Virgin to fly supplies to Iraq

icNewcastle ^ | April 17 2003

[knighthawk]

Sir Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic is to begin flying relief supplies to Iraq, and plans to reintroduce scheduled services to Baghdad.

Sir Richard said: "The first few flights would be humanitarian flights delivering doctors, nurses and much-needed aid and supplies to the Iraqi population.

"We're working with aid agencies and hope to operate flights as soon as we can.

"In addition, by reintroducing scheduled air services we would play our role in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq."

Sir Richard added: "Flights to and from Baghdad will be a key element in helping Iraq's long term regeneration, and reuniting families who have been separated for many years."

[knighthawk]

Ping

[scooter2]

My first thought upon reading the headline was, "Where did they find a virgin?"

[Califelephant]

Branson is a public relations genius.

[facedown]

bump

[1066AD]

I wonder what the Iraqis will think of the airline's name !!

[AmusedBystander]

72 virgins for each martyr is a heck of a lot of supplies.

[kissthis]

I doubt they'll have a problem....afterall it's what most of them have been dying for.

My question is...If the Arab world is SOOOOO concerned for the Iraqi people. Why is this sort of support coming out of the "west"? Where is this kind of support in the Arab world??? Point is, there isn't, and they need to be called on it.

[Gamecock]

Virgin

1 down, 71 to go...

[Cacique]

I guess he's sending over 72 airliners.

[Illbay]

I was going to ask how the h*ck they found one that wasn't already claimed by all the Islamofascists biting the big one. But now I see it's an airline.

Never mind.

[piasa]

More like a certifiable nut:

BRANSON: MY PLOT TO STOP IRAQ WAR (Nelson Mandela Rescue Mission) Daily Mirror (U.K.) ^ | 18 2004 | Richard Smith

[piasa]

Aid supplies going in- gotta wonder what he was flying OUT.

[piasa]

ping

[smonk]

that's gonna be one disappointed martyr that gets 72 777's instead of . . . well, what they were expecting.

[piasa]

Richard Hansen of Virgin Airlines padding his resume for a run against UK PM Tony Blair?

First he gets to "rescue" the same hostages the former ambassador Joe Wilson allegedly "rescued" (and Jessie Jackson "rescued"?) from Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War...

Then he gets involved with the Jimmy Carter/Mandela/Scott Ritter/ Norman peace deal to try to talk Hussein into leaving Iraq...[one version says it was a deal to talk Hussein into going into exile, another version indicates it was a plant that originated with Tariq Aziz and alKhafajii apparently that was intended to keep the UN inspectors in Iraq but under Iraqi supervision so as to delay the US and UK attack]

Then after that Mr. Virgin Airlines goes for a deal to fly relief supplies into Iraq.

And he's starting a group headed by South Africa's former prez Mandela to "head off" wars, a group called the Elders.

He's quite the aspiring George Soros style "philanthropist," eh?

[piasa]

Maybe he should add a few purple hearts and a silver star to his resume to top it off.

[Cindy]

Nothing like team work.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!