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- / AFP - Getty Images
A handout picture obtained from Ammon News and supplied by Syrian activists shows the Syrian air force Russian-made MiG-21 plane that a pilot landed with in the King Hussein military base in Mafraq in northern Jordan on Thursday.
Updated at 10:45 a.m. ET: A Syrian fighter pilot flew his plane to Jordan on Thursday and was granted political asylum, the first defection of an air force pilot with his plane during the 15-month uprising against President Bashar Assad.
Jordanian Information Minister Sameeh Maaytah confirmed that the pilot had defected, with the plane landing in Jordan at 10:45 a.m. local time (3:45 a.m. ET), The Associated Press reported.
Maaytah later told Reuters that the pilot had been granted political asylum by the Jordanian authorities.
Initially, three Jordanian officials said the Russian-made MiG-21 made an emergency landing at the northern King Hussein Air Base in Mafraq, 43 miles north of the Jordanian capital and near the Syrian border, while Syrian state TV reported its authorities had lost contact with the jet during a training mission.
Syrian state TV, the rebel Free Syrian Army, and a Jordanian security official all said the pilot was a colonel named Hassan Merei Hammadeh.
Reports: West may offer Syria's Bashar Assad immunity if he gives up power
The Jordanian official -- who insisted on anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the matter -- said the pilot took off his air force tag and kneeled on the ground in prayer at the air base after he landed his aircraft.
Former National Security Adviser for President Carter, Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, joins Morning Joe to discuss the latest in Egypt, the G20 summit in Mexico, China's relationship with Russia and the impact it could have on the U.S. and Syria.
A spokesman for the rebel Free Syrian Army, Ahmad Kassem, said the group had encouraged the pilot to defect and monitored his activity until the jet landed safely in Jordan.
The defection could have serious repercussions on relations between Jordan and Syrian, which so far have maintained their business ties despite political tensions between them.
P.J. Crowley, former State Department spokesman, joins Andrea Mitchell Reports to talk about how US and Russia might work together to prevent a civil war in Syria.
Jordan has taken in 125,000 Syrian refugees, including hundreds of army and police defectors, which Syria has desperately sought their extradition.
Since an uprising against Assad's regime began in March last year, Syrian troops have refrained from using military warplanes against rebels.
Evacuated thwarted by gunfire
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Thursday that its aid workers were forced to turn back as they tried to begin the evacuation of wounded and sick people from the city of Homs.
PhotoBlog: Syrian army shells Homs and Qusayr
The independent aid agency said on Wednesday that Syrian forces and rebel militants had agreed to its request for a humanitarian truce to evacuate trapped civilians and the wounded after more than 10 days of intense fighting.
"An ICRC and Syrian Arab Red Crescent team was heading to the old city of Homs early this morning, however we had to turn back due to the shooting," ICRC spokesman Hicham Hassan told Reuters. "We will attempt to go back to the area today (Thursday) in order to evacuate persons wounded and sick, women and children."
NBC News, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
I do not understand all this talk about "preventing a civil war." Is no one paying attention? The civil war has already begun -- and Assad's forces fired the first shots. When any uniformed military conducts an artillery bombardment on one of its own cities, that is a civil war.
The fact that an Air Force Colonel has defected -- and done so in such a visible way -- tells me that even the higher levels of his military now question the legitimacy of the Assad regime.
You should also note that other governments are now offering assylum to Assad -- a sure sign they all recognize the end is near. Assad should take the opportunity to leave now, or end up like Mubarrak, a prisoner of those he once ruled.
After all the damage he's done to his people, I believe a Quaddafi scenario is more likely.
Mubarak resigned early, BEFORE a calamity like this took place. He wasn't exactly rewarded for his good sense, but at least he made it to trial.
Assad will likely be shot in the streets after being dragged from the sewers.
This is great news.Even better if ALL the Syrian Air Force takes their planes and fly to another country.Then they can regroup and fly back and attack Assad and his criminal regime.O.k to leave a nice fantasy. and return to something more realistic... sooner or later this beast in Damascus,the son of another beast is going to bite the dust. Better sooner..as he is massacring his own people!
