Iran’s Air Force One Stationed Near DC
EmailAlthough firebrand Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not allowed to leave New York City, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly meetings, his plane has been stationed at the same air base where the President of the United States’ plane Air Force One is stored, Andrews Air Force Base outside of Washington, DC. Sources tell ABC News that Ahmadinejad’s "Iran Air" jet is considered a "high-value target" and an "enemy jet." As such it has been stationed at the secure Air Force Base where a security perimeter has been set up to keep an eye on the plane. Despite the jet’s proximity to the White House, no Iranian officials are in Washington or have met with US government officials, echoing previous statements by US officials, State Department Deputy spokesman Tom Casey told ABC News. Ahmadinejad’s visa, and those of other visiting Iranian officials, limit their travel to a 25 mile radius around the United Nations. Keith Garvin and Jon Garcia contributed to this report.
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So that begs the question, “How does a rule of a 25 mile radius of New York City equate to the 600+ mile trek to the jet in Washington. Come on guys….this isn’t Star Trek “Beam me up Scottie”…….. Who is footing the transportation cost to and from the Jet…?? and I’m sure that cost would includes a few on & over-lookers to see the man or his entourage does not stray from point A to B….??
Posted by: dreek | September 22, 2006, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
Is there a point here? I doubt his jet landed at Andrews and he snuck off the plane, then rented a Buick to secretly drive north on I-95, shaking the FBI in the process.
It’s only logical that he land at Andrews and be escorted or otherwise transported to NYC with strong security. Think about it, if he was roaming the country, a bunch of crazed Americans would probably hurt each themselves just trying to get to him.
And don’t you think the 25 mile travel restriction is just a paperwork formally?
Posted by: Gus | September 22, 2006, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
Ditto Gus. It is only 235 miles from the UN to the White House. This visa restriction is a moot issue given that the US has the prestige of hosting the United Nations on US soil. The real tragedy, of course, is that the Bush administration has learned nothing from 9/11 or the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: that when given an opportunity to open a dialogue with a would-be adversary, they chose to turn their back and walk away… history will not treat this administration very kindly, to say the least. We are all paying the price.
Posted by: NYSoxfan | September 22, 2006, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm
I am dissappointed that we were not at the UN when these Presidents from other countries came before the UN. I did not feel that the lanuguage and behavior of some Presidents
was appropriate to their office. They all act like children who never learned respect and the ability to communicate. Hopefully the next generation will learn from their mistakes.
Posted by: Claire | September 23, 2006, 10:33 am 10:33 am
Claire -
That is because they ARE children who have never learned respect and have never had the ability to communicate other than at the business end of a weapon. The next generation is not likely to learn from their mistakes because in their countries they teach their children to hate. Unfortunate but true
Posted by: dave | September 24, 2006, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
Put 2 & 3 together (no, not milage)…
What do you get?
Not 5 – that’s too obvious…
You get an someone who just happens to “drop by” to check in with “someone” who happens to be in DC.
Are you getting the picture yet?
Or does someone have to actually “tell” you what’s going on here?
Could be an enemy. Could be a freind. Could be anyone.
You decidde.
Posted by: Watcher | September 25, 2006, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
They really ought to check out this plane for explosives, who know’s this crazy bastard might try something nuts!
Posted by: dave | September 27, 2006, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
NYSoxfan
You’re kidding right? “The prestige of hosting the United Nations on US soil.” I just bet you’re a Clinton loving democrat. The UN is nothing more than a black-hole for US tax payer’s dollars with no return for our investment, it is useless!!.
In eight years Clinton didn’t do a thing about OBL, Clinton’s the one who didn’t learn anything!, what did you learn?
Posted by: jeff | September 27, 2006, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
as an american who has been travelling abroad for the last few years, i look at these posts in amazement.
i felt like i was in a time warp. back to CLINTON blame? its ALL so pathetic
glad to know ive been missing absolutely NOTHING
it is prestigious to host the un. we should welcome world opinion.
i love it, the people that brought the world GLOBALIZATION, in reality HATE non-american. too ironic
guess they forgot what america is all about, a land of immigrants from all over the world
im staying on the road….call me when the fog lifts, ill be there.
Posted by: scott | September 28, 2006, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
what’s more likely is that the plane dropped him off in nyc then relocated to andrews. the tarmac gets way too crowded in nyc during the un.
Posted by: john | September 29, 2006, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
It is time to get out of the UN. We are there major source of funding. They have no purpose.
What is going on in the Sudan 400,000 Aficans are killed by fellow Africans?….We don’t hear much about it.Dennis
Posted by: Dennis M. | September 29, 2006, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
The political situation, both inside and outside Iran, is so complicated that open discussion is a non starter. I suspect that some dialog did take place, if for no other reason than to provide emphasis to State (US and IR) significant interests. Nations (unlike terrorist groups) often exchange briefs to each other to avoid misunderstandings that lead to breaches of national interests.
Posted by: Mike C | September 30, 2006, 8:23 am 8:23 am
We need to quit bashing both Clinton and Bush — as both have whole-heartedly supported the UN-American organization. We just need to withdraw from it, then tell them that they have ninety days to find somewhere else to live, and another ninety days after that to get all their crap off our soil. At the end of six months, we let the explosives and bulldozers have at it…
Posted by: Dean Koepke | October 1, 2006, 1:48 am 1:48 am
My squadron is stationed out at Andrews a couple hangars down from where they parked the Iran air jet. Surprised the hell out of me to read that its actually THE MAN’s jet. They have kept security really tight on it. There is at least one watch posted on it that is even visible 24/7. I wouldn’t worry about anything crazy from that jet. Even if they did bring him down through the base, they would have had a massive motorcade escorting him the whole way. There is no way in hell that the Air Force would spare any precautions on this base with that jet there. At any rate, I’m sure they just dropped him off in NY and flew the plane down here to keep it safe. That makes the most sense to me at least. If I were him I wouldn’t want my jet left at the airport, I’d want it secure over here. He knows we aren’t stupid enough to screw with that jet, we have more security and more to lose. I wouldn’t be so sure about the civilian sector
Posted by: Ben from VAQ-209 | September 25, 2008, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm