Kenny Blister Posted March 23, 2007 Howard's C-130 Dash The above is a link to a Crikey article questioning the authenticity of footage of Howard in Iraq. Within the article is a link to the actual footage. Here is a response to the article: Early Crikey columnist, Dan McNutt, writes: Re. "Howard's C-130 dash: all the angles" (yesterday, item 2). Just read your C-130 aviation cinematographer expert's story on the scam of the Rodent being ushered off the plane in southern Iraq. I was immediately suspicious when I didn't see any body armour being worn. I was suspicious earlier when I saw the CH-47 footage in Afghanistan – same deal – no body armour being worn (it's compulsory! Trust me, I know). So this means the footage is all “staged” so that when the aircraft lands, they all take off their protective gear and get a camera on the tarmac to catch it all as if they are normally dressed. It's a f-cking scam. And you know why? Because the Rodent looks a complete dwarvish twerp in body armour and helmet, just like the Moir cartoons. Can't have that bad footage for our Glorious Wartime Leader, now can we? This is reminiscent of Macarthur coming back to the Philippines – his "landing" from the landing barge was filmed and re-filmed about five times. And here are a couple of responses to the response: Peter Wachtel writes: Re. Early Crikey columnist, Dan McNutt (yesterday, comments), needs to get his eyes checked. John Howard was clearly wearing body armour. Mr McNutt says, "trust me, I know". Well obviously you don’t or you are lying. Which one is it? Bill Gemmell writes: What rabid haters like "Early Crikey columnist" Dan McNutt don't realise is the powerful disservice they do to their cause by the use of irrational invective and name calling. I happen to be one of the thousands of swingers put off voting for the elevation of Mark Latham last time, by not wanting to be in any way associated with those who choose foul language and juvenile, orchestrated abuse over balanced observation and reasoned debate. Trust me Dan, I know. So, what do you think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jesus On Peyote Posted March 23, 2007 Im pretty sure he was wearing some kind of armour from what i remember when i saw it on the news, why would they bother faking a troop meeting? if it was for support it clearly dident help the old beaver Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ENtiTY Posted March 24, 2007 Yep looks like he has body armor on under his jumper. Just as well he was wearing it to or some sniper could shoot him in the head. Why bother wearing half the gear? Completely defeats the purpose of wearing any at all. Camera couldn't get a clean shot off his face with it on I suppose. Its also lucky they made an emergency landing right next to the emergency camera crew so they could catch the emergency exit. WHAT a joke... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dirty Old Man Posted March 25, 2007 When I heard it on the news I got my hopes up. Nothing would be better than to hear about John Howard being incinerated in a huge fireball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jesus On Peyote Posted March 25, 2007 Carefull there dirty old man, dont wanna get raided by asio n shiped off to gitmo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conan Troutman Posted March 25, 2007 (edited) News.com.au How I saved the Prime Minister By Adam Harvey March 25, 2007 12:00am * Hydraulic fluid leak caused emergency * Pilot rejects conspiracy theories * Crew thought smoke came from PM's dinner THE pilot at the controls when smoke filled the Prime Minister's plane over Iraq has revealed the drama was caused by a hydraulic-fluid leak in an engine. Flight Lieutenant Ben Poxon coolly carried out an emergency landing as fumes wafted through the cabin, engulfing Mr Howard and defence force chief Angus Houston. "One of them pays me, and the other makes decisions about my future," Lieutenant Poxon, 27, joked last week from the RAAF's secret airbase in the Middle East. "Having them on board was obviously a concern." Lieutenant Poxon said he was aware of theories that the whole event had been engineered as a public-relations stunt. "You would have needed a pretty good Hollywood producer to create all that -- although the PM running out of the plane kind of made for a good scene." Lieutenant Poxon was one of three RAAF pilots assigned to ferry Mr Howard and Air Vice-Marshal Houston around Afghanistan and Iraq. His human cargo was considered so valuable he didn't know who he was carrying until Mr Howard walked on to the plane. "I was just told they would be VVIPs -- Very, Very Important Persons." Lieutenant Poxon and co-pilot Christian Bland at first thought there was a simple reason for the smell. "We thought it was the oven. We were heating up meals for the Prime Minister, the CDF (commander of the defence forces) and the passengers." But overdone in-flight entrees weren't the culprit, and the pilot told his two VVIPs -- who were sitting behind him in the cockpit -- to don their oxygen masks. Back in the passenger compartment, loadmasters Andrew Greer and Scott Willacott tried to find the source of the smoke while helping the 30 or so passengers put on their masks. Lieutenant Poxon radioed the control tower in Talil and declared a "PAN" - a call for assistance one step down from a Mayday. "It means we need special consideration for landing, and we need fire services and ambulance services on the ground," he said. As Mr Howard calmly listened to the crew's conversations through his headphones, Lieutenant Poxon turned off the air conditioning to try to block the smoke. He said the crew had trained endlessly for such an emergency, but there was added stress involved in returning to Talil. "It's still a combat zone." Mr Howard thanked Lieutenant Poxon for getting him back on the ground before he boarded a back-up Hercules for the flight to Baghdad, leaving the crew to discover what the problem was. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21442403-2,00.html Edited March 25, 2007 by Conan Troutman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
