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May-27-2012 16:20printcomments

IranAir 655 and PanAm 103

"I'll never apologize for the United States of America. Ever. I don't care what the facts are." - Vice President George H. W. Bush, 1988

Stamp commemorating Iran Air Flight 655 and Time Mag coverage of PanAm 103

(PORTLAND, OR) - In July 1988, the US Navy’s guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air 655 AirBus (Badar Abbas-Dubai) over the Straits of Hormuz, killing all 290 aboard.

Lockerbie Cairn in Arlington
National Cemetery

Eight years later in 1996, the U.S. government expressed regret for the loss of human lives and, to settle an International Court of Justice suit, paid Iran $132M in reparations. However, the US never apologized or acknowledged any wrongdoing.

Six months later in December, PanAm 103 707 (London-NY) was blown up over Scotland, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on the ground. The Libyan government paid over $2B to survivors (including a large proportion to a NY law firm) but the payments were made to persuade the US government to reestablish normal relations with Libya, which consistently denied responsibility for the explosion.

Referring to Iran Air 655, Vice President George H. W. Bush declared in 1988 that "I'll never apologize for the United States of America. Ever. I don't care what the facts are."

After the recent killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers by the US military, the US expressed “deepest regret” but President Obama adamantly refused to apologize, leading to a Pakistani demand that any US supply trucks allowed into Afghanistan would have to pay $5,000/truck.

Visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

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Portland Tribune photo by L.E. Baskow

Order from Powell's

Michael Munk tries to glean important but overlooked items from the world media on the issues of the day and posts them on an irregular schedule. Although items can overlap, he also maintains separate lists for activists in Portland, Oregon and the Northwest, and special lists for: Labor, Latin America, Israel, Torture Taxis, Korea, and the Czech Republic. Sign up here to try the general list or ask to be added to one or more of the special lists.

Michael is a highly praised writer from an important generation whose book, the Portland Red Guide, has received high praise.

"City Commissioner Nick Fish gave me a copy. Sat down on my sofa and couldn't put it down until I finished. Fascinating!"
-- Tom Potter, Mayor of Portland 2005-2009

"Whoop! Whoop! I'm impressed by how many names from Portland's past have not made it into our official histories and public memorials. Some were good friends of mine. Local history is too often overlooked. Good work, Mike."
-- Bud Clark, Saloon keeper, Goose Hollow Inn, and Mayor of Portland, 1985–1992

Visit the new photo gallery on Michael's website: www.michaelmunk.com





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May 28, 2012 8:15 am (Pacific time)

Obviously this feckless blog supports those on the Terrorist List...in time you will have...

Editor: Well if you want to be technical, we do support beleaguered people whose governments have been declared 'terrorist' by nations that kill 1.5 million Iraqi people on bad information. Where does that leave you asshole?  I will go to my grave fighting for human rights and against people of your nature, and Israel, that is the other terrorist country.  Did I mention the UK?  France?  Colonizing racist war crime countries that think their shit doesn't stink; where they elect men like Bush and Blair who literally seem like they might be retarded, that try to wage the neo-Crusades against Muslims when this country's own administration arranged the so-called 'terror attack' of 11 Sept?  Yeah right, Bush, that son of a bitch, he had the Tamil Tigers placed on the terror list just in time to eliminate them from political bargaining and allow the government of Sri Lanka to annihilate the Tamils like the Jews of Europe during WWII.  Hamas, give me a break, that is the elected government of Gaza and it is legit and problematic at the same time, but the Hamas terror is a drop in the bucket next to Israel's.  They halted all suicide bombing years ago, and guys like you and the zionist sheep all fail to ever recognize that.  Well buddy, terrorists fly F-16's and have American weapons, they are what they accuse their enemies of being.   'Feckless', what a stupid word.  Salem-News.com kicks ass for the benefit of what is right in the world, we aren't afraid to state our admiration of groups that oppose Israel's gutless, ruthless occupation and oppression of Palestinians.  You and your ilk are the terrorists and don't think for a second that we will lie like the other news media on your behalf.


Anonymous May 27, 2012 5:50 pm (Pacific time)

Has Iran ever apologized for their decades long history of international war crimes? To have Potter and Clark endorse Munk says a lot. And the reasons we kept Potter and Clark out of M.A.C., Waverly, etc., etc. is: Legion...! Portland's leadership nosedived soon after the child rapist Goldschmidt was elected. You get who you vote for...the left always allows emotion to guide them, and that is why where ever they come into leadership by hustling the voters, things always turn to crap, always.

Editor: Israel is the government you mean, not Iran, sorry for your confusion.  Iran is far from perfect, but it hasn't started a war with any nation in any recent time.  The US and UK screwed ancient Persia from the post-WWII years until the early 50's, when Iran's PM talked about nationalizing oil.  Then the CIA and SAS took him out and installed the Shah..  By 1979 they had enough, and the Islamic Revolution was underway.  They tossed out the Shah ( He was guilty of crimes against humanity and a puppet of the US and UK) , and then the US funded the Iraq-Iran war which Iraq both started and lost.  Iran is not a violent neighbor, it refuses to accept Israeli apartheid and crimes against Palestinians which are all financed with American money.  It is not about left and right and if it is, then the right is to blame for the vast majority of our problems,  I mean the real left, not this thing in America called 'Democrats'.   So, again for clarification, Israel has been getting away with war crimes for more than six decades, Iran has been trying to survive.  Iran has laws to protect Jewish people and if Israel ever gets off that nation's back, then it can improve its own society without always having to fear warmongering Israel and Amerika. 

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