AyrshireATCer
Thank you for your opinion. Well done - very gungho, very macho
Can I just test the depth of your ease?
How at ease would you be if (hypotheticaly) it was confirmed that one of the bombs that was on board one of these flights that you had given a nice direct routing to (and wished a hearty 'good-day' to), had been used on Qana, killing those children?
Would that give you a warm, rosey glow inside?
Or, taken to its extreme...
Imagine an Israeli air force F16 stopping off at Prestwick, fresh from a shopping trip to the U.S., with a nice batch of shiney, new cluster bombs mounted under each wing.
The F16 departs Prestwick, you ident it and give it climb. You then notice that the destination code on the strip reads 'ZZZZ' and there is no routing info. beyond DCS.
You query the pilot (should I send it to SUBUK or LAKEY)?
He absent-mindedly declares that his destination is a small place near Beirut (anytown, Lebanon),to do a low approach and go around; whilst also dropping his cluster bombs (by the way), before heading back to Lod Air Force Base. He also gives his e.t.a. for destination.
You thank him, re-route him via NEW, then; to help him out (he was very polite), you route him direct to OTR.
You give him to Montrose.
Job well done.
A few hours later you are in the restroom.
You are watching live coverage of the conflict in Lebanon on BBC News 24.
You casually glance at your watch - you realise your break has just come to an end.
You are just leaving the restroom when suddenly your attention is drawn back to the TV.
The live broadcast is violently interrupted by dozens of explosions reigning down on the small town featured in the broadcast.
You suddenly realise that this is the town that the F16 pilot had mentioned and; what is more, he is a couple of minutes early on his e.t.a.!
As the cameraman pans over the scene of devastation and mutilated corpses are you thinking, '2hit! I'm glad I gave him that direct routing, otherwise I would have missed all the action'??
Still sleeping comfortably at night??
Or are you beginning to feel something now?
Before anyone jumps down my throat, calling me an anti-Semite or similar, feel free to substitute a Syrian/Iranian Mig for an F16 and a town in Israel. I still wouldn't be at 'ease' with the situation.