As i said, iraq could of easily shot down the planes with anti aircraft weapons, but they didn't because they knew of the consequences.
no, they actually couldn't. they could shoot down 1-2 if they get lucky. yugoslavia was stronger than iraq and it could only get 1-2.
if china can't shoot down a plane over chinese territory, it's like faithful said: not because we don't want to shoot it down or are scared, but because we don't have the technology yet, but when we get it, it'll be shot down, and there will be no response from whoever sent it, guarenteed. The crew, if alive, will be repatriated and the wreckage of the aircraft confiscated.
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/aircraft/Lockheed-F104.html
"Starfighter squadrons made two deployments to Vietnam, the first being from April 1965 to November 1965, flying 2,937 combat sorties. During that first deployment, two Starfighters were shot down by ground fire. One was shot down by a Chinese MiG-19 (Shenyang J-6) when the F-104 strayed over the border, and two F-104s were lost to a mid-air collision associated with that air-to-air battle."
During Vietnam, any crossing over of the Chinese border by US fighters was immediately responded to. If we have the technology, we will defend the borders, and the nation that sent it will not be sending them again nor make any protest.
funny how yugoslavia, even though it was disintegrated, only suffered 700 casualties against the heaviest bombardment since WW2, while iraq got hit lightly and suffered 10000's. it proves how weak and pathetic iraq was.