US ceases U2 overflights as Iraq objects

Foxnews

[cake_crumb]

It finally occurred to Saddam we might be collecting data on military targets...LOL!

[Valin]

Blix is quite the liar, isn't he?

No! it's just a creative alternative to the truth.

[Beck_isright]

It is time to roll. The hell with March 17th. The new deadline is two hours from now. Then start testing the new 30,000 bombs on Iraq, why waste them on the Eglin proving grounds.

[neutrino]

Reparations. Yes, that's it - reparations. We need to pay the po' li'l picked on Iraqis at least $1,000,000,000,000 (that's a trillion dollars) in reparations. After all, we picked on that kind and gentle saint, Saddam H. (/bitter sarcasm)

[Valin]

FOX just reported that the "undecided 6" at the UN are demanding 45 DAYS for a deadline.

Ok We'll get back to you in 45 days....you can do the mop-up.

[ClancyJ]

And he has delivered yet again. That is one of the requirements in Resolution 1441, I believe

Yes, we know that - yet the rest of the U.N. knows that the resolutions were only a sham to justify their being the U.N. This is not about making Iraq conform - this is about America coming into line with the U.N. program.

If no one points up the U.N. irrelevance, no one will see it - understand America????

[Dog Gone]

(AP) - Iraqi fighter jets threatened two American U-2 surveillance planes, forcing them to return to abort their mission and return to base, senior U.S. officials said Tuesday.

A Pentagon official said the decision to end the mission "in the interest of safety."

The U-2 planes were flying missions at 2 a.m. Iraqi time for the U.N. weapons inspectors when Iraq launched fighter jets. According to two of the officials, the threat was directed against one of the two planes, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Multiple flights are permitted under a U.N. Security Council resolution approved last November, and the Bush administration sought clarification from U.N. inspectors after the U-2 flights were suspended.

The U.N. inspection agency, known, as UNMOVIC, had given advance notice to Iraq of the flights, said the U.S. official.

The Iraqi threat is fresh evidence of Baghdad's unwillingness to cooperate with U.N. inspectors, another U.S. official said.

Two American U-2 planes were already in the air, the senior official said. He said they were the seventh and eighth sent on a surveillance assignment since the council approved the resolution unanimously, and that the flights had been coordinated with the U.N. inspection agency.

But Iraq "raised a fuss," this official said, and the two flights were recalled. American diplomats are checking with the U.N. agency before resuming U-2 flights, the official said.

The dispute punctuated a behind-the-scenes effort by the United States and Britain to win support for a new resolution designed to back the use of force as a last resort to disarm Iraq.

U-2 flights are conducted as part of an elaborate inspection arrangement designed to determine whether President Saddam Hussein has secretly stored chemical and biological weapons in defiance of U.N. resolutions.

Typically, Iraq is notified in advance of overflights of Iraqi territory.

[mikhailovich]

BLIX: "The Iraqi fighter pilots exercised great restraint and cooperation in forcing the U-2's landing."

[MEG33]

Perfect "Blixspeak"!

[cake_crumb]

According to resolution 1441:

"– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the free and unrestricted use and landing of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, including manned and unmanned reconnaissance vehicles"

Conclusion: the Security Council will require extensive debate to debate the possibility of further debate on whether debate that Saddam is in material breach will be necessary, before debate can begin on the date of the debate to debate whether Saddam is in material breach begins to begin...

[cake_crumb]

"The Iraqi threat is fresh evidence of Baghdad's unwillingness to cooperate with U.N. inspectors, another U.S. official said."

Actually, it's fresh evidence of Iraq's refusal to cooperate. He did agree to allow U2 surveillance flights under extreme pressure...now that he feels the pressure's off because of the Axis of Weasles' - and their friends worldwide - propaganda blitz, Saddam now feels free to threaten a fixed wing aircraft which HE allowed to fly over his country in order to help inspectors verify that he's complying with 1441.

When this is over, we really should demand a portion of Iraqi oil to defray the cost.

[pitinkie]

FoxNews said that the UN ordered the U2's out to "avoid an incident"!!!!!!! Also CNN said the Iraqi's got an apology from the UN for not relling them there would be 2 planes!!!

[Wonder Warthog]

"...there will be many flights of U2s and not to worry. hehehehe."

Shouldn't that be "...many flights of B2s...." (and B52s).

[RightWhale]

This should be enough to change Russia's vote on the UNSC, and France as well. Too bad France is so interested in EU hegemony that they are throwing in their lot with the losing side.

[cynicom]

Would it do any harm to lie to them just one time????? Tell them we have new larger U2s, eight engine type.

[cake_crumb]

"Also CNN said the Iraqi's got an apology from the UN for not relling them there would be 2 planes!!!"

Oh good lord. This stopped ticking my sense of the ridiculous long ago.

[knak]

Ok, this is great. But I thought I'd get up today and find another day of boring "run around" news. I didn't want to be glued to the computer AGAIN. I wish we'd just go on and get this thing started so I can get back to my life.

[knak]

So that's the spin? The UN stinks.

[showme_the_Glory]

Yeah right, It's PAYDAY in Iraq and Blixie and the boys don't wanna be seen on film standing in line cashing their checks at the First Iraqi Bank.

[Quix]

THANKS.