Darn, am i lucky!!!!

Fly Dubai is one of the main charters that flies US government contractors in and out of Afghanistan from Dubai. One DOD friend of mine and a "tent fixer" I know were on the plane that ended up in Iran. I have been getting emails all afternoon from Bagram. A lot of people I know had a lot of friends on that plane. It is usually a HUGE party on those planes coming out of Afghanistan. It sure wasn't a party today. I bet there were a lot of very, very terrified people.

I have no desire to see Iran, though I have seen most of the rest of the Middle East. This could have been me. I feel so lucky to be in Homer Alaska finishing up our fish shipping season even if it means 14 hours a day of paperwork.

And we as a country are darn lucky that no one was held hostage, beheaded or any of the other horrible things that are happening to Americans in the Middle East right now.

I sure had someone looking over my shoulder when I told the Army Logistics Depot I was not going back to Afghanistan in June because I felt it was just getting too dangerous to perform my job satisfactorily. I can do without the extra money and even though I left my job unfinished and feel rather bad about that, I just truly believe my dear departed husband had a big hand in telling me not to go back in June. Thank you Dennis!!!!

Homer on the one hand, Bandar Abbas on the other.

Glad you are in the one that has the Stars and Stripes flying at the post office.

Just an FYI, if you are spending any time at all in ANC and want one of the best pizzas in the world (along with some fine beers), try the Moose's Tooth over on Seward, near where Old and New split apart. Sells more pizza from a single location than any other in the USA - it's that good.

Anyhow, I think I can speak for many that we're happy that both you, and those on that flight, are safe tonight.

And we as a country are darn lucky that no one was held hostage, beheaded or any of the other horrible things that are happening to Americans in the Middle East right now.

But isn't this a bit of an overreaction? This was Iran, not Waziristan. It's a country whose biggest international airport is served by Alitalia, Austrian/Tyrolean and Lufthansa, amongst others. And Bandar Abbas is not exactly beyond civilisation. And that's before you take into account the current geo-political situation - why would any officialdom in Iran have any incentive to harm westerners?

Given that the flight was from Kandahar, this was not exactly "out of the frying pan" stuff. I'm more relieved that you're not going back to Afghanistan.

I wouldn't have wanted to be there either if I hadn't planned to be.

 

But isn't this a bit of an overreaction? This was Iran, not Waziristan. It's a country whose biggest international airport is served by Alitalia, Austrian/Tyrolean and Lufthansa, amongst others. And Bandar Abbas is not exactly beyond civilisation. And that's before you take into account the current geo-political situation - why would any officialdom in Iran have any incentive to harm westerners?

 

Given that the flight was from Kandahar, this was not exactly "out of the frying pan" stuff. I'm more relieved that you're not going back to Afghanistan.

If I was on that airplane, I would be concerned. Iran could hold the aircraft and people on it for a long time.

Iran held three hikers that "wandered" into Iran by mistake for many months, I think more than a year. Further it held Western journalist for months. Then, there was the American pastor...

Also, this is the same country that has been fomenting terrorists for decades, with Israel, USA and the UK as their primary targets.

We shall see how long this goes on.

Just an FYI, if you are spending any time at all in ANC and want one of the best pizzas in the world (along with some fine beers), try the Moose's Tooth over on Seward, near where Old and New split apart. Sells more pizza from a single location than any other in the USA - it's that good.

 

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I'll second that

I wouldn't have wanted to be there either if I hadn't planned to be.

 

But isn't this a bit of an overreaction? This was Iran, not Waziristan. It's a country whose biggest international airport is served by Alitalia, Austrian/Tyrolean and Lufthansa, amongst others. And Bandar Abbas is not exactly beyond civilisation. And that's before you take into account the current geo-political situation - why would any officialdom in Iran have any incentive to harm westerners?

 

Given that the flight was from Kandahar, this was not exactly "out of the frying pan" stuff. I'm more relieved that you're not going back to Afghanistan.

