Iraqi Airways Flying High as Country Continues to Rebuild (what will the Rats gripe about now?)

Fox News ^ | 6/27/2008 | David MacDougall

[tobyhill]

There was a time when Iraqi Airways criss-crossed the globe, operating flights from Baghdad to cosmopolitan destinations including Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Bombay and a host of other cities.

But that was nearly three decades ago — before the economically ruinous Iran-Iraq war, two other wars involving the United States and its allies, a no-fly zone and crippling U.N. sanctions.

The long slide into decay was both painful and inevitable. By the time Saddam Hussein was toppled from power in 2003, numerous abandoned Iraqi Airways jets sat rusting on the tarmac in at least three regional airports, and the company was locked in a bitter legal dispute with the government of Kuwait over assets looted during the first Gulf War.

These days, things are starting to look better for the airline. A colossal $5.5 billion contract between Iraqi Airways and Boeing — among the largest the fledgling Iraqi government has funded to date — was recently signed to foster its expansion.

[Slapshot68]

[Ann Archy]

IRAQI AIRLINES!!!! SWEET!!! Civilized behavior!!

[agere_contra]

Obligatory “I’ve got 750000 Dinars One day I’ll be rich” ping

[Ax]

I remember seeing an Iraqi Airways 747 sitting on the runway at Santiago de Chile back in the 1980s. The Chileans were selling ammo by the ton to the Iraqis for their war with Iran.

[Ann Archy]

cool

[keepitreal]

(what will the Rats gripe about now?)

Iraq is developing a larger carbon footprint by starting up air travel again. Polar bears will die.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I'm glad to see progress in Iraq but I would never fly IraqAir.

[NoLibZone]

"what will the Rats gripe about now?"

The addition of more jets uses hydrocarbons which contributes to...

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Iraqi Airways Flying High as Country Continues to Rebuild (what will the Rats gripe about now?)

Liberal bench mark :
That Iraqi Airways don't have enough first class seats for the elitist LIBERALS ONLY seating.
That they don't have subscriptions of the NEW YORK TIMES in LIBERALS ONLY FIRST CLASS.

[SevenofNine]

SEE the US govt putting Iraqis down Sandrat look at the horrbile US govt LOL!

[Old Sarge]

Bush's Fault_tm

[LFOD]

That 737 looks suspiciously like one of the old charter jets with a new paint job. (older engines). They were all white exteriors (nondescript you know)
We flew around in one of those out of Dubai/Baghdad which literally had straw scattered about (animals) and cargo netting in the front half of the fuselage.
The “steward” if you need to call him that, always had a can of Raid in his hand - no joke.
The cockpit crew was Egyptian and they would take turns napping in the rear isle where the seats were.

I am not making this stuff up.

[SandRat]

Cheney is profiting, he has to be. < /Liberal Mantra LOL

[oneamericanvoice]

You’re right. It will be Bush’s fault. Afterall, Bush is Hitler to them.

[SevenofNine]

Sandrat that be first thing Libs would say it is Dick Cheney fault he profit from poor Iraqis

Come think of it after the war in IRaq did you think in the future we see George W Bush street or Dick Cheney Blvd in street of Baghdad

[Chode]

being a Flagged carrier, does that mean fuel is free??? seems that would help out on the ticket price...

[SandRat]

Never thought that would be the case, but it speaks volumes of how wrong the Libs were and are.

[SevenofNine]

I could imagine in the future we hear headlines

Breaking news Baghdad going named street and school after George W Bush Dick Cheney Donald Rumsfeld

Drive them really crazy name a school or street after Karl Rove

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

LOL!!!Love it!!

How about “Scooter Libby Lane”...and “Blackwater Blvd” and “”Plaza de la Halliburton” ? ha. ha.