'Pics or didn’t happen': Internet reacts to ‘Russian missiles crash in Iran’ report
It looks like it was a challenging task for MSM outlets to make bloggers believe that four Russian missiles sent from the Caspian Sea to take out ISIS dens in Syria fell in Iran. While CNN, Sky and Reuters rushed to publish reports based on unnamed US officials, many readers trolled the media to check the validity of the sources and the allegations.
No evidence whatsoever was presented, and both Moscow and Iran denied the reports. And while some commenters online took the claims as true, some saw poetic justice in the development or seized the opportunity to declare Russian weapons old junk.
With luck #Russia-fired #missiles at USA would crash in ocean thx to crap #Soviet quality. Russian missiles fired @ #Syria crashed in #Iran!
— IMRAN™ (@ImranAnwar) October 8, 2015
Some were surprised to learn new things about the geography of the Middle East and the location of the Caspian Sea, from which Russia shot a barrage of cruise missiles on Wednesday.
@robin182zz@CNNPolitics@sheenA_8886 Hey bonehead. They were launched from the Caspian Sea. Iran is, in fact, in the line of flight.
— Larry Johnson (@LarryCJohnson) October 8, 2015
But those more skeptical demanded more evidence than just the words of American officials who wouldn’t even let their names be published...
@AFP pics ! Or it didn't happened !
— |_UD0 (@l_UD0) October 8, 2015
...especially considering America’s bad track in providing accurate intelligence on the region, when the Bush administration was pushing for a war on Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.
@CNNPolitics "Officials" say a lot, like there are WMD's in Iraq, might be an idea to cite your evidence! @robin182zz
#Syria#Iran
— Tinker (@DamonMercy) October 8, 2015
Some asked why didn’t Iran confirm the reports, being the party taking the alleged damage here.
@SkyNews I believe Iran has there own information ministry or is the US now speaking for Iran?
— Helsone (@abes45) October 9, 2015
And lampooned the media reporting the allegations.
@sb250028@marcelsardo#CNN claim Russian missiles crashed in Iran! CNN also claim that #HongKong is in #SouthAmericapic.twitter.com/GuM6hoiiRf
— HISTROIKA (@HISTROIKA) October 9, 2015
Or reminded them of America’s confirmed blunders during its own airstrikes.
@CNNPolitics At least they didn't intentionally bomb a hospital.
— John Lewis (@DimAsString) October 8, 2015
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