Reuters....Was Bush's Iraq Trip Fabricated?

[in_cog_ni_to]

Pilots Didn't Radio Air Force One, Airline Says

Reuters
Tuesday, December 2, 2003; Page A03


British Airways said yesterday that none of its pilots made contact with President Bush's plane during its secret flight to Baghdad on Thanksgiving, contradicting White House reports of a midair exchange that nearly prompted Bush to call off his trip. Honor Verrier, a spokeswoman for British Airways in North America, said two British Airways aircraft were in the area at the time and neither radioed the president's plane to ask if it was Air Force One.



"We have spoken to the British Airways captains who were in the area at the time and neither made comments to Air Force One nor did they hear any other aircraft make the statement over the radio," Verrier said.

The White House had no immediate comment on the discrepancy.

Bush aides recounted last week that a British Airways pilot thought he spotted the president's blue and white Boeing 747 from his cockpit.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26718-2003Dec1.html

[Wonk]

1. Some of my thoughts on this whole thing...

I think that any plane he's travelling in is designated Air Force One. If he was travelling in a gulfstream then that would be Air Force One while he was in it.

That being said I have no idea what happened other than what I've seen in the media.

[PinkTiger]

2. This is misleading.

Nothing about the article hints that his trip was fabricated. However much I wish that it had been, that is.
Be fair.

[EarlG]

3. This headline is misleading

You may repost with the correct headline.

EG

[LibDemAlways]

4. I would not put it past Rove to have fabricated the whole thing.

The story about the British Airways pilot was probably put out there to lend credibility to the charade and seems to be coming back to haunt the WH.

Now all we need is for a relative of one of the soldiers pictured with the chimp to come forward and admit that their loved one is currently stationed in Oklahoma.

[JailBush]

5. WAS it fabricated?

Perhaps the orignal poster was simply expressing his/her thoughts in the title of this thread. I'm beginning to wonder myself.

I mean, how many people actually SAW Bush in Baghdad? As someone pointed out yesterday, many, if not most (all?) of the military personnel in the photo with Bush were apparently Secret Service types.

I have some major doubts about this whole story.

[maddezmom]

6. don't know what the story is, but it stinks

Thumbs up for BA for not caving into the the WH lies.