And then firefox crashed .... sigh. Usually it can restore a session though.
So, without links then.
Russia has said that it detected illumination from a missile system tracking the plane. Ukrainian army had Buk systems in the area. Rebels may or may not have had any Buk system. There was a rumour that they had captured one from Ukraine but Interior Minister (I think it was) expressed doubts that the rebels possessed any. Kind of a mixed message on that front.
However, looks like Kiev bares some responsibility. Spanish flight controller claims he was working in Ukraine at the time of MH17 and that after the downing he and other foreign nationals were told to leave and all recordings and flight data were confiscated. That may or may not be true but the lock down of recordings could be a reasonable presumption to limit liability. (Air traffic control tapes from 911 were similarly destroyed perhaps to hide gross failures). In this case Kiev is in control of air traffic and has the responsibility for directing air traffic safely through Ukrainian air space. The airspace in the trouble spots in the east has been closed since early or mid July. The normal flightpath for that flight is considerably to the south. Ukrainian flight control was derelict in directing the flight through that airspace. It wasn't supposed to be there.
If the rebels fired then they had no reason to think that this aircraft was anything other than an airplane out to kill them especially if the transponder wasn't working or they lacked the technical ability to interpret the response.
Interfax reported that Putin's presidential jet also passed through that airspace that day and Kiev might have been trying to get a shot on him and blame it on the rebels. Russia said that was nonsense and Putin hadn't flown over Ukraine in a long time.
The president of Ukraine says he has no doubt the plane was shot down with a Buk operated by "professionals" - highly unlikely considering what they shot down and the obvious implications that would ensue.
Kerry is piling on the sauce and blaming Putin. Putin is disciplined and he will have to play not to be drawn and just keep to his plan of dismantling dollar hegemony - he just returned from engineering a new agreement among the BRICs to start a competitor monetary system the America's IMF. Putin has oil but he might not have time because the US has the worlds most powerful military and understands the threat of an alternate banking system - after all, how can you foreclose on people who don't borrow from you.
Putin is in no position to push for a hot war but it would play to US advantage.
The black box has supposedly been recovered and sent to Moscow. Putin says he's happy to cooperate with investigators.
Kerry claims evidence of missile systems coming in over the Russian border. The Americans are using this to really lean on the European leaders who have been reluctant to sanction Russia. Not to long ago the US fined France a significant amount of money for dealing with Russia but it didn't stop them.
Lot's of focus on what Kerry has said, lots of focus on tearful relatives and strewn bodies. Haven't found any official statements from the rebels.
Do have a link I just dug up now from the Japan Times. Interesting screed. Seems to try to build a case on Putin not saying he was responsible:
“
I believe that Russia will continue to deny it is responsible even if there is evidence, especially indirect evidence as it will most likely be the case,”
Yes, that is basically Russia is guilty because they deny it even if we have evidence that doesn't point to them. The neocons are squealing with delight.