[Bogey78O]

Baghdad Bob says that we don't control the airport. How can this be?

[hoosiermama]

".....no details of whether it was carrying a load."

Like their going to land an empty plane?? Geez!

[2Jedismom]

What time was the press expected to arrive? Tonight (our time) sometime?

The Iraqis were supposed to take them out there to see that the Coalition wasn't there...

[Leroy S. Mort]

Too bad it wasn't one of these:

[EGPWS]

The first U.S. military aircraft landed at Baghdad airport on Sunday, a U.S. military source told Reuters.

Gee, I wish they would end this lul in the war and start getting things done! /sarcasm

[crz]

Anybody know which way the runways are pointed? North to south or east to west? I kinda hate to think of taking off or landing over enemy held areas.

[RightOnline]

Someone needs to tell our good friend, Tony Snow, that the C-130 is NOT "a large jet". :)

[kimmie7]

Hey, we're not even in Iraq. We're just waggin' the dog. </sarcasm>

[finnman69]

Food and ammo.

[WaterDragon]

The Iraqis insisting that the airport is still in their hands reminds me of those who still insist we didn't land men on the moon.

[flitton]

Half the luggage still on carousel at Heathrow.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Puleeeeeze stop the propaganda, we all know that Airport is still Saddam International, and the brave Iraqi Democratican Guard has chased the cowardly Coalition Forces out of the country. Talk about walking on water-picture two hundred thousand troops, running on water.

The famous elite democratican Guard has secured Iraq from the invaders, and Saddam will soon crawl out from under the rock under which he has been curled up in the fetal position, sucking his thumb since the first bomb fell, and declare victory.

Did I mention that this is sarcasm?

[Young Werther]

The first elements to be deployed to an airport would be the Air Traffic Controllers, their Runway Service Unit, (RSU a mini control tower) and the communications support to make the airport operational!

This kit fits in a C-130 and would be followed by the Logistics equipment needed to handle cargo and control overall operations.

If this were a hot zone then 130s could always use LAPES, (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System) cargo drops where they would extract the cargo at touchdown height and then barrel back into the air, (developed in Viet Nam). Since they've landed the 130, the establishment of normal operations would appear to be the method chosen.

[VRWC_minion]

I guess Baghdad Bob won't be cashing in his frequent flyer miles right away.

[RightOnline]

By the way, all the -130 can land on a very, very short landing strip. The fact that a -130 landed at BIA doesn't mean much except symbolically.

Now, if I see a -135 or a C-5 or a KC-10 or some such land/take off, I'll truly be impressed.:)

[upchuck]

Regarding our tank... give the poor RGs credit, they did hit the tank and disable it. But we destroyed it. From http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/886382/posts:

As the task force moved into the city, there were reports that many Republican Guard members were fleeing north. Soldiers from the 3rd Troop, 7th Cavalry Regiment, reportedly were stopping T-72 tanks that army forces were trying to take out of the city to possibly mount a defense in the north. Charlie Company lost one of its M-1A1 Abrams tanks during the fighting when it was hit by an anti-tank rocket and its fuel cell caught fire.

Tank crew members and other soldiers tried for about 15 minutes to put out the fire, but to no avail.

The crewmen were constantly under fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades as they sought to salvage weapons, personal gear and sensitive maps and other equipment. No one was injured there, and the tank had to be destroyed, but Conroy praised the soldiers' valor under fire.

"They were very courageous standing on top of that tank with people firing at them while they were pouring 5-gallon cans of water trying to put out the fire," he said.

[unspun]

Now we need the troops to come to Chicago and wrest Meigs Field from clutches of Richie Daley.

[thermodynamics]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to George W. Bush International Airport. Please stay seated until the plane comes to a complete stop!
This is the first flight of many here to GWB...Welcome and enjoy your stay!

[laz17]

In his next performance, Baghdad Bob will assure us that the C-130 was piloted by Iraqis and was being used to fly in coalition POWs defeated at Karbala and Basra.

[Mr. Silverback]

Global Reach, Global Power. Brought to you by your United States Air Force.

Thanks to the Army folks for securing the landing area. I am sitting back in my swivel chair and smiling now as I imagine A-10 sorties being flown against the Republican Guard from the airport formerly known as Saddam International. Warthogs up!