Air Force One flew under false flight plan

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_3630.shtml

President Bush's flight plan was falsified last week to hide his Thanksgiving Day visit to Iraq, the White House said on Thursday, in another example of the extraordinary -- and deceptive -- steps taken in arranging the battle-zone trip.

Critics have said admitted deceptions over the trip threaten Bush's credibility, which has also been challenged on larger issues such as his assertions Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction that have not been found.

<snip>

Bush, speaking at the annual ceremony for the national Christmas tree on Thursday, made light of his stealthy travel.

"He travels in the dark of night. He arrives unannounced. And he's gone before you know he was there. Santa, I can assure you it's a lot easier on a flying sled than it is on Air Force One.

<snip>

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman William Shumann, asked about the legality of filing an inaccurate flight plan, said, "We can't discuss anything related to that flight."

magic wand...classified. end of discussion. sad

somehow break the law - or atleast the Patriot Act?

shot down? What if another country thought they were terrorists? At least it sounds like a bad precedent by a unwise president to me.

In January 2001.

Falsifying a flight plan could have had disasterous consequences.

was in the plane.

Whatever happened to…"No one is above the law."

we're expected to be happy and thrilled that our president lied to the reporters about having dinner at home, lied to his SS officers, lied at the airfield, filed a false flight plan, embellished the story with lies about a British Airways pilot on the radio, held up a fake turkey for his photo shoot, and never met with any ordinary Iraqis or showed solidarity with anyone but the invading, occupying Americans.

every single thing about it was done using deceit and/or thoughtlessness. BE PROUD, AMERICA, DAMMIT!

Bu$h should feel quite at home flying under a falsified ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) flight plan. That's typically the M.O. of criminals who smuggle drugs and illegal weapons by air.

Personally, I would have wanted the flight plan filed as a Boeing 747-400. It makes a big difference in the SAR (search-and-rescue) and airport emergency response effort when it is known that it is a huge B-747-400 down (or inbound with an emergency) or a much, much smaller Gulfstream 5.

What a tangled web Rove weaves ...

.....but there is some plausible information that Bush wasn't actually in the 747 with the press, but in a Gulfstream.

A GI stationed at Baghdad airport posted in real time on a message board that Bush was on site at Baghdad airport, in the mess tent. The GI later posted that Bush had landed in a Gulfstream, NOT THE 747.

At some point W would have had to change planes. Technically whatever plane the president is flying on is Air Force One. But to identify a 747 and say its a Gulfstream is beyond irresponsible. If they were so concerned for W's safety to falsely ID the plane he was in endangered him even more. These folks are so full of shit they can't keep track of it all anymore.

they've filed a false flight plan since they started.

...president as well.

:puke:

Motto of the current thugs in Washington

I can't stand this President with every fiber of my being; however, if this is standard procedure for security I'd have to give * a pass on this one issue.

Now, if this was a first and flight plans have been in the open for other Presidents then this is just another lie coming out of the administration.

Honestly, I have never felt so betrayed my a President in my life!

on AF1 had been a dem?

I cannot help but think that post just like you see here would be posted on conservative web sites if it had been a dem. They would be just as wrong as most of these posts.

The trip was a ballsy and gutsy move. I hope it helped the troops morale.

I would feel the same way about it if it had been a dem president making the trip.

Does anyone here agree with me on this?

were Bush lies and tortured logic, no I don't agree with you. Bush's devious motives for invading and occupying another nation make this a whole new ball game. I hope a dem would be scrutinied as closely.

We already hear some "moderate" dems saying we need to get past the reasons why and deal with the way things are. But if you con a democracy into a war of choice, it must never be forgotten or excused.

"But if you con a democracy into a war of choice, it must never be forgotten or excused."

Do you feel the same way about LBJ's escalation of our activities in Vietnam?

Typical repub tactic. But thanks for revealing yourself.

a thing. Bush gutsy? Come on! He's even afraid to see a single American protestor. But *Bush is certainly setting a precedent for the future - raping the treasury, stealth, and lies.

...but it wasn't a secret, and that, my friends, is why the press is wetting themselves. Everyone loves a surprise. It's just like a concert where the headliner is in mid-song and another big star walks out and joins him onstage.

