On flight home in Iraqi airspace just north of Mosel over the newly proclaimed Islamic State. I snap a map photo as we keep south of Donetsk and the MH17 shootdown area. I am greeted in London with an FT front page questioning the safety of the Iraq route. But is flying over Iraq any LESS safe than flying near the beefed up naval base in Crimea? Last week’s news reports say the Kremlin is to spend even more to boost its military Black Sea presence. I’m only a landlubber army guy but on a map such investment seems silly when the Istanbul channel is a dangerous choke point. But Putin Rules!
