I flew to Banjul, The Gambia in 95 via Senegal’s nightmare of an airport. The Gambia’s airport had its own level of absurdity (my understanding is that they now have a new facility). We landed on a very very long runaway in the middle of the jungle, then de-planed and were told to walk thru a field of chest high grass to the terminal (actually a small tin roofed shed). Once inside I noticed a photo of US astronauts on the wall. Apparently, the US built the long jungle runway for The Gambia as one of the designated emergency landing zones for the Challenger flights. There were goat and various hangers-on in the shed. It had started to pour and the tin roof was amplifying the sounds so it was difficult to hear the announcement that our luggage was dumped outside on the tarmac the shed for pick up. when my girfiend flew in a few days later on the smae flight, the flight was late..18 hours late. When I called Gambia air to ask when the flight was expected I was told that they were not sure but to listen for a plane overhead, when I hear it...head to the airport.

One more, and again in the mid 90s, Chuuk International Airport, Federated States of Micronesia. Airport not necessarily so bad, open air, not much to do though other than buy a mwarmwar and chew and spit betel nut. The daily Continental Micronesia flight was still an event for islander youth. However, the pilot sometimes had to buzz the runway to shoo livestock and children playing. In addition, when the island was without power for months on end, airport lighting was the only lighting on the island, only turned on for arriving planes. The airport emergency vehicle had died but still sat at the end of the runway. Its flashing red light would be turned on when planes arrived to provide comfort to those who didn’t know better. I was told by Continental pilots that the island hopper flight (Honolulu, Johnston, Majuro, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Guam) was a difficult flight, most of the runways built over the ocean, 6 take offs and 6 landings in 11 hours.

Haaretz reports today:

"IDF soldiers: We killed Gaza civilians under lax rules of engagement

During Operation Cast Lead, Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilians under permissive rules of engagement and intentionally destroyed their property, say soldiers who fought in the offensive.

The soldiers are graduates of the Yitzhak Rabin pre-military preparatory course at Oranim Academic College in Tivon. Some of their statements made on Feb. 13 will appear Thursday and Friday in Haaretz. Dozens of graduates of the course who took part in the discussion fought in the Gaza operation.

The speakers included combat pilots and infantry soldiers. Their testimony runs counter to the Israel Defense Forces' claims that Israeli troops observed a high level of moral behavior during the operation. The session's transcript was published this week in the newsletter for the course's graduates."............

............"Another squad leader from the same brigade told of an incident where the company commander ordered that an elderly Palestinian woman be shot and killed; she was walking on a road about 100 meters from a house the company had commandeered.

The squad leader said he argued with his commander over the permissive rules of engagement that allowed the clearing out of houses by shooting without warning the residents beforehand. After the orders were changed, the squad leader's soldiers complained that "we should kill everyone there [in the center of Gaza]. Everyone there is a terrorist."

The squad leader said: "You do not get the impression from the officers that there is any logic to it, but they won't say anything. To write 'death to the Arabs' on the walls, to take family pictures and spit on them, just because you can. I think this is the main thing: To understand how much the IDF has fallen in the realm of ethics, really. It's what I'll remember the most."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

You avoided addressing this:

............"Another squad leader from the same brigade told of an incident where the company commander ordered that an elderly Palestinian woman be shot and killed; she was walking on a road about 100 meters from a house the company had commandeered.

I won't cry you a river, but I will piss on your grave

Pro-Israel media: Bloggers join media war

Some 1,000 new immigrants and foreign-language-speaking Jews volunteer to army of bloggers set up by Absorption Ministry and Foreign Ministry with the stated objective of flooding blogs with pro-Israel opinions.....

......The Absorption Ministry is recruiting new immigrants and Jews living abroad who have access to a computer and who speak a second language to a volunteer effort to improve public relations for Israel on the internet. The campaign was launched last week.

In the cross hairs are problematic blogs, talkbacks, online social networks, online polls, Youtube videos, and more.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3663679,00.html

you have enough jail space?

Your handler called, ratchet up the character assasination as more eyewitness Israeli testimony of Israeli war crimes will be emerging over the next couple days. Remember your talking points:

1 wait till all the evidence is in,

2. Evidence is faulty and untrustworthy

3. Any wrongdoing will be punished (we investigate our own) and perpetrators will be thrown in prison (it will fade away long before there is any trial and everyone will be pardoned anyway)

4. Palestinians are much worse.

5. USA is worse.

6. Double standard for israel

7. Israel reaches for a higher ethical standard.

7. Anti-Semites (we have downgraded this defense because it's not as effective)