NEWS: Bush spent Thanksgiving in Iraq

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

[url]http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/11/27/sprj.irq.main/index.html[url]

Bush pays surprise visit to U.S. troops in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) --President Bush made a surprise Thanksgiving Day visit to U.S. troops in Iraq.

After meeting with U.S. troops in Baghdad and the Iraqi Governing Council, Bush left Baghdad at about 8 p.m. Iraq time, or noon EST. Air Force One stayed on the ground for just two-and-a-half hours, the White House said.

News of the trip was not released until the president's plane was airborne and headed back to the United States, The Associated Press reported.

"You are defending the American people from danger and we are grateful," Bush told some 600 soldiers, stunned and delighted by his appearance, according to the AP.

Bush slipped away from his Texas ranch Wednesday night at 8:25 EST, flew in and out of Andrews Air Force Base and landed in Baghdad Thursday morning at 9:31 a.m. EST, according to reporters traveling with the president.

The troops, mostly from the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division and the 82nd Airborne, had no idea Bush would be there, Reuters news agency reported.

Without telling anyone that the commander in chief was there, Iraq's U.S. civil administrator L. Paul Bremer told the soldiers he was supposed to read the president's Thanksgiving proclamation to them but would instead defer to the most senior person on the premises, Reuters said.

At that point, Bush emerged wearing a military jacket to great cheers, according to Reuters.

The White House told reporters he planned to spend part of his Thanksgiving day calling U.S. troops around the world to thank them for their service, and then host family and friends at their 1,600-acre Texas ranch for the holiday. The president's daughters and parents, George H. W. and Barbara Bush, were to be among the guests.

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you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[quade 4]

I wonder how much that little pubicity stunt cost.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[narcimund 0]

Good theater.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[Jib 0]

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I wonder how much that little pubicity stunt cost.

Isn't Hillary there too? What was Clinton's 1998 trip to Africa? Vacation? & China? Fund raising? Running from Monica? But, bringing his mother in law?

Me thinks you're in a glass house here.

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the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[quade 4]

Hillary is in Afganistan.

Also a freekin' waste of money, but at least she didn't fly Air force One over there for 2.5 hours worth of a photo op.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Muenkel 0]

Oh, the poor liberals. They must be sobbing in their cranberry sauce right now.

What GWB was awesome and to think otherwise is ridiculous.

Chris

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Chris

[JoeyRamone 0]

Hey he made some troops happy, i would like to see all the people on here, who talk smack, do a better job.

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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Oh, the poor liberals. They must be sobbing in their cranberry sauce right now.

What GWB was awesome and to think otherwise is ridiculous.

Chris

Hillary, Bush, whatever....it's all a publicity stunt. Both will use this on their campaign "When I was in war torn, blah blah blah....."

Now, if they both went out to the front line to raise the morale of those troops, then I would be impressed. I've never subscribed to the idea that one persons life is any more important than the next guy. We are losing Americans on almost a daily basis between Iraq and Afghan - I find the amount of work and effort of security to protect one person sickening.

BTW - think any of those troops asked Bush why he is cutting their benefits? Why their families are on food stamps back home? How much money did he waste going over there that could have been used for Medical Support for the troops, food for the troops, benefits for the families at home.

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you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Muenkel 0]

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Hey he made some troops happy, i would like to see all the people on here, who talk smack, do a better job.

Same here.

They want to see our efforts in Iraq fail, the economy fail and terrorism prosper just so they can win the election.

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Chris

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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Hey he made some troops happy, i would like to see all the people on here, who talk smack, do a better job.

Same here.

They want to see our efforts in Iraq fail, the economy fail and terrorism prosper just so they can win the election.

I'm sorry - I don't want the economy to get any worse, I don't want any more Americans to die in either country, or any American by terrorists on our own land. I'm a liberal, thus proving your thought wrong.

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you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Muenkel 0]

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I'm sorry - I don't want the economy to get any worse, I don't want any more Americans to die in either country, or any American by terrorists on our own land. I'm a liberal, thus proving your thought wrong.

So you want GWB to succeed, because he wants exactly what you want.

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Chris

[kallend 2,148]

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Hey he made some troops happy, i would like to see all the people on here, who talk smack, do a better job.

Same here.

They want to see our efforts in Iraq fail, the economy fail and terrorism prosper just so they can win the election.

I suspect the National Guard would prefer to be home in their regular jobs than in Iraq for a year, even if that means getting to see GWB.

Using the National Guard as an army of occupation 5000 miles away from their nation is just plain wrong.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[quade 4]

Ya gotta admire The White House spin-meisters.

Nice photo.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freeflir29 0]

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Using the National Guard as an army of occupation 5000 miles away from their nation is just plain wrong.

