Wed, Jan 22, 2003
Since When Did We Request Permission to Fly U-2
Missions?
In an
interesting turn of events, UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has
relayed the Iraqi message that American U-2s are not welcome over
Iraq, whether to help the UN mission, or just to spy, in
general.
Iraq was asked to allow the U-2 flights, as part of that
country's acquiescence in Blix's hunt for weapons of mass
destruction, which Iraq denies it has (and which the rest of the
world is trying to find).
Iraq didn't give a blanket thumbs-down to the proposal for the
'long-wing F-104s' to do surveillance work; it reportedly said it
would be OK for the high-fliers to pass, if the US and Britain
would just stop patrolling the no-fly zones.
Iraq
'graciously' offered to accompany the U-2s, with her own military
aircraft -- that would allow the Iraqi Air Force access to the
no-fly zones, of course. The US and Britain are not about to turn
over that airspace any time soon, so the U-2s aren't welcome. "It's
still a spy plane," Iraq noted.
The question is, 'do we need Iraqi permission to fly
the Dragon Lady?' Did we ask permission of the Soviet Union? Do we
ask permission of North Korea? Pakistan? India? Libya? Uruguay?
"We cannot be responsible for the safety of the U.N. plane and
the crew," the Iraqi spokesman said. The UN doesn't have any U-2s,
for one thing (although the proposed flights would bear UN
markings); and, who said anyone wanted Iraq to "be responsible for
the safety" of the plane and crew?
It is also unclear, whether Iraq has any credible military means
to deny such flights.
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