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| Nine Booted from UAL Flight to Tampa Were Pakistan Military |
| 2010-09-01 |
| A Pakistani military delegation became the latest victim of the paranoia Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean somebody isn't out to get you. The brigadier was removed from the United Airlines flight, and others in this eight-member delegation were also detained after they disembarked. They were later released. The dispute became a major diplomatic row as the delegation, offended by this treatment, decided to cancel an important meeting at the headquarters of the US Central Command in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, and return home. By the time the US Department of Defence apologised to the delegation, their leader, a two-star naval officer, had already informed Islamabad where officials approved his decision to return home on Tuesday night. Or some ISI guys on a dry run? |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #14 And an unnecessary use of "for" as well. |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2010-09-01 18:45 |
| #13 Odd use of the word mistaken...... Ulash appears to be leading Snark 'o The Day. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2010-09-01 18:06 |
| #12 "How long is the shortest connecting flight from Peshawar to Tampa?" "The shortest connecting flight time is 23 hours, 13 minutes." Yeah, I would be seriously pissed off, too." I'd be more pissed off about having to go to Peshawar than about the length of the flight, 'moose. But that's just me. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-09-01 18:02 |
| #11 Another article on this had a headline like "Pakistani Military Mistaken for Terrorists". Odd use of the word mistaken...... |
| Posted by: Ulash Smith8839 2010-09-01 16:17 |
| #10 Predators really need to start targeting folks around Rawalpindi. |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2010-09-01 14:32 |
| #9 If they were that important they should have got military flight assigned for them at their end and then cleared at your end no brainer - and no i dont want to hear the excuse 'all military planes are involved in the flood disaster ', cos they arent To me , they were teed up for a dry run without knowing , everyone knows folk are tetchy on flights at the moment , no harm done for ISI to see what happens |
| Posted by: Ebbavinter Dark Lord of the Hatfields4006 2010-09-01 13:59 |
| #8 I checked on the United Airlines website. There are two choices Islamabad-->Tampa, both dreadful: 1. Islamabad -> Doha, Qatar -> London (Heathrow) -> Newark, New Jersey -> Tampa for a total of 21:34 hours flying time plus layovers plus an overnight in Newark 2. Islamabad -> Doha -> Washington, DC (Dulles) -> Tampa for a a total of 19:45 hours flying time plus layovers. And the only flight out of Islamabad is at 4:45 a.m. local time. No wonder the gentlemen were cranky, even if they didn't fly coach the entire way. Nonetheless, properly trained soldiers should know when to keep it under control, no matter how manifest the caliphatist destiny. As for "a major diplomatic row", I think only one of the parties is aware that it's major. The other side doesn't have a problem dissing military types, however midlevel they might be. Brigadiers are a triumph when invited to tea, but not so important when there are real generals have been getting fired. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-09-01 12:23 |
| #7 "How long is the shortest connecting flight from Peshawar to Tampa (PEW to TPA)?" "The shortest connecting flight time is 23 hours, 13 minutes." Yeah, I would be seriously pissed off, too. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-09-01 10:42 |
| #6 Must have been one hell of a long ride to nowhere. Honor first, brains last! |
| Posted by: Clyde Ulamp8999 2010-09-01 09:52 |
| #5 The dispute became a major diplomatic row 1) Childish; 2) Only if they could afford it; 3) Because they wanted it to be that way; 4) It seems nobody wanted to be there if the Pakistani government backed them up on this one; 5) Maybe the ISI was using this opportunity to do a little research on airline security. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-09-01 09:39 |
| #4 Explaining why the delegation decided to cancel the meeting and return home, the official said it was basically because of the humiliating treatment by the TSA and airline staff. I dunno, something doesn’t smell right on this one. We’re to believe that high-ranking brass is so sensitive that they pike on an “important” meeting just because they say they felt humiliated? It doesn't sound like a dry run. But my guess is they intentionally provoked their way out of attendance. Call it a twofer. Create an excused absence and another intolerance narrative - all in one swoop. Never mind it’s prolly just the phobic in me talking. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2010-09-01 09:28 |
| #3 There should have been a US miltitary or State escort from the embassy with them. If it was official business someone screwed this up and we get another black eye. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-09-01 09:05 |
| #2 Members of official delegations should display their best manners with the local citizenry, lest they create a diplomatic row with their host country. Pakistan's generals, diplomats and even President Ten Percent should be furious with these mannerless fools for causing such problems at a time when Pakistan is dealing with a third of the country under water at the same time as the Tehrik-e-Taliban are causing such problems throughout the country. I'd expect not to hear about the early retirements when this lot get home. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-09-01 08:54 |
| #1 The dispute became a major diplomatic row as the delegation, Only our beloved State Department would see it as a "diplomatic row." I'm reasonably certain everyone else in the country was damn GLAD to see the arrogant little buggers gone! Gates apologizes.....? For phuechs sake, where are we headed with this crowd. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-09-01 06:22 |