President flies into Baghdad's Missile Alley - Too risky?

A big surprise yesterday was President Bush’s pop-in first-ever flight to Baghdad, for a Thanksgiving Day unexpected visit with U.S. troops.  Risky, but it worked.

 

While it was a good impression, it was chancy flying the Commander in Chief to the same airport (Baghdad Int’l) where a cargo plane had been hit by a missile and lost an engine just a week before.

 

Iraqis let it happen once, but I doubt they’d be fooled a second time>OR they could just get lucky -- so I hope he doesn’t do another one before next election -- or there could be a sudden change in players. This visit was only 2 ½ hours long, which tells you how secure the President’s security felt during the visit – imagine what it’s like for everyone else who has to stay there. Imagine the impression if Iraqi insurgents had shot down Air Force One and killed the President, and it’s impact on the future.

 

The impact would have been tragic for the U.S. and a huge boost for the huge legion of Saddam loyalists with nothing to lose who create the mayhem and shoot the missiles.

 

It would also mean suddenly the President was Dick Cheney, who’s had at least 4 heart operations and a new V-P running the GOP ticket versus the Democrat nominee in Nov. 04.

 

It’s one thing to risk an international negotiator and USAF Aux pilot like myself and just my crew’s butt flying a not so fast blimp-like 747 into Baghdad’s missile alley -- and quite another if I'm flying in as President --

Mission Day #2

The 2nd day of Mission Day was a surprise. Clear skies gave way to storm clouds. First sortie out had to turn back as clouds rolled in. A COLD north front was pressing in. The weather seemed to clear break so we launched again -- my plane was like driving a roller coaster with 3 of us strapped in.

We ran into rain squalls and low clouds short of the search zone, so we had to twist and turn to stay clear of rain bands and sinking clouds. I looked out and saw we were BELOW some of the towers around us, although we were still at a legal altitude, it wasn't a situation to continue. So we headed back. We found a clear area and made a simulated search. I wondered how the landing would turn out in STRONG winds whipping up.

We dove for the runway, and when the wheels touched the check pilot said: "NICE landing." I was amazed. Long couple of days, but got the Mission Pilot training done. Early day tomorrow...

Mission Pilot training day

Just back from a long day working on a Mission Pilot rating with the USAF Auxiliary. It's a Volunteer organization but its a part of Homeland Security and I think with Iraq increasing terrorism and all the bombings going on around the world we can't let our guard down now. 

It was a madcap day because I also found out I was to attend a Bar Mitzvah, for the first time ever, at the same time the training was set up. So, I ended up going to the early briefing at the airport, then fought traffic in a car to make the service and part of the reception--with no time to change to my suit--then back to the airport to fly a mission before sunset. Just made it.

Have one more day of flying to be fully qualified, so will have to miss church and "just do it."  Then it's done and I can fly any upcoming emergency missions.

It was the USAF Aux (Civil Air Patrol) that was the first flight over New York after 9 11 - they did a video with some of our new equipment. We now fly clearance before Shuttle launches and a number of our pilots flew hours in the Columbia search mission early this year. Those of us who flew got a "V" Cluster, whatever that is since I haven't picked mine up yet.

Iraq news seems to be the same, the daily bombing. I had no negative responses, totally unusual, on my last Global American newsletter. Ummmmm. What's up with that.

Tired, and got to get up again EARLY to fly again - it was WINDY today, but bright skies and big billowing clouds above us. Sun was a big orange near the west as we flew circles, looking for the signal of a stimulated downed aircraft beacon. Our designated search grid was near Hooks Airport, so I had the controller watching us on radar to warn of traffic.

Then Monday it's back to business, but I'll be ready to fly a mission should we, God forbid, have another terrorism strike, or if a plane goes down. I still want to fly a mission to check for leaks on the nuclear plant near our base that could affect 5 million people who live within lethal radiation distance....America, the USAF Aux is working to help with volunteers who are ordinary citizens --teachers, salesmen, doctors, lawyers, etc, giving their time. In WWII, it was our aircraft that discovered the German sub that were sinking our ships as they left port. One German Admiral later said it was our "damn red and yellow airplanes" that drove them away. Now they are red, white and blue...

Floods in Houston today

Today was wild. We had the worst flooding since Allison hit in 2001. Tornados ripped thru houses, churches, etc. and cars were buried under water. One trucker was pulled off his air by a helicopter testing a new collar device--it worked great.

Another big rain wave moving in the next couple hours to hit us again. Roads are JAMMED, cars creeping at a snail's pace.

It reminded me of Allison, when we flew back from Washington DC and nearly drove into deep water in the night. It rose so rapidly. We need Amphibious cars!

Not sure what happened in the rest of the world today, too busy trying to survive - one tornado hit just a mile or so away to the West. Didn't get any work done either. Should be sunny rest of the week.

Iraq by Iraqis

Want to REALLY know what is happening on the ground in Iraq? Then check out these blogs by Iraqis living there. Listen to what they say instead of relying on either our government or media -both of whom slant the news:

http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

Post a comment if you want. Riverbend is a woman and very intelligent. Zeyad (Healing Iraq) has a different perspective -- but both are excellent. 

And don't criticize them if you disagree with something - if you were living there with your butt on the line every day you might have a different view than someone sitting safely 8,000 miles away in the U.S. 

I think we have a lot in common with ordinary Iraqis, if we take the time to listen to them. 

Economy & $87 billion to Iraq

They say the U.S. economy grew the last quarter faster than anytime since 1984. It missed a lot of folks if it did. We are now sitting on nearly a $500 billion deficit and about to send another $87 billion to Iraq. Try doing that as a consumer and see how fast you end up on (1) bankruptcy court or (2) jail. However, Bush still refused to back off the tax cut to the top 1% which would pay for the $87 billion. So its back to voodoo economics.

Over $20 billion of the $87B is for reconstruction - and it appears that the taxpayers are getting ripped.  Halliburton is charging $1.56 gallon for gas that can be purchased for 98 cents (apparently its resold to consumers in Iraq for 4 cents, yes, as in FOUR cents). Most of the companies getting contracts are also big contributors to the Bush admin-and leaving out a lot of Iraqi contractors that could do the same work a lot cheaper, so we are teaching Iraqi's that (1) they don't count and (2) it takes payoffs to run a democracy.  Some example we are setting. 

Whatever happened to corruption-free government? If Iraqis look at our judicial system they see that (1) millions of nonviolent drug offenders, mainly minority, who are POOR go to JAIL and (2) RICH drug offenders, mainly white, go to treatment facilities (e.g. Rush Limbaugh). Lesson? Our legal system treats rich different from poor, and color counts. Yet no politicians rail about the unfairness, nor do the radio talk shows.

Saddam killed a lot of people but our own system is finding people on death row who are cleared by DNA tests - how many innocents have we killed? Even after testing negative, the people have to fight like hell to get released. Is that a model system?

Bottom line: Saddam was a snake, but we have a lot of changes we need to make to our own system to make it a global model. If treatment is OK for rich, it should be OK for poor. If a jailed person is cleared by DNA, let them out (i.e. you caught the wrong person). Business corruption (buying contracts through "donations") is wrong in the 3rd world, and is wrong in America. Let's make America a real global model for humane treatment, justice and fairness.