Official quits over NY fly over

[Guest guest]

As much as this Air Force 1 photo thing was a gross mistake and weaste of tax

dollars, I cannot help but wonder why people could not actually identify AF1 on

sight and guess what was going on.

It was clearly marked and low flying. Anyone could have read the insignia on it.

It was flying with a escort.

But then, maybe most New Yorkers don't know what Air Force 1 looks like.

Administrator

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_374448.html

May 9, 2009

Official quits over NY fly over

WASHINGTON - A WHITE House military aide who authorized an Air Force flyover of

New York that caused panic among some people in the city resigned on Friday.

Louis Caldera said in a resignation letter to President Barack Obama that the

controversy over the mission - a photo shoot of a jumbo jet used as Air Force

One with the Statue of Liberty in the background - made it impossible for him to

lead the White House Military Office.

The flight over lower Manhattan for a photo shoot scared some New Yorkers who

remembered the Sept 11 attacks in 2001 involving hijacked airliners that

destroyed the World Trade Centre. Some people panicked and evacuated office

buildings when the planes flew over.

Mr Caldera had approved the mission. His resignation came on the same day

Defence Secretary Gates said in a letter to Senator McCain that the

photo shoot cost U.S. taxpayers as much as $357,000.

White House spokesman Gibbs said Mr Obama had accepted the resignation.

Mr Obama had been described as furious when the incident occurred on April 27

and demanded a review.

Mr McCain, who lost to Mr Obama in last year's presidential election and is the

ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the incident

an 'Air Farce 1 photo op'. The report of the review, also released on Friday,

said ultimately Mr Caldera did not notify relevant White House officials about

the flyover in advance.

'When asked why he failed to do so, he did not offer a coherent explanation. He

stated that it was not a conscious decision - he did not intend not to notify

them,' it said.

'Instead, he suggested that it may have been an oversight.' Also released was a

photo of the Air Force jet over the State of Liberty from the mission.

Mr Gates, providing details demanded by McCain in the wake of the incident, said

the cost of a jumbo jet that is used as the president's plane, Air Force One,

was estimated between US$300,658 (S$438,631) and US$328,835.

The cost of two accompanying F-16 jets was US$28,177 for a total of US$357,012,

Mr Gates said. -- REUTERS