Under the "Rules of Engagement" in force at the time the USS Vincennes was justified in firing.

Then the "Rules of Engagement" in force at the time were wrong. When you kill almost 300 innocent people, it's high time you revised your rules. We'll be hearing next that the slaughter of children in Gaza is similarly justified. Western atrocity: shrug. Non-western atrocity: it's terrorism.

In any case, why should any "rules of engagement" have been in force?