They knew if they shot down an airliner that democrats would blame Trump.
Hmm ... that's some chess level thinking I'm unconvinced is part of their quiver. Perhaps so ...
I tend to believe it was the assuredness by the Iranians we'd launch a counter air attack ... that dude in the anti-aircraft battery outside Tehran had his fangs out.
I know the feeling ... but I also know target ID. Was working with a Forward Air Controller one night just south of Bagdad during "Southern Watch" (no Iraqi aviation or Republican Guard south of the 33rd parallel (latitude)
My flight lead and I were doing some basic infra red targeting (not employing weapons) with an air-ground missile, and recording the pictures. (this is when we saw the terrorist training camps Saddam was housing in Iraq, by the way) Because it was night and we didn't have NVGs, we had a deconfliction plan/position reporting between us.
I'd JUST made my run, reestablishing my "safe" altitude from wingie when the FAC called "HELO southbound, HOT" He'd seen a red flashing "beacon"
Flight lead was 5-6 miles away ... outbound. >I< was gonna be "THE A-10 pilot to get an air-air kill at night ..." as I was pulling hard back around, arming the heat seeking air-air missile.
My fangs were through the floorboard and into the slipstream by the time I got the ol Hawg turning "hot" to the target. upon further inspection ... it was an ambulance running fast down the highway next to our primary targeting site.
So .... I know the feeling. But this guy failed. He's probably no longer breathing himself.
) 
