Indonesia denies U.S. pilots use of airspace; carrier leaves

Washington Times ^ | 1/13/05 | Denis D. Gray, AP

[kattracks]

ABOARD THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN — The aircraft carrier leading the U.S. military's tsunami relief effort steamed out of Indonesian waters yesterday after the country declined to let the ship's fighter pilots use its airspace for training missions — part of a broad effort by Indonesia to reassert control over its territory.
    The USS Abraham Lincoln's diversion, which was not expected to affect aid flights, came as the White House asked the Indonesian government to explain why it appears to be demanding that the U.S. military and other foreign troops providing disaster relief leave the country by the end of March.

[snip]

The Indonesian government said foreign troops would be out of the country by March 31. "A three-month period is enough, even sooner the better," Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Tuesday.
    U.S. Marines have scaled back plans to send hundreds of troops ashore to build roads and clear rubble. The two sides reached a compromise in which the Americans agreed not to set up a base camp on Indonesia or carry weapons.
    Instead, the Marines — about 2,000 of whom were diverted to tsunami relief from duty in Iraq — will keep a "minimal footprint" in the country, with most returning to ships at night, said Col. Tom Greenwood, commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

[snip]

Under Navy rules, pilots of carrier-based warplanes cannot go longer than 14 days without flying, or their skills are considered to have degraded too far and they have to undergo extensive retraining.
    

[FBD]

good cartoons

[JimFreedom]

Yup, enough is enough. Let then wallow in their misery. I have had enough of the 'mooselim' antics. Sorry but I just do not 'feel their pain' anymore. It's their own doing.

[superiorslots]

Kinda reminds me of the South Park episode with the goat and others kids in Afghanistan... " We appreciate you bringing our goat back but we still hate you"

[nosofar]

U.S. Marines have scaled back plans to send hundreds of troops ashore to build roads and clear rubble.

Isn't there anyplace else that needs roads and such that isn't quite so hostile?

[TexKat]

Isn't there anyplace else that needs roads and such that isn't quite so hostile?

Yes, I can think of a few right here in the US of A.

[TexKat]

Marine Capt. Jamey Stover, assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), sits down with local Indonesian children as Sailors and Marines offload supplies from a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), January 11, 2005. The LCACs of Assault Craft Unit Five (ACU-5) are assigned to the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Expeditionary Strike Group, currently operating in the Indian Ocean off the waters of Indonesia and Thailand in support of Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian operation effort in the wake of the Tsunami that struck South East Asia. Picture taken January 11, 2005. EDITORIAL USE ONLY

[TheDon]

We help at the Indonesian's request, we leave at their request. No big deal.

[broadsword]

I think it's a more than reasonable request.

Thank you, Mohamed!

[broadsword]

The bottom line is that we are Infidels. It is the duty of all 'peace loving' Muslims to convert or kill the Infidels amongst them.

You hit the nail on the head.

[broadsword]

ISLAM is the root of hell on earth. Just look what it does to it's human adherents.

The first victim of Islam is the fool who submits to it.

[ghitma]

IMHO, the Indo Gov't wants to stop our "air craft training exercises" from spotting the terrorist camps and compounds.

[pepsionice]

Once the US miltary is out of the region...the Red Cross and other internationals are left to fend off the Indonesia mafia...you have to let them take a cut...either cash or food...but they demand a cut of everything. The US military simply would have laughed at them and told them to move on. We won't ahve this issue in Sri Lanka or Thailand...no such mafia types in those countries. We will be very welcomed in Thailand.

[airborne]

I'm sure Billy Clinton will raise all the cash they want.

After all, it's for the children!

IMHO, this whole Clinton/Bush,Sr. fundraising thing stinks!

[smiley]

Damned if we do....damned if we don't.
I say to hell with them.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

When I heard today that they want us out, my reaction was 'SCREW THEM.' I have a lot more to say, but it's UNPRINTABLE.

[staytrue]

F the Indonesian government!

You have it exactly right. The people would love to have us, but the govt. is wants to be known as the sole source of aid and comfort, even if a lot of their citizens have to die.

The reality is Government wants to own the people, wants to have the people depend and need only the Govt. and no one or no thing else.

This is why Hillary wanted her Govt. controlled health plan. This is why communism persecuted any religious belief. This is why the Romans persecuted the Christians for no other reason than holding a belief that there was a higher authority than the Roman Government.

[staytrue]

ping to post 176

[staytrue]

What a bunch of ingrates.

They are not ingrates. They are a dictatorship who wants the people the rule to know that any aid they get will be from the government and they owe their loyalty to the government and not to anyone else.

This is about stamping out any gratitude the people might feel to the US, because all gratitude must be reserved for the Government.

[Cheetah1]

We have NO business doing training missions in their air space. I agree with them saying no. I don't see the problem here.

[blackie]

Ungratful pricks!