Bill Sykes' Newsletter from America.
(September 2002)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Late breaking news.
Paranoia and over reaction rears its ugly head as the Defense
Department requested that restrictions be placed on the
flight of foreign airlines into, out of, and over New York
and Washington D.C. areas for up to ten hours on the first
anniversary of the September eleventh terrorist attacks.
Transportation officials admitted embarrassment, and the
White House expressed annoyance, at the clumsy handling
of a plan, which would have disrupted flight schedules worldwide
and would be a breach of international air traffic agreements.
This plan antagonized United States allies, and infuriated
the foreign airlines, to such an extent that I’m sure
the administration had to consider the possibility of a
foreign retaliation by the imposition of the same or similar
conditions to American aircraft at foreign airports, although
I did not see any mention of this possibility in the American
report.
Come to think of it, I don’t remember any foreign
aircraft being involved in the September eleventh terrorist
attacks on United States, I seem to recollect that only
American airline carriers were involved. !!!
Thank goodness, common sense prevailed and the order was
rescinded.
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