Not an overreaction at all. 1. Emails I am getting out of Afghanistan and a SKYPE call with a very close friend in Kabul says the plane was forced down by Iranian Military jets. I don't know whether that is true but it could have been very, very ugly. As 4774Papa posted, that plane and it's occupants could have been on the ground for a very long time, just because they were Americans.

2. Bandar Abbas is a known hotspot in the Middle East for kidnappings for ransom as well as drugs and other contraband. US Military contractors working in Laskar Gah and the Kandahar region are constantly schooled about getting too close to the Iranian border due the "bandit" nature of groups operating out of Bandar Abbas. When I went to Laskar Gah, I had to sit through 6 hours of films and SERE training officers lecturing about how far you can go in a convoy, make sure you keep your head down and preferably, your headscarf on, don't get out in front of your security detail even to speak to the local village women (which was part of my job), etc. etc.

3. Plane left from Bagram, not Kandahar. All US Military contractors are processed OUT of Bagram. Bagram is the 1 place in Afghanistan where Westerners are truly, truly safe so far. Even safer than the US Embassy in Kabul. Nothing like seeing Marines, Rangers and UK Special Forces lined up while you are getting cleared to enter Bagram.

4. Just lucky this was Fly Dubai and NOT Gryphon that got caught short. Gryphon is what the US government used to fly contractors and DOD employees and assorted very strong, very fit men with constantly shifting eyes in and out of Iraq and still flies a lot of contract flights out of Afghanistan. This is a US airline based out of Vienna, VA and whether or not it is true, the standing joke at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait was always "we are taking Air America", referencing the CIA airline that operated during the Vietnam War. IF that would have been a Gryphon plane, I bet it would still be on the ground.

I am so glad everyone is safe in Dubai. Final out processing happens at the Sheraton Deira. That place is chaos under normal circumstances when you have a bunch of guys who haven't had much to drink in at least 3 months, a lot of money in their pockets and freedom from the restrictions of working in the war zones. I bet it was total madness when this group finally got to the Sheraton.

Very glad GreatAm is in Homer!

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Not an overreaction at all. 1. Emails I am getting out of Afghanistan and a SKYPE call with a very close friend in Kabul says the plane was forced down by Iranian Military jets. I don't know whether that is true but it could have been very, very ugly. As 4774Papa posted, that plane and it's occupants could have been on the ground for a very long time, just because they were Americans.

But even if there had been, the fact that the flight was escorted by military aircraft would have underlined that this was the work of the government, not "groups".

I do not believe for one moment that the Iranian government would have beheaded anyone just for being American.

And I can't believe that in September 2014, the Iranian government would hold a group of Americans hostage. A year ago, one might reasonably have been more worried. But not today - the Iranian government has today got much bigger and more important fish to fry.

The issue, FWIW, appears to have been that the aircraft was very late and so did not appear to have filed a valid flight plan. It couldn't return to its origin because of insufficient fuel, so was asked to land at Bandar Abbas. The paperwork took a few hours to sort out and then everyone was on their way again.

Really, this sort of thing doesn't justify an "OMG, they might all have had their heads chopped off or been tied to a wall for years" comment. I know that greatam knows the Middle East better than to think that the whole area is uniformly populated by savage rag-head Ay-rabs* from whom Americans are equally uniformly at risk.

* Those who know something about the area will understand every nuance in this.

That place is chaos under normal circumstances when you have a bunch of guys who haven't had much to drink in at least 3 months, a lot of money in their pockets and freedom from the restrictions of working in the war zones. I bet it was total madness when this group finally got to the Sheraton.

Actually, no military jets were involved; the pilots were asked to land and did so of their own accord.

 

But even if there had been, the fact that the flight was escorted by military aircraft would have underlined that this was the work of the government, not "groups".

 

I do not believe for one moment that the Iranian government would have beheaded anyone just for being American.

 

And I can't believe that in September 2014, the Iranian government would hold a group of Americans hostage. A year ago, one might reasonably have been more worried. But not today - the Iranian government has today got much bigger and more important fish to fry.

