In Syria, Military Close Calls

In this image provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service and released on Friday, June 23, 2017, long-range Kalibr cruise missiles are launched by a Russian Navy ship in the eastern Mediterranean. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it fired cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea on positions of the Islamic State in Syria. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this image provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service and released on Friday, June 23, 2017, long-range Kalibr cruise missiles are launched by a Russian Navy ship in the eastern Mediterranean. Russia's Defense Ministry said it fired cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea on positions of the Islamic State in Syria. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
In this image provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service and released on Friday, June 23, 2017, long-range Kalibr cruise missiles are launched by a Russian Navy ship in the eastern Mediterranean. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it fired cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea on positions of the Islamic State in Syria. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this image provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service and released on Friday, June 23, 2017, long-range Kalibr cruise missiles are launched by a Russian Navy ship in the eastern Mediterranean. Russia's Defense Ministry said it fired cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea on positions of the Islamic State in Syria. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

In Syria, Military Close Calls

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Audio available after show airs.

After the U.S. shot down a Syrian military jet on Sunday, Russia responded by threatening to target any coalition aircraft or drones that fly west of the Euphrates river. 

We look at how Syria has become a nexus for various military powers like Iran, Turkey, Russia, NATO and the U.S. with Juan Cole, professor of history at the University of Michigan. He publishes the blog Informed Comment and his most recent book is The New Arabs: How the Millennial Generation is Changing the Middle East.