Wow, a MiG-21. Think of the intelligence that can be gained by the West getting their hands on a 55-year-old Soviet Era fighter jet!!!! Hmm? What's that? Your neighbor is restoring one in his garage alongside his '57 Chevy? Oh, well that's different. Never-mind.
It will be interesting, however, to get a first hand account from this Colonel about the current goings on within the Syrian Military, and learning who if anyone outside of Assad's Alawite tribe is providing support for his regime willingly and without being compelled by threats and absent of collusion.
Too bad the Syrian civilians don't have a MiG-21 they can use to leave the country...
Robert i was thinking the same thing....lol
This Syrian Air Force Colonel was a smart man for getting his ass out of Syria now, and I say kudos to Jordan for giving him political asylum. I hope to see much more of this sort of thing in the future as Assad's regime continues to crumble!
Robert in Oregon,
"Wow, a MiG-21. Think of the intelligence that can be gained by the West getting their hands on a 55-year-old Soviet Era fighter jet!!!! Hmm? What's that? Your neighbor is restoring one in his garage alongside his '57 Chevy? Oh, well that's different. Never-mind."
The U.S. Air Force already has Soviet Mig-21's and even later versions of Soviet aircraft in its custody. But don't tell anyone I told you so. They'll have to kill me.
Mickey, um ... I think you missed the joke. Perhaps I should have included a smiley face, quotes and signature line for my Emily Litella-like (confused) aphorism?
See if this is better:
"Wow, a MiG-21. Think of the intelligence that can be gained by the West getting their hands on a 55-year-old Soviet Era fighter jet!!!! Hmm? What's that? Your neighbor is restoring one in his garage alongside his '57 Chevy? Oh, well that's very different. Never-mind."
~ Emily Litella :-))
Robert in Oregon,
No, I did not miss your joke, and I thought it was a pretty good one, too. I just thought I would point out that we do actually have Soviet Mig's of various models and other captured Soviet weaponry as well. So your joke is not just a joke.
Thanks, for the additional followup Mickey. I for one am actually fascinated by Soviet Era and more recently Russian built military aircraft and have had the opportunity to see, and touch a few (MiG-23, MiG-29, MiG-31, SU-27, An-124, An-225, etc. (and even got to sit inside a MiG-19); all at local and regional Air Shows (mostly the Abbotsford International Air shows of the late 1980's and early 1990's)
I also got to watch perhaps the most famous Mikoyan Gurevich test/demonstration pilots, Anatoly Kvochur, fly an aerobatic performance/demonstration MiG-29 at Abbotsford just two months or so after he ejected from his MiG-29 (AKA "Lawn Dart") at the Paris Air show; barely escaping with his life. THAT was an amazing machine for its time, in many respects.
The fall of East Germany put several copies of almost every then existing Soviet Era Aircraft in the hands of NATO.
That situation in Syria must be terrible. I'm happy that the defectors keep coming. Offering a amnesty To Bashir, is a big mistake. My opinion only.
In the mad Shiites vs Sunni battles, it is no big deal if one defects. More may come!
Let us worry about state of affairs at home.
The best thing will be to keep miles away from Syria and Iran. Hope many have learnt lessons from Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
If atrocities and barbarism on girls, children and women are the criteria, then the most despotic, autocratic and bigoted Sunni Saudi ruler with his 5000 princes and princesses, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League Sunni rulers and their rich sheiks are the biggest culprits in the history.
Through the Muslim immoral trafficking gangs, these barbarians have assembled all varieties of poor and helpless girls and women from all over the world in their harems and brothels.
In killing of opponents again, these people have established world records.
If the US, Britain and others support such Sunni barbarians and beasts who treat girls and women as cheap sex slaves, then one can only conclude that Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists determine what to see, how to lecture and where and when to act.
Rest like “human rights”, “killing of children and women”, “militants”, “terrorists”, “WMDs”, “chemical weapons” and so on are a pure hoax.
Similar hoaxes were played each time before Iraqi wars on directions of Saudi, oil companies and their lobbyists.
