Bush makes surprise visit to Iraq

[MaineDem]

Source: CNN

Just reported on BBC News.

Looking for link.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/03/bush.iraq/index.html

---

CNN has this on their webpage:
President Bush arrived in Iraq today on an unannounced visit, the White House said.

[peacebird]

1. please - if there is a God, and that God is just and merciful.............

(or perhaps just pissed off at what Georgie has wrought in His/Her/Its/NoodlyAppendages name...... )

:evilgrin:

[mitchum]

15. It's possible; PNAC may just "martyr" him for the cause

[NobleCynic]

81. That would be a worst case scenario

The last thing we need is this idiot martyred. He needs to live long enough to see just how harshly history judges him.

[peaches2003]

2. In prepation for Petreus repot

Bush will have our troops behind him in the photo ops applauding wildly to show us that we just have to continue the war they all want. He is absolutely transparent, but it doesn't seem to matter. Even our Dems in Congress will applaud Bush's bravery and give a salute.

[saigon68]

74. Pitiful Puppet Petraeus getting on his knees

To greet the Chimpanzee

[maddezmom]

3. and he was too chicken to fly into Baghdad

:eyes:

[Cooley Hurd]

30. ...and under the cover of darkness, like a sneak-thief.

If I were him, I'd be more afraid of our soldiers, than of the Iraqis.

[Rhiannon12866]

60. You're dead wrong. Didn't you hear the cheers when he addressed the troops?

He couldn't speak, if you can call what he does "speaking," for several moments because the cheering went on and on and on...:eyes:

[Tellurian]

66. Maybe he told them they were going home soon...

and he's probably there to visit the now completed new US Embassy.

[Rhiannon12866]

69. Ah, ha! Now that makes sense. I would have cheered too, if I'd heard that part of his speech!

And maybe he promised them a tour of the new US Embassy, complete with swimming pools. I heard that it was 110 degrees in Iraq today...:banghead:

[Tellurian]

71. Good, we agree. They probably edited that part out...

and all you hear is cheering! I can't imagine one soldier cheering for Bush, unless like you mentioned, he invited a battalion of troops into the pool.

[Rhiannon12866]

73. Who knows why they cheered, since they could have edited any part of it out?

They kept saying that he was going to speak "any minute," but it kept being postponed. snip. snip. He either invited them to the Embassy pool, told them that they were on their way home, or brought another plastic turkey...:eyes:

[mallard]

80. Re: talk of 'draw down' YES

Re: USA Today - 9/4/07
Bush: Security 'success' may reduce troops
David Jackson

"President Bush said U.S. troop levels in Iraq could eventually be reduced if security continues to improve in places like Anbar province, a former Sunni insurgent stronghold where he made an unannounced visit Monday"


No doubt they were still ordered to cheer by their commanders, but you hit the nail right on the head!

[Rhiannon12866]

82. What exactly does "eventually" mean?

When we have a Democratic president in office who will inherit this mess? I am totally baffled why we have so many candidates running, this time around. Who in their right mind would want to deal with the huge messes that Bush* has left them with? It will take more than one term, probably generations, to clean it up, if ever...;(

[Cooley Hurd]

68. I believe what you thought were cheers were actually car bombs...

;)

[Rhiannon12866]

70. Oh!!! If I said what I wanted to reply to your post, I'd have my second deleted message here, ever.

But you get my drift.:banghead:

[Hulk]

46. ...and "they say" it was a "symbolic gesture" to NOT fly into Baghdad

<cough, cough>

[Hulk]

47. If I was the pilot...on the return visit....

...I'd nose dive that plane right into the desert and do us all a favor.

[displacedtexan]

4. Dust off the plastic turkey!

[Drifter]

11. Is that ...

a plastic turkey in your hands Mr. pResident ?
or are you just here to exploit me again ?

Cheers
Drifter

[Tuttle]

18. nice n/t

Tut-tut

[irislake]

56. What a guy!

I sure wish I could share a beer with him! You Americans are so lucky to have him.

[Quantess]

65. I'd love to have a beer with him.

I'd throw the beer in his face.
:evilgrin:

[Drifter]

5. Apparently ...

their traffic isn't fucked up enough. That seems to be his only accomplishment recently.

This face-to-face meeting, will be the justification for ignoring every report that suggests we haven't been "surgey" enough. You can almost hear the words coming out of his mouth.

Cheers
Drifter

[vssmith]

6. The fact that he did it secretly tells you something

[tanyev]

7. Yeah, I just saw about 2 seconds of it on Good Morning America.

Long enough to see a cheering crowd, flash bulbs going off like crazy, and a grinning chimp before I could turn the TV off again.

[johncoby2]

8. Maybe he will stay there!

[theothersnippywshrub]

9. Little Boots is playing soldier again. Just like the Carrier Costume Party.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

10. Anbar province is the new "Green Zone".................n/t

[mwb970]

12. Indeed, why can't the Idiot just *stay* over there?

I'm thinking for maybe "9 or 10 years". Yeah, that's the ticket.

[JohnnyLib2]

13. Who?

[HughMoran]

31. Why did they call him "President"

We have a President?

