evidence surfaced? The plane that went down on July 17 had several nationalities from the western world on board and all of them perished without a trace. Many of these countries have close links with Moscow. Will they side with the USA to corner Russia? The answer is not clear yet for the White House hasn't succeeded in motivating the world as a leader on the expected lines under Barack Obama.