 

The issue, FWIW, appears to have been that the aircraft was very late and so did not appear to have filed a valid flight plan. It couldn't return to its origin because of insufficient fuel, so was asked to land at Bandar Abbas. The paperwork took a few hours to sort out and then everyone was on their way again.

 

Really, this sort of thing doesn't justify an "OMG, they might all have had their heads chopped off or been tied to a wall for years" comment. I know that greatam knows the Middle East better than to think that the whole area is uniformly populated by savage rag-head Ay-rabs* from whom Americans are equally uniformly at risk.

 

* Those who know something about the area will understand every nuance in this.

I am not going to argue with you in the least because I respect all your opinions.

And I certainly understand the nuances you provided.

Has the government of Iran become "more moderate" after Ahmadinejad got his butt out of office? That truly remains to be seen. They are still trying to make a nuke. And if one country in the Middle East, particularly Iran, has nuke worth a sh** that can go more than 50 feet (exaggeration), the rest of them will pile on and get nukes of their own. So you now have a NUCLEAR Middle East. Who is going to press the button first? Wagers being taken.

And your are correct-the government of Iran MAY NOT have held the US Military contractors. BUT if they thought even ONE of them was CIA, Delta or SEALS, then we get into the "spy situation" with Iran.

I have the list direct from Bargram: 22 electricians, 14 "tent fixers-general maintenance" (one of them a guy I know who had to repeatedly fix my tent and made it cool in Nangarhar province). 12 plumbers, 9 specific trade supervisors, 10 security contractors (this could be a problem-who do they work for?????-someone recognized by Iran as Triple Canopy, XE, Mantech or others is OK or did we sneak someone else and they are considered SPYS!!!!), 18 contract specialists who only deal with contracts between the USA and Afghanistan for "rebuilding money", 12 DOD that works US AID and NGOS operating in Afghanistan. And the last few, NO ONE knows about.

Could it be problem that the 10 security contractors and the few unknows-YOU BETCHA.

Iran is very cognizant of SPYS!!!! Could they have held the plane on the ground until they cleared everyone and found no CIA or Special Forces. Could have taken days or WEEKS. You betcha. But I would be more worried about the "bandit" groups (NOT terrorists, just in it for the money like the Somalia pirates) realizing a plane of Americans was on the ground in Bandar Abbas and kidnapping for RANSOM would have taken place.

We basically LUCKED OUT because it was UAE plane.

delete-dup pot

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years and have studied the culture for decades. While, I am not an expert, I believe that I understand the area.

First point. A famous Middle East Historian, Bernard Lewis, a real expert if there is one, who respects the people there has articulated so much about the culture. His view is that the Muslim World has not gone through the transition referred to as "The Enlightenment." The West went through the Enlightenment, Reformation and deadly religious wars (that ended over three hundred years ago).

There are clearly elements of the culture in the Middle East and SW Asia that is Medieval. Further, the Sunni/Shia divide may very well continue with armed conflict, including country vs. country. This is a frightening prospect with Iran close to obtaining nuclear weapons. The Saudis may find a way to acquire some from Pakistan. Imagine a 30years war between Iran and Saudi Arabia with nukes (even without nukes)!

Second. In the West, we live in countries that generally have a secular policy separating church and state. Not so in the Muslim World, where Islam is their culture. If the radicals take over a state and proceed to create a new caliphate, the World must wake up.

Third, will Mutual Assured Destruction stop a country like Iran, where its former President and likely its shadow leader are Hidden Imman proponents that believe in the end of the World.

Forth, even Turkey, a relatively modern Europeanized Muslim country that has been official secular under Ataturk's policies for 90 years is now moving toward becoming an Islamic state under Erdogan, who fosters policies along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood.

On the positive side, I believe that in Iran there is a strong popular movement, largely underground and hidden that is opposed to the rule of the Mullahs. How long will the Mullahs hold on? We shall see.