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Jumbo Jet, F-16 Buzz Lady Liberty, Put New York on Edge

"I take responsibility for that decision," said Louis Caldera, Dir. White House Military Office

By BRIAN THOMPSON and HASANI GITTENS

Updated 7:10 PM EDT, Mon, Apr 27, 2009

It wasn't an attack, or even a drill -- it was a government-sponsored photo op.

The Pentagon did tell local authorities about the startling fly-over that sent a Boeing 747 and a F-16 fighter screaming over New York's scarred skyline, but officials said they couldn't share the information with the public. They couldn't even share the information with the mayor.

Mayor Bloomberg said he was "furious" and criticized both the feds and his own administration for failing to issue a simple warning to the public in a city that is still somewhat traumatized by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"The good news is it was nothing more than an inconsiderate, badly conceived and insensitive photo op with the taxpayers' money," Bloomberg said.

An official from the Obama administration said the White House Military Office wanted to update its file photo of the president's plane near the Statue of Liberty.

This official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the White House Military Office told the Federal Aviation Administration that it periodically updates file photos of Air Force One near national landmarks, like the statute in New York harbor and the Grand Canyon.

"It's completely asinine after 9/11 to do that," said Keith Mercantine, who witnessed the chaos in Jersey City. "I saw ambulances out here with pregnant women."

An Air Force One lookalike and F-16 buzzed the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor in the morning, halting work on nearby construction sites, causing residents and office workers to flee their high-rises and giving thousands of people in downtown Manhattan and New Jersey a major fright.

At least two people were treated for minor injuries at Jersey City Medical Center after falling during the rush to exit their buildings.

"Everybody panicked," said Daisy Cooper, a Merrill Lynch worker in Jersey City, who lost a nephew on 9/11. "Everybody was screaming and we all ran downstairs. I'm devastated...Everybody was running, we didn't know why we were running. We just knew it was a plane, there we go, 9/11 again."

The Air Force One lookalike is a back up plane for the one used by the president. The plane is designated by the Defense Department as a VC-25 but is recognizable to the public as a Boeing 747.

The Federal Aviation Administration said there was no reason for alarm, even though thousands of people saw the fighter jets circle the statue, along with a VC-25, and immediately thought the worst.


Video at YouTube

Air Force One, F-16 Fly Over Lower Manhattan

"They were making two, maybe three passes," FAA spokesman Jim Peters told News 4 New York. "The [Department of Defense] and the FAA worked this all out in advance."

A Pentagon official confirmed that while the Presidential Airlift Group, which is based out of Andrews Air Force Base, did inform the FAA and New York City officials about this morning's aerial photo op, they also told both agencies not to inform the public about it.The NYPD confirmed that statement.

Louis Caldera, Director of the White House Military Office took the blame for the photo-op flap.

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision," said Caldera. "While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”


There's no word on where the photo op will show up.

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Do you think the MSM would have been all over it ? Stating just what a colossally stupid, heartless and outrageous stunt this was ?

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You seem pretty sure that Obama ordered it, himself, personally. So you don't buy that it was set up by the DoD, with clearance through the FAA?

Or is the President only responsible for what his appointees do or say if he's a Democrat? I don't seem to recall you holding Bush responsible for Abu Ghraib, the torture at Gitmo, or any of the other things that happened on his watch. Was he responsible for the AF1 flyover after Katrina?

Mike

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There was no torture at Gitmo. Those guys were being treated like they were at a Sandals Resort spot.

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Bush was no more responsible for the crimes in Abu Ghraib than he was for any crimes going on in any of the prisons HERE, in this country, never mind one 1000's of miles away.

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Originally posted by BigDamnNobody:
So do you personally think this was an asinine stunt or are you just Obama's apologist?

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What real news story was this stunt and "pandemic" designed to cover.

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Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
Let's talk about those pesky Facts then, Rappy.