You wanna hear the Republican hypocrisy? Check out any right wing talker and listen to what they have to say about Hillary going to Afghanistan and Iraq. Hillary is vilified.

Regardless of either of their motives, *'s and Hillary's trips stand as a morale boost for the men and women who are serving over there. If we criticize *, we should criticize Hillary. Conversely, if the right praises *, they should praise Hillary. (Yeah, I know. I'm not holding my breath.)

Also have you seen any at this site criticize her for the trip?

Agfghanistan here on DU. You would have to find the threads regarding the trip, I don't have time to dig for them for you, but they are here.

but Air Force One surely filed a secret or false flight plan. I believe its standard operating procedure. I also can't imagine that Rove or Bush or whomever micromanages anything to such an extent that they would change Secret Service security procedures in an area like this.

First, this trip was on the taxpayer dime for a 2 hour campaign photo shoot.

He never left the airport, did not do anything for troop morale. I posted an interview with a soldier who did not attend in another thread on this and his response spoke volumes to the morale boost issue.

He put those troops in more danger, being the high-profile target that he is, for nothing more than a photo-op.

As fair as the fake flight plan, yes I understand the security issues that may have lead to that decision. However, to think that you are above the law on this just sets the precedence - you are above the law on anything. The need for the flight plan should have given pause to the wisdom of the decision to go in the first place. What would happen to this country, the world economy, the troops involved in covering his ass, etc. Is it worth all that risk for a photo?

Damn straight, if this was a Dem, I'd be just as disgusted.

on edit add:

That is one reason I will not apply the same disgust to Hillary or Rummy being there. They at least were trying to do SOMETHING....meetings, discussions whatever the motive, there is some type of productivity going on. Although I still don't like the high profile targets being introduced to the mix.

In any situation that ever actually required courage, he made the most cowardly choice, my favorite being how he protected his own ass on 911 and never gave a damn how many Americans were dead or dying. He was told a building in Manhattan had been hit by a plane and never stopped to check on the casualties. When he heard a SECOND plane had hit, he did not go to see to his people. He first did nothing, and then protected his ass.

As to the "gutsy" if craven visit to Iraq, how many of the troops actually met him? He hid in the airport with a select few. We already know some of the "soldiers" pictured in the photographs were SS dressed up in uniforms to blend in.

I noticed Hillary Clinton shaking hands with soldiers in broad daylight, out in the open.

But Bush normally enters by back doors. He's scared to death the American people might see him, and demand an accounting.

It would be incredibly stupid for Mr. Bush to have significantly increased the risk to his life by staying in Iraq longer. If Bush were to die, the costs to our nation would be enormous. And beyond that, even if he were safe, if Iraqi insurgents knew he was in country, they would surely step up attacks and increase the danger for our troops.

There is a fine line between courage and recklessness. I don't see the Thanksgiving trip as being necessarily courageous (I think it was simply necessary), but if Bush had toured around, it would have become reckless.

One must remember the secrecy and committment to the President's safety that surrounded FDR's trip wartime trips to Casablanca and Yalta and Truman's trip to Potsdam..

Unless you mean it was necessary to divert attention from the criticism Bush was getting for not attending funerals and for blacking out the Dover casket arrivals -- which The Turkey Has Landed DID accomplish, quite successfully.

And as far as cost goes, this brief secret jaunt had to cost a fortune (of our money). I'm really not in favor of wasting a boatload of money on a 2-hr. photo op with a decorative turkey and pre-selected troops. What did that accomplish for anyone but Bush?

and it was getting ridiculous that he hadn't been to Iraq to support them.

President's don't do that - they have to be seen with the troops in time of war.

Yes it was a publicity stunt, and a poorly constructed one at that, but it was something that had to be done.

When did they let you out of the Funny Farm? Boys in the white coats are closing in you dope.

n/t

he would have completed his reservist duty - he would not have spent a decade or two on cocaine and/or alchohol - he would not have lied about his business dealings - he would have gotten himself in and out of the businesses that were given to him - he would not have pretended that landing on a ship anchored a little off the shore was gutsy - he would have run for President in an honest way.

How long of a list is required to say HE IS NOT GUTSY!.