Westy government at work!:)
My what courage he did not need to do this...
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Rumsfeld Pays Surprise Xmas Visit to Troops in Iraq
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld flew into Mosul on Friday in a surprise visit to lift troop morale at Christmas after a deadly attack and following criticism that he had not shown sufficient concern for their welfare.
"The purpose of the trip is to thank the troops and wish them a Merry Christmas," Rumsfeld told reporters on the plane during the flight from Washington.
After landing he visited staff and patients at the 67th Combat Surgical Hospital that dealt with the casualties from the suicide bombing at a base near Mosul on Tuesday, the deadliest attack on Americans in Iraq (news - web sites) that killed 22, including 14 U.S. service personnel.
Rumsfeld said the trip had been planned for a while but was kept secret for security reasons and he said the attacks had not been a factor in selecting Mosul to visit.
His trip comes after a number of calls for Rumsfeld's resignation back home from Democrats and even some Republicans unhappy with his performance.
Rumsfeld was criticized for appearing insensitive after soldiers told him they scavenged scrap metal to protect their vehicles and for the disclosure that a machine had signed his letters to the families of soldiers who died in Iraq.
An uncharacteristically subdued Defense Secretary responded on Wednesday and said the grief of the bereaved families was "something I feel to my core."
Rumsfeld will also take breakfast with troops in Mosul and be briefed by commanders on the area's security situation which was deteriorating badly even before Tuesday's attack.
Some had blamed the infiltration of insurgents escaping from U.S. forces in Falluja for making matters worse in Mosul and Rumsfeld acknowledged that could be the case.
"I don't doubt for a moment that some of these folks in Falluja went up to Mosul," he told reporters.
Good!
God Bless Rumsfeld for going to visit the troops. I'm not surprised he did it in the least and it'll mean everything to the men. But I hope he takes care of himself, I know he's well protected but traveling is hard work and he's no spring chicken either.
Godspeed Mr. Secretary!