I wonder: Does Air Force One need to get Iraqi approval before it invades Iraq airspace and lands at remote U.S. airfields?
As soon as I heard that Bush went to a remote base in Anbar province, I thought he must have gone to Al-Asad Airbase. Sure enough, this is the CNN dateline:
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq (CNN) -- President Bush made a surprise visit to an Iraqi air base Monday, saying fewer U.S. forces may be able to maintain security at its current level.
...
Al Asad Air Base dates to the 1970s, when it was used by Iraqi forces loyal to Saddam Hussein. It houses about 10,000 U.S. troops, mostly Marines. The facility was captured in April 2003 by Australian special forces.
Measuring about 17 miles in circumference, the base is located not far from the Euphrates River between Baghdad and the Syrian border, where the Bush administration has said many foreign fighters have crossed into Iraq.
Here is the CNN map showing the location of Al-Asad Airbase. It really is remote. Why are 10,000 Marines based in the boonies, instead of where they could do some good? Not much fighting in that neighborhood, I’m thinking.
This is the Google Maps visualization. Use "Satellite" view. Zoom out two clicks to see the Euphrates River. Zoom in to see helicopters, small fighters, and large 4-engine planes.
As of 9:30 p.m. EDT, this picture is old data. It is the same as when I first looked at it two years ago. People knowlegeable about airplane sillhouettes might be able to tell if the data is pre-invasion or post-invasion. Fighters are upper left, large planes are at the lower right corner of the base. Are those U.S. planes, or Iraqi?
Coordinates are 33.7917N 42.45E.
Here is the GlobalSecurity.org article about Al-Asad, otherwise known as "Camp Cupcake".
This diary isn’t meant to get anybody excited. Just thought you might like to see where the Pres vacationed today.