Now none of them are looking into Iraq, where at a million have been killed and devastated.
Twice are too much to tolerate.
It's less the human rights violations and more the fact that they're in the middle of a CIVIL WAR.
Berating countries for oppressing their people is all well and good, but as you illustrated with your list, it gets quite exhaustive when half of Africa and the middle east treat their people as disposable tax cows (and that's putting aside the more specific equal rights issues and violations in powerful countries like Russia and China). We can't harangue all countries that don't meet such standards, and nor can we completely ignore an escalating conflict that's killed over 10,000 people (as much as you would like to see us do so). The United States did not become rich and powerful by ignoring the rest of the world.
SF accountant: US, Britain, and many European nations are in a economic mess due to greedy Saudi and oil companies high oil price manipulations using Iraqi wars as an excuse.
PIIGS and heavy US debts are due to Iraqi and Afghan wars!
Even imposing sanctions on Iranian oil by some meaningless inventions like in Iraq and manipulating oil prices from $40 in 2009 to current $100 levels is having its impact.
Too many wars are bad for a nation including the US.
There are times when we have to focus inside instead of taking sides as Saudis want in Syria, Iran and other places.
Syria, Iran and many other ME Muslims nations' Shiites vs Sunni battles are not our problems. Let them handle them for a change like in Bahrain.
You are exactly correct. However, we are losing all respect and power today for hiding in the closet.
Of course Assad wants all 125,000 refugees extradited. That way he can kill them all and take their land, houses and belongings. Assad is no better than any other dictatorial despot who has murdered his own countrymen to stay in power. He knows that as long as there is anyone left who does not like him, his own life -- and way of life -- is in danger, so why not murder several thousand more just to make sure he and his trophy wife can stay in power.
Wish it was as simple as that - trouble is, in the Arab world, just because you help someone doesn't mean you get appreciation, respect or even help. And getting rid of a tyrant/dictator doesn't mean you get an improvement, you may just get a change. Look at Egypt - got rid of a dictator who maintained order and civilization, and now you have either the Muslim Brotherhood or the military taking over - in either case, women are back to being slaves and protestors are being beaten. Or Libya, going the same way. You want to bet that if Syria gets rid of Assad (all to the good), they will not have the same situation - another muslim theocracy, even worse than Assad?
Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it!
As long as Egypt and Libya have established proper democratic institutions, then whatever government they elect is irrelevant in the short term because they'll be able to vote them out the next time. If they elect a government that's likely to treat women badly and oppress the people (and those are rather pessimistic assumptions), well, then they'll get what they voted for, won't they? The point is that these new governments enjoy a democratic mandate and can be pushed out in four or so years; democracy isn't a guarantee of good governance (as Americans can heartily attest to) so much as a protection against the worst governance (tyrant thugs like Assad).
By the way, I have noticed a definet bent toward controlling womens rights and beating of protesters happening here in the US....maybe we should take a closer look in the mirror?? Call it shia law or Sunni whatever if the thing quacks like a duck it just might be a duck.
What planet do you live on? Swallow? As in swallow the kool aid??
Quick, change the error. The grammar police will surely be here any second.
I'm sure the Libyan sword can be used as a symbol amongst the Free Syrian Army. It's horrific to wake up to mass graves and not surprising to learn how Assad's most closest are changing their opinion of him. The airports need to be secured completely for the transport of more humanitarian supplies.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/247296.html
http://www.brasschecktv.com/videos/war-is-a-racket-1/when-will-we-attack-syria.html
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/247220.html
Okay, I read your articles (the first and third one, anyway; I'm not wasting my time on hearing more useless speculation about how we're going to attack Syria). So what's your point? What does this have to do with Syrian military defections?
Or are you just making sure people know that the rebels are doing bad things too (like pretty much every military force in history, regardless of their cause)?
That defecting pilot would have been much more of a hero to the Syrian people (and the rest of the world) if he first dropped his bombs on top of Assad's head before crossing into Jordon.
