Posted on 08/28/2005 3:51:46 PM PDT by wagglebee
A plane carrying two U.S. senators was detained for several hours Sunday while trying to leave Russia, before being permitted to leave the country for Ukraine, according to spokesmen for the lawmakers.
Sens. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., who had been visiting storage sites for weapons of mass destruction, were held at an airport in the Ural Mountain city of Perm for several hours but were allowed to leave after talks between U.S. and Russian officials.
"I am in Ukraine with Sen. Lugar," Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Lugar's spokesman, Andy Fisher, said in a message sent from a personal messaging device Sunday afternoon.
He said Russian officials refused to let the plane take off for three hours and insisted on boarding it. "They did not. The border patrol finally got orders to let us go," Fisher said.
"We were treated just fine," he said.
A spokesman for Obama also confirmed the plane's arrival in Ukraine.
The senators and their aides spent three days in Russia visiting sites where warheads are stored before destruction under the U.S.-funded Comprehensive Threat Reduction program.
The spokesmen did not have information on the nature of the dispute that resulted in the senators' being held. Telephone calls to the Russian border guard service and Foreign Ministry were not answered Sunday evening.
The outrage is that they let them go.
I don't care for either of them, but it is unacceptable for the Russians to do this.
Yes it is! Why the hell didn't they keep them in protective custody indefinitely?
We need protection from those weasels.
On the other hand, Russians finally did something inspirational, so take heed World!
LOL. Got's to wonder what they were really doing over there. And why doesn't barak obama use his real name?
How do you like them apples. Even Border Patrol Agents in Russia have to deal with meddling government officials.
What is his real name?
WTF didn't they keep Obama?
I'm kidding.....sort of.
idunno, but I figure it's got to be Marcus Jones or something. Obama is just too hollywood for me.
Just thinking of that cracks me up.
Anytime I hear something like this I think of the scene in the movie "Air Anerica" where the senator visits Laos. Real funny movie...
They're not stupid.
And treated them "fine". The least the Russians could have done is given those two a nice little tour through the basement of KGB headquarters.
Maybe Putin looked at the manifest thought he bagged Osama?
Keep em. Put them to work in the Russian government
I wish I had the time to watch these posts and threads for the glorious opportunity to post a flashing headlight on my own bad manners.
Congratulations! Yes, you are probably right in identifying a duplicate post. BUT, it ain't your job to jump down someone else's post.
Take a deep breath and let the Mod's do their job.
I wish I had the time to watch these posts and threads for the glorious opportunity to post a flashing headlight on my own bad manners.
Congratulations! Yes, you are probably right in identifying a duplicate post. BUT, it ain't your job to jump down someone else's post.
Take a deep breath and let the Mod's do their job.
"Russian officials refused to let the plane take off for three hours and insisted on boarding it."
They heard Sen. Kennedy say that Osama was on the airplane, and he had a Lugar with him.
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