Florida Sen. Mel Martinez says the C130 E wasn't hit and no one was hurt, but three rocket-propelled grenades were believed to be fired at it as it left Baghad airport, carrying Martinez and a congressional delegation.
The Republican and staunch backer of President Bush said the incident did little to shake his faith that Bush's troop surge is making progress in Iraq.
"It's isolated incidents," he said. "These people are out there trying to kill and maim, but that doesn't diminish in the least what are signs of military progress and political reconciliation."
More details to come.
Not the first time a Florida U.S. Senator's plane has been shot at in a war zone. From Page 233 of The Reagan Diaries:
"I've just been notified that our Congressional delegation in Central Am. survived the crash of an army (U.S.) helicopter near the Honduran, El Salvador border. The creaft was downed by ground fire from the Salvador side -- which would mean Guerillas. Sens. Lawton Chiles & Bennett Johnston, staff & wife of Ambas. Negropante all apparently alright & on their way to Palmerola Air Base in Honduras." President Ronald Reagan, April 19, 1984
Posted by: | August 30, 2007 at 09:51 PM
How do we know this whole thing wasn't staged?
Posted by: | August 31, 2007 at 02:23 PM