So, along with character assassination and guilt by association, we can now add . . .

[markpkessinger]

. . . seizing upon an alleged inaccuracy in a secondary detail of a story -- a detail not ultimately germane to the story itself -- in an effort to discredit the main thrust of a story.

I am speaking, of course, of the discussion of whether France or Italy or Portugal did or did not deny Morales' plane permission to fly through their airspace, or whether or not the plane w as refused permission to land in those countries for refueling. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. The significant part of the story is what happened on the ground in Vienna -- which is not in dispute -- when a sovereign head of state's plane was denied permission to depart for something like 10 hours, until that head of state finally agreed to permit his plane to be searched (a search to which he did not voluntarily consent and which the Austrian government had no legal right to demand).

Nice try, though.

[mick063]

1. I agree with your point.

I'll give it a +1, but it diverts from the real issue at hand.

Not directed at you, but I'll put it in terms that the American Idol crowd can understand.

I'm concerned about the huge fiery eye catching a glimpse of Frodo.

I hear it is in Utah.

Where is the public outcry to tear it down?

Honestly, that is where the discussion must ultimately go. We must get specific about what we want or they will dance around it and let it stand.

[TheMadMonk]

2. If the plane was not formally denied overflight/landing...

...privileges, did those countries simply not give the explicit permission necessary, for the plane to proceed without triggering a shitstorm? Or delay giving the permission until the matter became moot?

I don't know, but it would certainly be interesting to find out.

The apologies certainly support this hypothesis.

[markpkessinger]

3. Yes, those questions are interesting in and of themselves . . .

. . . but ultimately, they don't really have any bearing one way or the other on the main story, which is the international incident that took place on the ground in Vienna.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Tactics like that are just another form of duplicity or lying.

Mendacity and many emoticons are the defining features of the distraction crew.