Posted on 08/01/2006 6:02:46 PM PDT by blam
News blackout imposed on American arms flights refuelling at British bases
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
(Filed: 02/08/2006)
The Government refused last night to give details of the flights entering Britain containing American arms destined for Israel.
There was also a suggestion that all arms flights via Prestwick airport, near Glasgow, were suspended following pressure from Scottish Labour MPs afraid of the political impact in their constituencies.
An Atlas Air Boeing 747 cargo jet at Prestwick Airport
Although Government officials have admitted that two flights, carrying GBU28 bunker-busting bombs, arrived at Prestwick the weekend before last and several others came in last week, a news blackout has now been enforced on reporting any new arrivals.
After hundreds of protesters gathered at Prestwick last weekend, at least two flights from Texas were diverted to RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk.
The US air force has leased three bases in Britain - Mildenhall and Lakenheath in Suffolk, and RAF Fairford, Glos - for refuelling purposes.
During the initial flights into Prestwick, the American planes apparently violated normal procedures and President George W Bush had to apologise to the Prime Minister.
The Foreign Office said it was "not commenting on the handling of any flights" but so long as proper procedures were followed "permission will be granted".
However, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has claimed that a large cargo plane, reportedly bearing Hebrew markings, was seen by an activist at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire.
The BBC's Newsnight programme said that six aircraft carrying military supplies for Israel passed through British airports at the weekend. Three carried munitions and the rest had "associated equipment".
The programme also suggested that the use of English bases came as a result of a Cabinet row over the issue. Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, allegedly offered their use after protests to Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, by Douglas Alexander, the Scottish Secretary, about the use of Prestwick.
A spokesman for Mr Browne said the Government as a whole made all decisions on the flights. "Newsnight is wrong," she said.
Bunker busters? MOABs? Bigger stuff? Some real 'shock & awe'? Bring it on, Israel!
It's way past time the MSM is kept away from secure locations. The media can't keep anything quiet and endangers lives. They're creating the news; not reporting it. They print their own version of incidents with their own Liberal anti-American, anti-Israel bent.
"Loose lips sink ships." Or, in today's lingo, loose MSM lips endanger our allies and our soldiers not to mention our country.
But The Telegraph is telegraphing it...
The Daily Telegraph is the most pro-Israeli, Pro-American Newspaper their is. It also caters for ex-military types. This isn't the Guardian we're talking about...
Looks as if President Bush won over Mr. Blair in the end, doesn't it? We can support the fight over there or bring it home.
I prefer the first option.
How utterly dastardly of the USA!
Hey Drive by Media!!! You don't play nice! You don't get no freebies, neither! FU!!
So, did we really need to know there was a news blackout? Loose lips and all that.
How about a news blackout about news blackouts?
The presstitutes know no shame.
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Maybe it was an El Al cargo flight delivering fresh Oranges to Marks & Spencers and Tesco?
I doubt very much that American planes delivering bombs to Israel would have anything but English written on them.
"How about a news blackout about news blackouts?
The presstitutes know no shame."
If they'd just said that the government wouldn't comment on individual flights, rather than hyping it up to a 'news blackout', would that have been ok with you?
Why talk about it at all?
It's not, nor is it supposed to be, a secret.
IMHO this was released intentionally to the press to keep the remaining hezzies from sleeping well.
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