[Maribelle]

14. As more and more generals and troops talk about Bush's failures in Iraq ...

to impress the remaining troops that still support him, I wonder if Bush went heavily armed with hand granades


stuffed in his support?


Any pictures yet?

[MaineDem]

16. Some of the details

He plans to meet face-to-face with top military commanders, the U.S. ambassador, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and provincial tribal leaders.

Air Force One touched down under the blazing sun at Asad air base in Anbar province. The White House said the base was chosen because of the "remarkable turnaround" in the province.

Bush has hailed Anbar -- a Sunni province west of Baghdad -- as a success, citing the U.S. military's alliance with tribal leaders in fighting al Qaeda in Iraq.

The president stopped in Iraq en route to an economic summit in Australia and ahead of a briefing in Washington September 15 by the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.

[TankLV]

40. He chose that godforesaken place because:

Bagdhad is a mess and is totally unsafe, including the airport, roads to the airport - even the greenzone.

The shit hole he landed in is NOWHERE - is some out of the way forgotton place that nobody knows about.

There are few if any other places that anybody can go to that are even remotely "safe"...

[MaineDem]

41. Bingo!

Regardless of the spin the administration puts on this...he didn't dare land in Baghdad.

[kurth]

17. Snuck in like a thief in the night

[cornermouse]

19. If it's so stabilized why does he have to make a secret visit?

:think: :eyes: Yeah. Right.

[Maribelle]

23. Yeah Right is right!

Not only did he have to make a secret visit - - it was to a REMOTE LOCATION

[Botany]

20. Bush is in Iraq right now

Source: ABC news

bush, Rice, and Gates make a surprise visit to Iraq where they will meet
with military and Iraqi political leaders

Nothing beats the chance to look David Petraeus in the eye and Ambassador
Crooker and say, What's is the situtation?

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3552389

---

My guess is that after this photo op bush will say we are staying because of
all the progress we have made.

Thanx to D.U.er Frustratedlady for finding this story.

**************************************************

I will bet anybody $20.00 that Katie Couric will get an interview w/ bush in Iraq.

[Baby Snooks]

34. What happened to Labor Day?

He flies off to Iraq to honor the mercenaries and murderers instead of staying here and honoring the American worker?

Really something wrong with him. Maybe Congress should seek a mental health warrant instead of a bill of impeachment.

[NMDemDist2]

52. yeah, he makes the Ambassador take his life in his hands to get out of Baghdad

to meet chimpco in the only safe place in Iraq, out in the middle of nowhere

:banghead:

[ray of light]

21. WAPO has it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/03/AR2007090300333.html?hpid=topnews

[minnesota_liberal]

22. Photo Op to Rally the (Blindly) Faithful at Home

This is nothing more than a publicity stunt to counter the growing movement to end his illegal occupation.

[ihelpu2see]

24. Par for the course, Bush plays politics with troops lives nt

[onehandle]

25. Is he finally going to serve his military service?

Good for him!

Issue that man a codpiece and send him out on patrol.

[Vanje]

26. Dupe

[ohio2007]

27. flew into the Sunni triangle air base in Anbar

must be safer in the triangle of death then the green zones Baghdad airport route

[Maggie_May]

28. This wasn't support for our troops

This was hows that oil thing going? Now that the British pulled out of Basra which is a oil port.
Basra, Iraq's second city and the hub of its southern oil fields, has witnessed a turf war between rival Shi'ite factions, vying for control of its vast oil wealth.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSGRA63546920070826?pageNumber=1

[paparush]

29. Bush: Iraq is Free. Pony up my $50B. Now watch this drive....

[happygoluckytoyou]

32. TRYING TO PROVE HE CAN FIND IRAQ ON A MAP...WITH BOTH HANDS

OKAY... MY ONLY QUESTION IS "WHO THE HELL GAVE HIM A ROUND-TRIP TICKET"

[lonestarnot]

35. merikan tax payers.

[Olney Blue]

33. Surprise! Surprise!

[LuckyLib]

58. LOL at Gomer Pyle! This is our family response to anything coming from the Bushistas.

Says something about our ages, huh?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

36. Another day, another photo op...where's the plastic turkey?

Bush makes surprise Iraq trip
Reporters thought President Bush was headed to Australia today, but he turned up in Iraq on an unannounced visit. He plans to eat dinner with U.S. troops and to meet face-to-face with top military commanders and Iraqi leaders.

http://www.cnn.com/



President Bush salutes Gen. David Petraeus, left, after arriving Monday at an air base in Iraq.

[peaches2003]

38. Saluting

Didn't I read that someone not in uniform is NOT supposed to be saluting to begin with. I read it in reference to his salute to the guard when he gets on and off his helicopter and plane.

[dogfacedboy]

43. Technically, the Decidermonkey is always in uniform. n/t

[Amerigo Vespucci]

45. Decidermonkey?

Oh man, somehow I missed THAT one...now THAT'S classic.

:rofl:

[scarface2004]

39. keep smiling sparky!!

you are all a bunch of assholes!!

[goclark]

49. Why must he always find one of my brothers to stand on his left!

That makes me so mad.

