Bush and P.M. Jaafari press conference, June 24, 2005:
From BBC News via Norma:
Travelling out of Baghdad airport is hazardous enough … now it is not possible … at least on civilian flights.
It is understood that Global has not been paid by the Iraqi government for three months.
It is not clear whether there is any connection but the Iraqi transport ministry is frequently accused of corruption. A former transport minister is wanted for questioning over the issue.
The Iraqi government is also notoriously unreliable about paying its own employees.
When the airport is open, several airlines provide commercial flights inside Iraq and to several neighbouring countries. Because of the threat of missiles, planes execute a corkscrew manoeuvre on landing and take-off.
I may be wrong, as I left the press conference a bit eary with severe gastro-intestinal reactions, but didn’t the da prez say something about how flights going in and out of Baghdad airport were one of the signs that we were making progress and all is well?!
Right you are. And I added that to the story. Great catch.
When I grow up I wanna be SusanHu!! 😉
that journalists had to pay $60,000 to ride safely to the airport.
OMG. is that just for quality protection or is it also for bribes?
Iraq Revenue Watch [IRW] issued a report called Controlling Iraq’s Skies: The Secret Sell-off of Iraq’s Air Industry back in Feb ’04:
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As the CPA’s own legal counsel Scott Castle said recently: “We recognize that any process for privatizing state-owned enterprises in Iraq ultimately must be developed, adopted, supported and implemented by the Iraqi people.”
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The powerful Khawwam family, which had close ties to Saddam’s regime, is set to assume control of 75 percent of Iraq’s air transport industry–bypassing any public bidding process. The deal, brokered by a senior official with the Ministry of Transport, would include the assets of Iraqi Airways, the national carrier, which at the same time is seeking to revive its operations. U.S. carriers are reportedly looking to partner with these post-war oligarchs-in-the-making.
A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you’re talking CPA.
Whiney Brits…just ’cause w/ lost that pallet-o-cash w/ Globals’ name on it…jeez!
What’s the over/under line on Halliburton, KBR or Custer Battles taking it over?
My nephew is stationed at the Baghdad airport and I thought something bad had happened. He’ll be home in August. It can’t come soon enough.
is he working for contractors there?
So is his wife, but she is stateside.
Please tell them we’re grateful, and that we care. (And I’m worried, but we won’t pass that along. You must be so worried 🙁 )