FINAL REPORT OF THE INDEP. PANEL TO REVIEW DOD DETENTION OPERATIONS
PAGE 13.
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=7663

"As of the date of this report, there were about 300 incidents of alleged detainee abuse across the Joint Operations Areas. Of the 155 completed investigations, 66 have resulted in a determination that detainees under the control of U.S. forces were abused. Dozens of non-judicial punishments have already been awarded. Others are in various stages of the military justice process.

Of the 66 already substantiated cases of abuse, eight occured at Guatanamo, three in Afghanistan and 55 in Iraq. only about one-third were related to interrogation, and two-thirds to other causes. there were five cases of detainee deaths as a result of abuse by U.S. personnel during interrogations. Many more died from natural causes and enemy mortar attacks. There are 23 cases of detainee deaths still under investigation; three in Afghanistan and 20 in Iraq. Twenty-eight of the abuse cases are alleged to include Special Operations Forces (SOF) and, of the 15 SOF cases that have been closed, ten were determined to be unsubstantiated and five resulted in disciplinary action. The Jacoby review of SOF detention operations found a range of abuses and causes similar in scope and magnitude to those found among conventional forces."

That's just an EXCERPT - The report as a whole is pretty damning, and given that it was processed in 2004 and such techniques were not "officially" ended (although they unofficially continue) until 2009, that's five more years worth of the same shit.

So, torturing folks to DEATH is equivalent to a stay at the Ritz, in your pathetic little world ?

Cause in mine it's a fucking prosecuteable war crime, and right there is a full admission that this conduct was indeed common enough that our own internal investigators felt it to be a serious problem requiring changes of policy which have not been implemented even today.

Now, care to make yourself look even more of an ass, or would you prefer to shut your fucking trap about things you know NOTHING about for once ?

-Frem

It cannot be said enough, those who do not learn from history, are doomed to endlessly repeat it

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Originally posted by AURaptor:
Kwickie

I'm not lying, and you're a fucking dick head.

They Islamo nazis were given 3 square meals a day, "religious appropriate " , outdoor activites,...hell, why the fuck am I telling you? This shit's all known, and you don't care about the facts anyways, so I'll stop wasting my time.

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
Funny how the White House is calling it Air Force One when any retard knows it is not, when Obamination is sitting in da house.
I was immediately reminded of Slick Willie freezing LAX for half a day so he could get a haircut from Christoph.
Both are pure class.

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Originally posted by AURaptor:
Do you think the MSM would have been all over it ? Stating just what a colossally stupid, heartless and outrageous stunt this was ?

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I said there was no torture at GITMO, and there was none.

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Originally posted by rue:
Hey Rap

"Now SHUT THE FUCK UP, ASSHOLE."

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" sustained isolation, sleep deprivation, nudity and prolonged exposure to cold "

NOT Torture.


I stand validated. Thanks, ASSHOLES.

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I stand validated.

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Originally posted by SignyM:

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I stand validated.

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really? Did you get a hole punched thru you somewhere, or did you get rubber stamped?

Can we see???

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Look up words you obviously don't know the meaning of -

In common usage, validation is the process of checking if something satisfies a certain criterion. Examples would include checking if a statement is true (validity),

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He didn't suffer torture, he experienced life as a college freshman

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We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.

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Sig You're a sheep. I will not live my life as a sheep.It's just that simple.

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Originally posted by AURaptor:
He didn't suffer torture, he experienced life as a college freshman, w/ out the binge drinking. BFD.

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Originally posted by SignyM:

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Sig You're a sheep. I will not live my life as a sheep.It's just that simple.

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I think you're saying something, but all I hear is baaaah!.... baaahhh!... baaaaahhhhh!

Go, join Sheikh Issah's flock.

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I don't join flocks.

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Originally posted by AURaptor:

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Originally posted by AURaptor:
I'm clearly not lying, and I'm clearly superior to you.

You fail, twice.

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Originally posted by AURaptor:
You're the fascist asshole, you dumb mother fucker.

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