It was proven on these threads:
here and here that the aircraft in question is NOT a Boeing 707. There are plenty of reasons to get rid of Saddam, but using incorrect data only leads neutral observers to believe that the all US information is suspect.
It doesn't matter if it's a Boeing 707, a TU-154, or whatever. It's a plane. The only question is whether it has been used for training terrorists. If it has--and the testimony of defectors seems to confirm this--then Saddam has been sponsoring and supporting terrorism, which makes him guilty as hell and eminently due for bombing to kingdom come.
Thanks for the update, I'd missed those threads.
AM, can you change my parenthetical to the headline to read "(Salman Pak jetliner)" ?
Thanks.
It leads me to believe there's a campaign of fearmongering..
Big difference between telling someone: "Saddam is training terrorists to take over a plane ike yours! He even provided them with one! An American plane!"
And: "There's an old airplane sitting in the desert in Iraq. Saddam claims it's being used to train anti-terror forces. But, he may be allowing terrorists to train there as well."
IMO the "707" part of the tale was a hinge point.. An important factor; I know my ears perked up when I heard it.