Two Libyan fighter jets land in Malta

Reuters ^ | 21 of february 2011 | Christopher Scicluna/edited by Michael Roddy

[ConfusedSwede]

VALLETTA (Reuters) – Two Libyan fighter jets and two civilian helicopters landed unexpectedly in Malta Monday, witnesses said.

[ConfusedSwede]

The office of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said it was not clear whether the two fighter pilots intended to ask for asylum. They initially had asked to refuel, it said.

[Judges Gone Wild]

Why fly all the way to Malta when you can re-fuel in-country?

I think the 2 pilots want no part of firing on their own countrymem/tribe.

[tcrlaf]

Looks like some of the rats are trying to get out while they still have heads....

[Christian Engineer Mass]

This is all going to be over very quickly.

I suppose all the arab/muslims who attacked the US for attacking Gaddaffi will now be eating their words. /sarc

[elhombrelibre]

When you dictators lose the NYT, they're not long for this world. See:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/world/africa/22libya.html

[PLD]

It is Libian leader Gadofie with a few of his wives..asking for housing..When Obama gets bck from his vacations then Gadofi will be brough here to the USA by Obama and the Czars....

[MCCC]

Unless it is a declared war/conflict zone international air law would make the conversation look like this........

Pilot: Request permission to land.
Controller: Permission denied.

Pilot: Request permission to land for fuel.
Controller: Permission denied.

Pilot: Declaring an Emergency.
Controller: Say fuel and souls onboard...any Runway.

[PAR35]

Why fly all the way to Malta when you can re-fuel in-country?

Assuming facts not in evidence.

[gleeaikin]

Didn’t some Iraqi pilots fly out of Iraq during the first Gulf War. If I remember correctly it was to prevent them being destroyed by US and allied bombing. Does anyone know for sure what happened there? And might there be something similar happening for Libya? Does anyone know how many fighters and helicopters Libya has?

[MindBender26]

Malta has a history of accepting “all commers,” plus they can sell the 2 a/c for serious $

[Dr. Eckleburg]

souls onboard.

That always chokes me up. It's as if being so high in the sky makes the people on board that much closer to heaven.

[Fido969]

The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way

As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to
The cockpit radio blare

As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

The shareef don’t like it
Rockin’ the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don’t like it
Rockin’ the Casbah
Rock the Casbah

[Does so]

US-friendly (and US-trained) Iranian Air Force pilots didn't live very long under Ayatollah Khomeini's Iranian Revolution.

The survivors actually had a website in English, but I haven't checked for it lately.

[mosesdapoet]

“Didn’t some Iraqi pilots fly out of Iraq during the first Gulf War.”

Yea, it’s where they landed that’s curious. Iran. Right after a bitter war. If I recall Iran kept the late model fighters. Maybe Malta now has an airforce.

[Track9]

Always loved those guys. I think London Calling was nominated the best album of the 80’s.

[SamAdams76]

I like The Clash but I always found that particular song (”Rock The Casbah”) annoying and not characteristic at all of the rest of their output. The London Calling album was definitely their high point.

[Mr. Silverback]

A large number of Iraqi planes flew to Iran during both wars.

[Mr. Silverback]

To answer you other question...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_Air_Force#Current_air_force_equipment

They’ve got a lot of hardware, but a lot of it is grounded or pretty long in the tooth.

[txroadkill]

Didn’t some Iraqi pilots fly out of Iraq during the first Gulf War.

Yeah, they were all US trained pilots who knew that the minute they went airborne that the Eagles would kill them.

I think the official story was that Saddam sent them to Iran and Turkey to save the planes, but I think the truth was the pilots were just running for their lives. If they didn't take off the Iraqis would kill them and if they got airborne they knew the AWACS would task F-15's on them. Those poor guys must have been flying with the after-burners on and their hands on the ejection handles.

[caww]

Colonel Gaddafi was today said to have left Tripoli to prepare for a last stand in Sebha, the small desert town where he grew up.

A source at Tripolis Mitiga Airport said he saw three planes leaving early this morning.

Gaddafi was on one, said the source. The planes were heading down south - to Sebha.

The claim was supported by at least two pro-democracy campaigners who said they had also seen the aircraft leaving.

source( Joel Rosenberg blog.) He has a great overall view of the whole deal over there. Good to read with photos and videos.