First U.S. plane lands at Baghdad airport

Reuters | 4/06/03

[kattracks]

First U.S. plane lands at Baghdad airport

BAGHDAD AIRPORT, April 6 (Reuters) - The first U.S. military aircraft landed at Baghdad airport on Sunday, a U.S. military source told Reuters.

"At least one aircraft has landed at the airport," said the senior source in the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division's aviation brigade, who was at the airport.

He said a C-130 military transporter landed at about 8 p.m. local time (1600 GMT), about an hour after dark, on the western, military side of the airport. He gave no details of whether it was carrying a load.

U.S. forces seized the airport, some 20 km (12 miles) southwest of the city centre, on Friday. They said on Sunday they controlled practically all road access to the city too.

04/06/03 13:15 ET

[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!

[scottinoc]

Guess that C-130 won't be part of Bob's tour for the press. "Other than that, we control the whoooole of the airport."

[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:

[Boundless]

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

> Like they're going to land an empty plane??

When you make up a list of high-priority time-critical items,
there are things that need to move in both directions.

But it's more likely something inbound than outbound, such
as portable navaids for future arrivals, or a temporary TV
transmitter for the new DesertFOX channel.

I wonder if that '130 was spraying IR countermeasures on
final approach. There must still be copious anti-air
hazards in the area.

[blam]

"Too bad it wasn't one of these:"

I'm betting that it was. (call it 'bait.')

[Mr.Clark]

Soon, soon. The flood has just started....

[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

[browardchad]

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

According to a German reporter calling in to FNC, the Iraqis didn't take them to the airport, but to a battle scene where they supposedly took out a U.S. tank. According to the reporter (who's been surprisingly uncensored), the tank was disabled and abandoned, and taken out by a coalition bomb before the reporters got there.

It's at the point when you have to wonder how the non-Arab reporters are going to get out of there. This German guy hinted last night that they might not be free to leave.

[Republic of Texas]

Didn't you know? The whole airport thing is being faked on the same soundstage we used to fake the Apollo moon landings.

[SLB]

I have a friend (a home schooling dad) flying C-130's in the area. I wonder? We get email reports from him or his wife every few days.

[Republic of Texas]

Is it a lull or a quagmire? I need to know!

[ShootMeIfHillaryRuns]

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



** WE don't control it! BB will be telling the people that the plane is not REALLY the US's. rather it is Iraq's undercover secret weapon against our "pathetic" troops.

[Allegra]

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

You mean the "operational pause?" (snicker!)

[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.

[Bogey78O]

Well it'll be enemy held for only a few more days or a few weeks.

[RightOnline]

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

[F-117A]

According to the reporter (who's been surprisingly uncensored), the tank was disabled and abandoned, and taken out by a coalition bomb before the reporters got there.

The tank was on fire and I saw someone, perhaps the tank commander throw a grenade into the open turret, so they may not have bombed it. I did not see a crater when they showed the burnt out hulk.