A pilot defection? Of great significance? No. After all, Russia had its refuseniks, as did the US in Vietnam, and I am sure there were also some associated with Iraq ( not publicized - but I would lay good odds some servicemen sought out ). As for elections? Yes, I concur with Brzezinski in terms of elections as it is clear ( despite all the noise ) Assad has a significant sector of population support as otherwise he would have been long since gone. Yes, the support is sectarian, just as the support segment for the rebels is sectarian - but without some act to admit elections the population sectors are just going to continue to fight it out in a proxy war fueled by arms from Turkey/Saudi and who knows elsewhere against arms from Russia. Also, as this continues there is a good chance the turkish Kurds ( who have no reason to love their government ) will take their chance and rise up against their government.
No, the pilot defection itself isn't important.
Although the total number of defectors IS rather important. Numbers are rather hard to come by, but it's been said repeatedly that most of the Free Syrian Army is composed of Syrian military defectors. This comes on top of the "hundreds" of military defectors in Jordan quoted in the article. And if your army starts turning to the military one unit at a time and shows no signs of stopping (which is different from Russia and US men refusing to fight), how can Assad trust his own army? I don't think for a moment that Assad will survive this conflict. I'm just wondering whether the bullet that takes him out will come from the front or the back.
SF -
In this particular case, I believe that this defection is of real significance. I'll explain...
The vast majority of the free Syrian army are former soldiers that were mostly infantry, artillery, logistics, etc... and other components of Syrian military structure. Due to the population structure of Syrian society in which 75%+ are of the Sunni sect, populating a majority of infantry units and local police force units with Sunni muslims was necessary and has worked until the outbreak of the revolt.
The Syrian Airforce is the sole domain of the Allawite sect - and this is by design. The branch of the military has been structured and designed as a 'guards' element for the regime. If this defector is an Allawite (something that we do not know yet), then this defection in itself is small, but the greater implication is that the rank and file and some elements of the Allawite Assad-loyalists officer corp are beginning to break ranks with the regime.
I have no evidence to offer in regards to the particular ethnicity of the pilot, but can only speculate with some aspect of positive certainty that he is an Allawite due to the structure of the Airforce in this nation.
At this point I do agree with you that the Assad regime will not survive this conflict. A brutal interneccine war is now going on within Syrian society and will certainly get worse. The Lebanon model is often cited and this seems to be correct. This nation will undoubtedly undergo a similar implosion to that of Yugoslavia in the early 90s. We can see it happening and know what is coming.
Best of luck to you. You are an asset to this site.
Expect Assad to begin to purge his military if he hasn't already begun to do so. Since the military is the only thing keeping him in power (see Egypt) one defection of an officer could open the flood gates. I also wonder to what lengths the Russians would go to to ensure Assad stays in power?
While the West talks about giving Assad amnesty, his minions have to be thinking that they're not going to get the same consideration.
The smart ones get out early.
Stay until the end, and pay the price.
All this talk about the west giving amnesty is a bit premature, the people of Syria just might have a few words to say about that. The west or anyone else should stay the hell out of it.
Not much to say. One solder defects after a life time of backing a tyrant. Why now? It's not because he does not believe in Asssd any more. Its beacue he see the writting on the wall. Assad is going down and the mob is going to next turn on militry that keep him in powere for so long. He got out while he could. I say Jordan should keep him for now ancd than hand his butt back once the fighting stops to face the mob.
backing a tyrant?
That pilot hasn't killed anyone.
Besides, Syria has a mandatory draft for all men.
He is just like the thousands of soldiers who are being forced to choose between their lives or the lives of the protesters. The courageous ones choose the lives of the protesters, and escape or die.
That pilot will be welcomed back when this is all over.
Good Move Colonel
This shows you that This Colonel doesnt want to have anything to do with Assad evil regime / killing machine.
if this Colonel felt Assad Regime is a good regime, he would of stay there but he knows what s going on and for that! he chose to leave for good.
I pray God not to have mercy on your soul Assad. I am sure that your father is been punished and suffering right now for all those innocent people he killed under his regime. I hope you join him in Hell soon Assad.
