Iraqis: Iran barred PM from its airspace

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Iraqis: Iran barred PM from its airspace

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 38 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - Iran refused to allow the Iraqi prime minister to fly across its
airspace as he was traveling to Tokyo, members of the delegation traveling
with Nouri al-Maliki told The Associated Press early Sunday.

The delegation members said al-Maliki's plane was diverted on Saturday night
to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where al-Maliki stayed in the airport for more
than three hours while his government aircraft was refueled and a new flight
plan was filed.

-snip-

All three said the Iranians told al-Maliki's pilot that they were not informed
in advance of the prime minister's need to cross Iran by air. None of the three
had any information on whether that was true or an Iranian action designed
to inconvenience and embarrass al-Maliki.

Iranian officials were unavailable to comment early Sunday.

If the refusal to allow Iraq's leader to cross Iran in his government plane was
anything more than the result of confusion or poor communication, the incident
would be a major snub for al-Maliki.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070408/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_iran

[Kagemusha]

1. Yes Maliki was so helpful informing the UK of "Iraqi" territory in that waterway

you know, the border Iran never agreed to, the one Tony Blair claimed was official and legal and that the Brits were on the correct side of. That way Iraq has Tony Blair vouching for Iraqi territory it couldn't win through 8 brutal years of warfare, this time without firing a single shot.

I can see why Iran is cross with him.

[MrPrax]

2. LBN?

Come Sunday this 'meme' will pick up even more steam...

Iraqis: Iran barred PM from its airspace
Staff and agencies
07 April, 2007


By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer 3 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - Iran refused to allow the Iraqi prime minister to fly across its airspace as he was traveling to Tokyo, members of the delegation traveling with Nouri al-Maliki told The Associated Press early Sunday.

Two members of the delegation told AP about the incident by telephone from Dubai. A government official in Baghdad confirmed their account. All spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.

Iranian officials were unavailable to comment early Sunday.

If the refusal to allow Iraq ‘s leader to cross Iran in his government plane was anything more than the result of confusion or poor communication, the incident would be a major snub for al-Maliki.

More at the http://www.localnewswatch.com/benton/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=90606">Beton Crier!!!



Last Updated: Saturday, April 7, 2007 8:43 PM CDT
Iraqis: Iran Barred PM From Its Airspace

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA


BAGHDAD - Iran refused to allow the Iraqi prime minister to fly across its airspace as he was traveling to Tokyo, members of the delegation traveling with Nouri al-Maliki told The Associated Press early Sunday.

The delegation members said al-Maliki's plane was diverted on Saturday night to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where al-Maliki stayed in the airport for more than three hours while his government aircraft was refueled and a new flight plan was filed.

More at the Daily News proudly serving the Rhinelander Region since 1882.


My Gawd!! After reading all this I can fathom why people aren't doing more to stop Iran!!! It's worst than Darfur for Gawd Sakes!!! They might get the Bomb!!! First they think they own the air and next they think they can defy the UN and the US or whatever 'good liberals' think these days...

Why post this shit?

[FarCenter]

4. his government aircraft

Iraqi government has aircraft? Make, model, tailnumber, and ownership?

[Up2Late]

3. Here's the Reuters version: Iraq says Iran barred Maliki plane from airspace

Iraq says Iran barred Maliki plane from airspace

Sun Apr 8, 2007 1:44am ET145

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran refused to allow a plane carrying Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on a trip to Asia to cross its airspace overnight, a senior adviser to the Iraqi leader said on Sunday.

Sadiq al-Rikabi, who is accompanying Maliki on the trip to Japan and South Korea, said the prime minister's plane entered Iranian airspace at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.

"Suddenly the Iranian aviation authorities ordered the pilot to go back," Rikabi said.

"We were obliged to fly to Dubai where we stayed for more than three hours to file a new (flight) plan," he said by telephone from Bangkok, where the plane was just about to depart for Tokyo.

(more at link) <http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-04-08T054430Z_01_YAT816720_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-IRAN.xml>