How's that? What are they supposed to be doing? They are part of the US military. Granted I think they play FAR too big of a roll in our defense....but.....they signed up. If they don't like it.....get out! I didn't like active duty anymore....so I got out.

[mikkey 0]

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Ya gotta admire The White House spin-meisters.

Nice photo.

Yes, right.

Funny so, if that had been a leader in a different country, the spin would have been drowned by a couple questions from the media like:

1) How much did this photo opportunity cost the tax payer?
2) So why did you fly all the way to Iraq to only stay 2 hours within an enclosed military base, instead of - say - do a full day and meet with people involved at the coal face and have a look around?

And this type of stunt would go down like a led balloon. I know, I know.... America is different..

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[quade 4]

Oh, without a doubt this should be a ripe topic of discussion by the time the Sunday morning pudit shows roll around.

I believe the question of how much did this cost was the (my) first reponse to this thread.

More stories:

Washington Post, USAToday, Washington Times

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The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freeflir29 0]

Just to go on the record. If I was sitting in Baghdad I would greatly appreciate this gesture. I have been "Rent A Crowd" for numerous idiots that wanted to "Visit the troops" on holidays and hated it. This was a bit differen't though. I thinks it's damn cool!

[b1jercat 0]

I don't like Bush, not even a little. However going over there was a ballsy thing to do, there's no guarantee of safety anywhere in that country. And if it makes our boys happy more power to him.

blue skies

jerry



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Lying about a blow job never got anybody killed!

[quade 4]

Oh, no doubt about that either. I'm absolutely certain that every one of the 600 (out of a possible 130,000) or so troops in Iraq enjoyed the visit.

But as you, yourself have already acknowledged, this was clearly a "rent-a-crowd" type of event staged pretty much just for the photo op.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freeflir29 0]

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But as you, yourself have already acknowledged, this was clearly a "rent-a-crowd" type of event staged pretty much just for the photo op.

I didn't say that. It's certainly possible.....but I don't think those guys had a whole hell of a lot to be doing. Last time I was ordered to go to a Thanksgiving dinner was in Korea. Of course none of us wanted to go because we had all been out getting SLOSHED the night before in Tongduchon, Toka Ri, or our very own bar on Camp Casey. Plus we had to ride a bus 13 miles to go to Red Cloud....where most of us didn't like anyone anyway. REMFs!!! (For you non-military types "Rear Eschelon Muaah Fuckas") We just wanted to eat a nice Thanksgiving dinner with the 32 guys in our little detachment. Get drunk....break a few things....and then pass out. But no....we had to be rent a crowd for Col Dumbass' dog and pony show. So....we showed up in various states of hangover and "Still drunk" from the recent hours before. Generally we were assholes to everyone and then went home.

[Guest]

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Oh, no doubt about that either. I'm absolutely certain that every one of the 600 (out of a possible 130,000) or so troops in Iraq enjoyed the visit.

But as you, yourself have already acknowledged, this was clearly a "rent-a-crowd" type of event staged pretty much just for the photo op.

None of the troops, with the exceptions of LTGEN Sanchez and Mr. Bremer, had a clue. It was remarked by a commentator on Fox (a former USMC LTC) that a bunch of GIs are probably kicking themselves right now for dodging the photo-op dinner...

Yes, it's grandstanding, but it's ballsy grandstanding, just like the Hoover trap on the Lincoln earlier this year. The CinC deliberately put himself at significant risk on both occasions (aircraft entering and leaving Bagdad have been known to be shot at with SAMs - and yes, I know AF1 has state-of-the-art SAM supression systems, but the bad guys have been known to get lucky with those SA-7s), and it sends a powerful message on several levels:

1. That the CinC is willing to put himself in harm's way and thus share the danger with the people who are doing so in our name,

2. The message to the Iraqi people is unmistakeable and powerful - it says this president can go where he wants to when he wants to,

3. Those who are trying to bring Saddam Hussein back into power just got a big dose of reality that the old regime is finished and won't be coming back.

I hope ol' Saddam, hunkered down in a cave somewhere, got to watch this on Al-Jazeera...

mh

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[freeflir29 0]

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I hope ol' Saddam, hunkered down in a cave somewhere, got to watch this on Al-Jazeera...

Yep...Osama too!! Probably cold and eating stale bread with water. HAH!!! Take that beeatches.......GWB all up in your house!!!

[SkydiverRick 0]

I know AF1 has state-of-the-art SAM supression systems, but the bad guys have been known to get lucky with those SA-7s), and it sends a powerful message on several levels:

[freeflir29 0]

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He didn't take Airforce One.

That would have been STUPID....not ballsy.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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He didn't take Airforce One. I agree though, it's a gutsy move to be there.

Uhmm, unless he took a boat there he took Airforce One.