Airport conversation

So, I was in one of several queues at the airport. Someone asked to have tea from my flask ... I explained it was only hot water, so he started asking around for tea-bags (I did incite him a bit, quite a bit actually, for the sake of the banter)! I got talking to him and his three 'friends'. They were friendly, they were on business though, all working as engineers for British Aerospace at BAe Wharton. They were flying off to Latvia to sell military jets to the Latvian Airforce. Apparently Typhoons are quite popular. They weren't able to either give me an idea of how much such a plane would cost. I asked if they had been given authority to barter on the price, yes they said, how much I asked -- they felt that might have been pushing the boundaries of confidentality.

So, I asked, were any of them working at Wharton when the Ploughshares Four came and vandalized a jet bound for the Indonesian Airforce (who were using the planes to perpetuate a genocide against the East Timorese). One said 'no ... we came in the following morning though'. What I did find out was that the cost of damage to the plane was not as high as it was suggested in the press or at the court case; though when I pressed them on figures we didn't get very far. I also asked them what they felt, personally, about the not guilty verdict returned on those who'd vandalized the plane. I didn't get a direct answer, just a 'not prepared to comment' from the chief engineer and other remarks from another member of the group about how the publicity surrounding the case led to an exaggeration of the matter on all sides.

I felt at the time of the case, and still, in retrospect, that the Not Guilty verdict was a triumph, albeit a paltry one, for British justice, and proof of reasons for the right to a trial by jury. (Though, before I'm misunderstood, I must say that cases about shoplifting a hairdryer going to jury trial ... I knew of one example of that ... well that's the absurdity of a justice system which cannot resolve such matters by another means). And also before I'm misunderstood in another direction I have to repeat comments from blogging back in early 2005 relating to detainees held without trial at Belmarsh. I cannot overstate how appalled I currently am by the British Government's disregard for international law, its own system of justice, and its willingness to kill outside of its own moral codes on just war (not to attack a country threatening beyond its own borders). I can add to that a sense of disgust about the participation in deporting suspects (innocent till proven guilty) to other nations where they are bound to be tortured. (And I haven't even started on our treatment of Asylum seekers). Grrrr.

Back to the Plougshares Four not guilty verdit though. Of course the verdict was sound, since, as the jury agreed, attempting to prevent the slaughter of innocent people legitimates specific, localized and direct action which can be believed to slow down or prevent killing. That was what was so sophisticated about the Direct Action that was committed, and they had all the documentary evidence that they had attempted all other peaceful, political and legalized means of resisting and opposing the Indonesian genocide in East Timor prior to taking 'illegal' action.

So although I was feeling somewhat glum about buying into the 'cheap flight' world, I was very glad to be able to talk to people from the BAe perspective, and to hear some of their thoughts and feelings, though I mainly got that from the body language than what they were willing to divulge. One of the group did want to know my view on Latvian women, how attractive they were and whether they'd be 'up for it'? I was glad I wasn't able to advise ... he said 'we'll be staying a top hotel', I think the inference was that such a location would lead to some kind of quality opportunity for sex ... I sensed there was some irony since they didn't come 'dressed' for the occasion. Perhaps the questions were a reverse test on me seeing as I had been asking awkward questions the other way. Maybe they were wanting to see if I was going to be shocked or not (yes they knew what my occupation was).