Assad : killing women and children will not go unpunished and know this! we are not afraid of you. Hitler super power was defeated because he was selfish and so do you Assad.. you monster
Killing women and children does not make you a real men but a coward and soon you will fall.
you do not scare people by killing their women and children but you are only making those people more angry and more stronger to fight the devil you have become.
All the devils like you have no place on earth, they are not welcome, they will not defeat us, we will fight them with every breath we have left. The Good of mankind will be restore one way or anther.
And still MSNBC ignores the rocket attacks against Israel....some 130 rockets coming from Gaza.
MSNBC will wait until Israel responds and then they'll portray Israel as the aggressor.
130 rockets... wow! they have little effect and most of them are blocked by Israel Missile defense ground system / 0.0 casualties most of the time...
of course when Israel responds.. it s always deadly and hundreds of Palestinian casualties for sure! and most of them women and children. Palestine have no defense missile against Israel Missiles.
Palestine is a training Killing ground for the Isralies to pratice their US weapons and Missles and Tanks..
May God Help us all
Wrong firecracker: Muslims do not hide behind their women and children, Muslims do not use women and children as shield! that s a lie and Muslims are better than this! show me one picture of a Muslim hiding behind a women! you have lost your mind for sure.As a Muslim you are suppose to protect your family from harm s way and provide for them and lead by Good example. I dont know where you got your info but it s not true.
Any men of any religion who hides behind his wife or children is a coward.
Women do participate in protest but with their free well.
Just FYI, ISRAEL KILLED MORE WOMEN THAN HAMAS DID
For your info.. I am not a hater and I will never allow hate to take over me but I pray for Justice and for a new Palestine just like Israel as a State.
You would think by now that half, if not more, of the Syrian Military would have defected! How long can these people go on killing the citizens of their own country without it affecting them mentally? They've become unfeeling "Robots" it would seem!
AL Fonso IT did not bother NATO in Libya and Iraq , These guys in Syria are not killing their own people , Unlike what you see on our Media , Have you ever seen the other side of the story . You believe this guy killing the people that support him and the People that against him According to our news Media , Now our Generals already admitted that Alqaeda in Syria and that the Saudis and Qataris arming them through us , But it seems like everybody Ignoring that , Even you buddy and all these war mongers people on this site, WOW have you all forgot the WMD story and all the Videos , Doesn't looks like the same story . OH you all forgot , Maybe we need to talk to the families of our fallen Heroes , And see what they think about this , Everybody on this site want to Attack and kill , Drone , Send the seals team , Syria have not done anything to us , Assad protecting his people against thugs that Saudia and Qatar sent in to Syria to Over throw him , He has the right to protect himself and his people . JUST LIKE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT OUR SELF'S FROM ALL THESE DRUG DEALERS COMING FROM MEXICO , But who cares.
real courage. he has burned every bridge he ever had and trusted and hopes what he finds in another country is better than what he had. i hope his trust in jordan is not misplaced. good luck in the future colonel and godspeed.
Any country would have taken him in with open arms with the world being so politically correct and everyone down on Syria........but Jordan? Really? I would have flown to Switzerland or Holland and if I had to stop for fuel along the way, so be it. When I got there I would have sold the MIG to an amusement park for some pocket money and moved on but Jordan? Thats like defecting from Chad to Ethiopia or from Tahiti to Bora Bora or from Oregon to Washington. No, no no, I'm going to Jordan and I have my own plane? If you are going to burn a bridge, burn it down to the ground with no hope of reconstruction. For my money, I'm going to Monaco. Ciao.
Who died and made us the world's policeman? I say let them all fight it out amongst themselves. We have better things to spend our money on, such as fixing bridges before another one collapses and takes a lot of innocent people with it. We need to look in our own back yard before we go saving the world. It's like Germeny. We still have bases there and I think after almost 70 years, we don't have to worry about the Nazis anymore. Maybe a few skin heads and Kraftwerk, but nothing to justify a base or two. With all the modern technology like drones and missles that can be guided by lasers, we don't need to maintain our presence in anybody else's country. That's thinking 1918 and 1941 and we're in 2012.