IT'S TEMPTING to think there's some Russian foul play in the death of Poland's president Lech Kaczynski, but why would pilots attempt to land four times if that was the case? It seems to me a clear case of an accident with a worn out, 40-years-old plane under severe weather conditions.

Several European leaders travel in not state-of-the-art presidential planes: for example, there were serious security incidents involving the planes carrying Spain's King Juan Carlos or prime ministers Felipe González and Jose María Aznar, two aged 707 with more than 40 years of service. Aznar purchased two brand-new Airbus -- and the Socialist party, then in the opposition, quickly called it "profligate spending" and "budget recklessness". I guess they wouldn't have minded much if he had been Kaczinski'ed, but I'm sure currently sitting PM Zapatero is now quite happy about that. He must be, considering how often he uses them for private travel...