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2010-04-09 Home Front: WoT

No charges for Qatari after US flight bomb scare

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Posted by Fred 2010-04-09 00:00|| || Front Page|| [14 views ] Top

#1 It's a costly "joke". Other AQ operatives have been suspected of using diplomatic passports, too. Qatar should at a minimum pay up:

Excerpt from FoxNews:
A lot of people kicked into action last night based on a perceived threat," said Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., ranking Republican on the House intelligence committee. "I don't think it's unreasonable" to ask Qatar for the money.
Responding to midair security threats is a multi-agency ordeal that can cost thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars. This particular incident wouldn't have cost United Airlines much, because the flight did not have to divert to another city, meaning the airline didn't have to take on the expense of sending another plane or lodging passengers in hotels.

But law enforcement still had to respond, and the two F-16s -- which according to the U.S. military cost $7,569 apiece for every hour in the air -- still had to leave base to escort the flight and return.

That's a $15,000 tab if you count the full hour. A military official said the jets were in the air for about 40 minutes total, so the bare minimum cost would be about $10,000.

It would have been much more if the North American Aerospace Defense Command didn't happen to have a base so close by. The two fighter jets came from Buckley Air Force Base, which is just a few miles from the Denver airport where the F-16s landed safely with the United Airlines flight.

David A. Castelveter, a spokesman with the Air Transport Association, said the typical cost to airlines is "pretty sizable" as well whenever there's a security incident.

Posted by Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2010-04-09 09:45|| 2010-04-09 09:45|| Front Page Top

#2 said the typical cost to airlines is "pretty sizable" as well whenever there's a security incident.

How "Sizeable" is it when a planeload of passengers goes down?

Posted by Redneck Jim 2010-04-09 13:31|| 2010-04-09 13:31|| Front Page Top

#3 The F-16s at Buckley belong to the Colorado Air National Guard. There are two on standby for just this kind of sh$$ every hour of every day. The Guard and Reserves are taking on a larger portion of military duties than ever before. I'm sure they'd appreciate a positive mention from the press, but that's not likely to happen. Maybe the Denver Post said something - I haven't checked it today.

Posted by Old Patriot 2010-04-09 13:41|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/ 2010-04-09 13:41|| Front Page Top

#4 Todays Denver Postpile had three mentions of F-16's scrambled from Buckley in the article. No mention of the Colorado Air National Guard.

Posted by Flaper Scourge of the Algonquins4926 2010-04-09 15:36|| 2010-04-09 15:36|| Front Page Top

#5 joked he was trying to ignite his shoe

Nonsense. He knew he had diplomatic immunity and that's pretty much the way he and the other elites treat 'cops'.

I'd be handing Qatar a bill, and strongly suggesting they look into chartering aircraft.

Posted by Pappy 2010-04-09 22:09|| 2010-04-09 22:09|| Front Page Top

#6 He needs to be sent pack with his diplomatic status revoked, I.E. PNG the guy. Then place a restricition on commercial flights for all diplomats from Qatari.

Posted by 49 Pan 2010-04-09 22:53|| 2010-04-09 22:53|| Front Page Top

#7 He's been PNG'd, 49Pan. I submitted the article for tomorrow.

Posted by trailing wife 2010-04-09 23:12|| 2010-04-09 23:12|| Front Page Top

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