Slumping economy, Pentagon no-shows dampen mood at Paris' venerable air show

AP/MSNBC ^ | 6/14/03 | staff

[DPB101]

LE BOURGET, France, June 13 — Tough times in the aviation business mean a festive mood will be among the many no-shows at Saturday's opening of the 45th Paris Air Show — the industry's largest trade conference.

The downward spiral in the airline business — because of the SARS illness, the war in Iraq, and slumping demand for business and vacation travel — has snuffed out hopes for the big plane orders customarily announced at the show, which runs through June 22.

Not only that, but the U.S. Defense Department barred top-ranking officials from coming — a move widely interpreted as punishment for France's refusal to support the war against Iraq.

[nopardons]

Ma couer bleeds ... NOT !

[CyberAnt]

I'm really surprised we actually didn't go to the airshow.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

GOOD!

[DCBurgess58]

We shouldn't have shown up at all

[Rudder]

Excerpted - click for full article ^

[DPB101]

Las Vegas would be an ideal location to take over from Paris.

[AlaskaErik]

Not only that, but the U.S. Defense Department barred top-ranking officials from coming — a move widely interpreted as punishment for France's refusal to support the war against Iraq.

Once again the liberal media purposefully misrepresents the truth. It is not France's refusal to support the war that is the problem, but rather France's blatant obstructionism at the UN by refusing to honer existing resolutions and preventing the passage of new resolutions introduced by the US that is at the heart of the matter. There is a difference.