Soviet advisors die in Vietnam

What about the US discreetly but deliberately targeting Soviet advisors, and vice versa? Would that cause a war?
 
I have a vague idea that during the Cold War sometimes spies would have wars, where they would kill off their opposite numbers instead of just dealing with their presence. Perhaps that could be another aspect of the Cold War, combattants turning nasty and taking out their frustrations on enemy advisors, and it being kept quiet.
 
Why does it confuse you that the Israelis had US advisors?:rolleyes:
You have to make very clear distinction between individuals from certain country who become involved in some military affair in other country at their own risk and military personnel sent by their superior to fight. For example, Russian citizens did fight in ACW, however it does not prove that Russian Empire sent advisors to Lincoln (they actually did sent a naval group, but that is separate story. Israel (especially during early days of Independence War) had plenty of individuals from other countries, serving as volunteers (ideology-driven), mercs or combination of thereof. You can google on Machal to find out more. However, to the best of my knowledge, Israel never used foreign troops in combat (they came fairly close to it in 1956, but didn't cross the line).

The most often repeated claim is that USAF/USN pilots flew F-4s during YKW
This is an urban legend originally cooked up by Soviet propaganda machine. Soviets made the claim early during the war and Americans offered that every American carrier in Medi would be shadowed by Soviet sub sailing unsubmerged next to it and monitoring that there're no planes taking off from said carrier with Stars of David markings. I personally knew Soviet Navy officer who served on one of said subs and he claims that there were no violations.

as for cabbies, I might believe it if there would be some concrete proof
I don't find it impossible to believe. After all, Rahm Emanuel did serve in IDF during Gulf War and IDF does have a "foreign volunteer" program operating non-stop since 1948. Besides, some of said cabbies could possess dual citizenship.

What about the US discreetly but deliberately targeting Soviet advisors, and vice versa? Would that cause a war?
It would not cause a war but it likely would cause a lot of American losses. There was kind of unwritten rule that superpowers don't hunt opponent's military personnel more than necessary (Soviet SAM crews shooting American pilots in 'Nam and CIA advisors killing Soviets in Afghanistan were "price of doing business"). Switching to targeted assasinations would kill at least as many Americans as Soviets (Americans tended to favour heavier deployments, so most of 3rd world conflicts saw more American advisors than Soviet ones) and Americans are much more sensitive to losses than USSR ever was.
 
The USSR might say that the USA ruthlessly killed Soviet aid workers that were giving medical and logistical support to the opressed workers of Vietnam.

Edit: just to make Anaxagoras feel better ;)
 
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Anaxagoras

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The SU might say that the US ruthlessly killed Soviet aid workers that were giving medical and logistical support to the opressed workers of Vietnam.

[Insert obligatory rant about how the correct abbreviation for the Soviet Union is "USSR" rather than "SU", knowing that no one will care.]
 
as for cabbies, I might believe it if there would be some concrete proof

I'm really not bothered what you believe, incidentally serving RAF pilots with Hunter and Phantom hours flew in the Yom Kippur although they probably did have dual nationality. Also I know personally two British soldiers who fought with the Mujahideen against the Russians and two white Rhodesians who killed Russians fighting for Mugabe.
 
I have a vague idea that during the Cold War sometimes spies would have wars, where they would kill off their opposite numbers instead of just dealing with their presence. Perhaps that could be another aspect of the Cold War, combattants turning nasty and taking out their frustrations on enemy advisors, and it being kept quiet.

A lot of that spy-kill-spy stuff did happen.
 
"advisors"

"advisors" getting killed (either USSR or USA) especially in small numbers would have (and had) essentially zero effect. In Vietnam for the Soviets to openly admit they had military experts helping NVN shoot down US planes would poison relationships, and other than hopeless stooges the reaction of most would be "take sides in a war & expect to get killed".
As far as foreign "advisors" fighting with the IDF, as opposed to a relatively small number of Jewish volunteers - not happening. Put a US pilot in an Israeli F4...sure he can be a top gun but is he familiar with Israeli tactics, is his Hebrew good enough to communicate adequately & respond to "heads up calls".
 
incidentally serving RAF pilots with Hunter and Phantom hours flew in the Yom Kippur although they probably did have dual nationality.
Phantoms - possibly, as this plane remained IAF's workhorse for decades. However, language issue does come to mind... Hunter? As in "Hawker Hunter"? Very unlikely, IAF never employed this type of plane. However, it is possible that some Brit Jewish pilots with Hunter experience volunteered for IAF during YKW. I doubt they flew for IAF though.
two white Rhodesians who killed Russians fighting for Mugabe.
Fought? Quite possibly. There were Soviet advisors there. Killed? Less likely. AFAIR Soviet losses there were in single digits, and I find it pretty hard to believe that both of your pals did kill Soviets. I would explain it with "Asian horde syndrome", when everyone fighting Soviets is bound by Western perceptions to kill boatloads of them, preferably with single bullet (Russian history buffs calculated that sum of Russian losses claimed during WWII by different Axis powers and co-belligerents exceeds pre-war population of USSR, not just available manpower).
 
While rare, the spy-kill-spy stuff did happen. However, there was a bargain: KGB does not kill Americans or Soviet defectors in the U.S., while CIA does not kill Soviets or American defectors in the USSR. In third world locales, different rules applied, of course, and on occasion, agents from one side or the other would simply....disappear. Or be found dead under mysterious circumstances. If spies went around killing each other on a regular basis, the cycle of kill and counter-kill would interfere with the main business of an intelligence agency, and that is gathering information, and could get way out of hand. Hunting down and dispatching to the next world proxies used by "the other side", though, would happen anywhere.
 
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