Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq

mywaynews via Drudge Report ^ | 11/27/2003 | TERENCE HUNT

[PeteFromMontana]

Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq Email this Story

Nov 27, 12:27 PM (ET)

By TERENCE HUNT

(AP) U.S. Army Specialist Thomas Huffstatler, left standing, of Summit Ark., standing, Sgt. Stephen... Full Image

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - President Bush made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to American troops in Baghdad Thursday, flying secretly to violence-scarred Iraq to thank U.S. forces for serving there. It was the first trip ever by an American president to Iraq - a mission tense with concern about his safety.

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

The president's plane - its lights darkened and windows closed to minimzie chances of making it a target - landed under a crescent moon at Bagdad International Airport.

Bush flew in on the plane he most often uses, and White House officials went to extraordinary lengths to keep the trip a secret, fearing its disclosure would prompt terrorist attempts to kill him.

The news of Bush's trip was not released until he was in the air on the way back to the United States. "If this breaks while we're in the air we're turning around," White House communications director Dan Bartlett told reporters on the flight to Baghdad.

Security fears were heightened by an attack last Saturday in which a missile struck a DHL cargo plane, forcing it to make an emergency landing at the airport with its wing aflame.

Bush spent only about two hours on the ground, limiting his visit to the airport dinner with U.S. forces. The troops had been told that the VIP guests would be L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, and Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition forces in Iraq.

In a ruse staged in the name of security, the White House had put out word that Bush would be spending Thanksgiving at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, with his wife, Laura, his parents and other family members. Even the dinner menu was announced.

Instead, Bush slipped away from his home without notice Wednesday evening and flew to Washington to pick up aides and a handful of reporters sworn to secrecy. Plans called for the trip to be abandoned if word had leaked out in advance.

Within the White House only a handful of senior aides knew about the trip, officials said.

Security fears were underscored by regular attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq. More than five dozen U.S. troops were killed by hostile fire in November, more than any other month since the end of major combat in Iraq on May 1. Early this week, a U.S. military official, Col. William Darley, said attacks peaked at more than 40 per day about two weeks ago and have since dropped to about 30 per day.

The violence persisted Thursday as the president was en route here.

Insurgents fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the Italian mission in Baghdad, damaging the building but causing no injuries, the U.S. military said. Also, a U.S. military convoy came under attack on the main highway west of Baghdad near the town of Abu Ghraib, witnesses said. And in the northern city of Mosul, unidentified gunmen shot dead an Iraqi police sergeant, said Brig. Gen. Muwaffaq Mohammed.

Since operations began, nearly 300 U.S. service members have died of hostile action, including 183 since May 1 when Bush declared an end to major fighting.

Bush's father visited U.S. troops at a desert outpost in Saudi Arabia on Thanksgiving Day 1990, in the runup to the Gulf War. "We won't pull punches. We are not here on some exercise. And we're not walking away until our mission is done, until the invader is out of Kuwait," he told the troops. At one p oint, he climbed into a bunker to chat with troops.

Bush's father shared lunch with U.S. troops 65 miles from Kuwait, occupied at the time by Saddam Hussein's forces. George H.W. Bush had been the first U.S. president to visit a front-line area since President Nixon went to Vietnam in 1969.

[Tennessee_Bob]

They're whining on that other website that it was strange that all the GI's had cameras. I was in the Air Force, and the one thing I remember carrying with me most all the time was a camera - how about you?

[chiller]

Footage was awesome. The real POTUS amongst the troops like he was one of them!

vs. Hillary who looked sadly out of place. Her PR campaign just took a body slam.

[thesummerwind]

And remember to flush.

I was really referring to a coffin lid, but your interpretation is just as apt, or maybe more! How do I put your words into italics?

[autoresponder]

G W    B U S H



N O    F E A R

[carl in alaska]

I had a feeling he was going to do this at some time to thank the troops and send a message of support to the Iraqis. Next we gotta capture Saddam!! Go W Go!!

[FairOpinion]

And look at the contrast: Clinton sneaks out of the White House to meet some bimbo, Bush sneaks out of the White House to visit our troops in Iraq.

I bet Hillary is having apoplexy right about now.

[slane]

The footage on Fox is wonderful. Very inspiring! The troops were thrilled to see Dubya. Kudos to him for making this trip and visiting the troops...in Baghdad, no less. I was wondering recently if he would ever visit there - never dreamed it would be so soon. This is a brilliant move politically as well, if the frenzied reaction by the bitter and twisted on DU is any indication. How warped by hatred do you have to be to call a President flying into an active war zone a coward?

[buffyt]

My daughter's fiance is US Navy/San Diego.... Bush recently visited his base. Robby had a digital camera and he was also able to tape the speech in video form. I have a copy of it on my computer. He said the president was warmly received, as was a general who was with him. Robby was clearly moved by the President's visit to his base.

[KS Flyover]

I'm new posting here. Could you tell me how I go about putting the above comment in italics?

Welcome to FR!

Like this: <I>COPY AND PASTE TEXT HERE</I><P>

Looks like: COPY AND PASTE TEXT HERE

[trek]

Ok, guys get your flame throwers ready.

I doubt that the Beast's trip to the middle east was a coincidence. I suspect that her visit was orchestrated with the administration as part of the security cover for W's trip. There are no secrets in Washington. It would clearly leak out that a high profile political figure would be in the combat zone during Thanksgiving. The Hildebeast's public visit was provided as cover to explain the buzz. What all this proves more than anything else is how CLUELESS the press is.

Ok, lay into me. Comment on my tin foil hat, whatever.

For the record, I HATE the Beast and think W is doing well on most things. (e.g. the Bush domestic agenda is great politics but terrible policy.)

[buffyt]

They said they asked if someone else might be more qualified to deliver the president's message to the troops, and in walked President Bush! Shock and Awe!

[Publius6961]

Wow.
What a great news item on the day of Tnaksgiving.

I am sure every nervous nellie adviser was against it too.
God Bless our President.

Liberal losers... meet a real man.
Deal with it.

[Pikamax]

every channel is in awe of this visit.

[desertcry]

First there was the Medicare Bill, now this! Poor hillary, teddy, daschle and the demonrat party, they deserve everything they get. President GWB is just started getting warm, the demonrats have not seen anything yet.

[buffyt]

YOU SAID IT ALL...

And look at the contrast: Clinton sneaks out of the White House to meet some bimbo, Bush sneaks out of the White House to visit our troops in Iraq.

[Steve_Seattle]

Tomorrow's headline in New York Times:

Bush lies about Thanksgiving destination

[ImpBill]

Did you and others notice the tears in the man's eyes? The same tears of pride and love for our service men that I have. Despite my problems with many of the man's domestic agenda policies he makes me proud. Proud to be an American.
Proud of my past service. Proud of the service of those serving today. And lastly but not leastly proud that Mr. Bush is "our" President during the trying times.

[trek]

LOL! You nailed it brother.

[buffyt]

I had tears in my eyes and chills all over. It was just totally wonderful! What a great leader we have.

[JimVT]

I got something for those bitchin' Dems:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, DEMS