You've likely heard from O'Reilly and the rest of the dutiful DittoHeads how Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 has already been debunked as pure fiction. Before any of them have even seen it, of course.
The most frequent charge that I've heard is how ridiculous Moore is to suggest that the US Government helped hustle members of the Bin Laden family and other Saudi nationals out of the country on a few airplanes during the days following 9/11 when all US air traffic had --- otherwise --- been grounded.
Even the always believable, and close personal friend of the Bush's, Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar played along on Meet the Press:
Yes, your highness, I believe we are in a Banana Republic. And of course, Michael Moore has been trying to tell us that for years now (see best-sellers "Stupid White Men" and "Dude, Where's my Country?")
The St. Petersberg Times reported yesterday that Tampa International Airport now confirms that the rumors are true:
The men, one of them thought to be a member of the Saudi royal family, were accompanied by a former FBI agent and a former Tampa police officer on the flight to Lexington, Ky.
The Saudis then took another flight out of the country. The two ex-officers returned to TIA a few hours later on the same plane.
For nearly three years, White House, aviation and law enforcement officials have insisted the flight never took place and have denied published reports and widespread Internet speculation about its purpose.
But now, at the request of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks, TIA officials have confirmed that the flight did take place and have supplied details.
Busted.
Here's what the former Tampa Police Department official, Dan Grossi, who was asked to escort the flight had to say about it:
Stunning. Welcome to your Banana Republic.