He is trying to show how inclusive he is ~ well why didn't he get us out of Katrina!

:mad:

[LibDemAlways]

37. This is about as convincing as McCain's heavily armored

stroll through the market. Catapulting the propaganda is what these morons live for.

[rodeodance]

42. oh goody, He and his staff managed another secret landing. WHOW HO!

[Drum]

44. See also: The Manchurian Candidate nt

[JustAnotherGen]

48. Ah - So That's Why Laura Has a Pinched Nerve

Well - wasn't that convenient? He probably knew about this on August 26th. When I look at went on this past week - from Gonzo stepping down, to his National Preparedness Month . . . these people make me sick.


http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2641181020070826?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's wife, Laura Bush, has been suffering from a pinched nerve in her neck and shoulder area, and will not travel with the president to the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Sydney next month, the White House said on Sunday.

"Her physicians have strongly advised her to not travel overseas in order to avoid potential complication and aggravation by extended long distance travel," her spokeswoman, Sally McDonough, said in a statement.

The injury occurred while Bush was hiking in Zion National Park in Utah in late April, McDonough said, and she has since been treated with physical therapy.

The White House did not previously disclose the injury because it had not affected the first lady's public schedule until now, McDonough said.

Last year, Laura Bush was treated for the second most common type of skin cancer, a squamous cell carcinoma. Doctors removed a small growth from the</div>

[sandyj999]

50. I thought the same thing.

Poor Laura left behind while he and Petreus get their story straight.

[Rhiannon12866]

51. Did you see the face on Condi?

She had her frowny face on, guess she isn't too happy to be there...:-(

[NMDemDist2]

53. hell, she always looks like that. Hubby calls her "Lizard Lady" n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

55. You're right! LOL. And that's very appropriate!

Your hubby has a gift for words...:rofl:

[NMDemDist2]

59. here's her perfect 'mate' ROFL

[Rhiannon12866]

72. Yikes! A match made in their idea of heaven.

But I would be willing to bet that she's tougher than this monster of a guy is...:rofl:

[Buns_of_Fire]

54. I can't imagine why not

After all, she's there with her husb- boss, and his "official" wife is several thousand miles away with a pinched whatever. Hey, it's "Midnight at the Oasis" time!

Personally, I'd have liked to have seen AF1 blow a tire or two or three or four on landing. Not to hurt anyone, but just to strand their sorry asses there for a few days while they made arrangements to have new tires delivered.

[Rhiannon12866]

57. Me, too.

Can you imagine the face on Condi if that had happened? It would have melted krypton! And I understand that there is a definite shortage of upscale shoe stores in Anbar province these days...:rofl:

[blues90]

61. How great and how wonderful

How much did this little stunt cost the country for his surprise visit . I hear it's been weeks in prep , who knew .

I hat this freak so much there are not words to express it .

[lebkuchen]

62. Still trying to make enlistment quotas at this late date

How sad.

[Cleita]

63. I tried to google where he was this weekend and could find

very little in the way of information other than his Australia visit. Is he so afraid of us these days that he has to hide his agenda until the last minute? I couldn't find anything about Cheney's whereabouts and only a small local article about Karl Rove hunting doves. Metaphorically, isn't that what Karl Rove would do, hunt the most harmless and peaceful of creatures?

[Benhurst]

64. And how many more millions will this little trip add to the national

debt?

Why doesn't the stupid asshole stay in the White House he was so anxious to steal?

[Telly Savalas]

77. The further this guy is from Washington, DC, the better off we all are.

[Benhurst]

83. Unfortunately, Bush still has a stranglehold on us when he is out of

the country. Only a one-way trip to the Hague would improve the situation.

[shayes51]

67. Just shows how far a Republican will go

to keep from celebrating Labor Day!

[hatrack]

75. Iraq - The Katrina of presidential photo-ops

If he just goes back enough times, everything will work out just FINE.

Fucking unbelievable meaningless BULLSHIT.

[happyslug]

76. Anbar is the LARGEST provence of Iraq.

Most of Anbar is Desert, and thus has NEVER been a problem for the US (i.e. no people, no support for the insurgents). The area the insurgents operate at is near the Euphrates.

For a Map of the Provences of Iraq see:


As to the Airport itself, it is 12 KM SOUTH of the Euphrates, away from the population which tends to be around the Rivers.

For map of the Airbase see:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/al-asad.htm

Bush picked this base for it is secure, it is far away from the population centers and thus not subject ot insurgents attack (THrough an occasional Mortar round is launched in its direction). Great place for someone to land and claim he landed in Iraq. Such a person avoids most possibility of coming under fire from the Insurgents.

One last comment, What has Iraq to do with Labor Day? The answer is NOTHING, but it gives Bush someplace to go and get on camera and not have to worry about addressing the problem of American Labor. Bush's visit to Iraq was MORE to avoid Labor issues then anything else.

[Skittles]

78. Al Asad is known as "Camp Cupcake"

yup

[Major Hogwash]

79. Why?

He still has to come back and face Congress.

[Javaman]

84. Was here there to pass out the rubber turkey's again? nt

[4_TN_TITANS]

85. as if he could 'appear' there any other way.... n/t