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Bush appearance stuns troops gathered at airport for Thanksgiving
AP ^ | 11/27/03 | JIM KRANE

Posted on 11/27/2003 1:25:46 PM PST by Maria S

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov 27, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- It was the biggest of holiday surprises. The troops were getting ornery, 300 of them sitting for over an hour, waiting - for no good reason, it seemed - to get in the chow line at the Bob Hope Dining Hall at Baghdad International Airport and get their turkey dinners.

Finally, a visibly nervous U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer III strode to the podium with Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. military commander in Iraq. The two dispensed a few quick words. Bremer then turned to Sanchez and said he had a Thanksgiving message from U.S. President George W. Bush. Bremer said the most "senior" U.S. official among them should be the one to read it.

Turning toward the stage backdrop, Bremer asked: "Is there anyone back there who's more senior than us?" Bremer's hands, cradling the president's speech, quavered.

At that moment, Bush strode forth from the wings in an Army track suit emblazoned with a 1st Armored Division patch. The bored crowd shot immediately from their seats and whooped. As he surveyed the crowd, a tear dripped to the president's cheek.

"I was just looking for a warm meal somewhere," Bush said, to another whoop. "Thanks for inviting me to dinner."

After his speech, Bush waded into the crowd, shaking hands, dispensing hugs and posing for photos. A towering Army master sergeant, Michael Johnson of Turlock, California, thrust his hand at the president. "Johnson!" Bush declared as his hand was enveloped by the sergeant's. "I'm glad we're on the same side." Afterward, Johnson, 40, cut a fairly blase pose. "It was a pleasant surprise, actually," he said. "They had us waiting so long I started to get (mad). But it's not so often you get to meet a president."

Bush served mashed potatoes in the chow line for 10 minutes and then said he had to leave. He ducked into a meeting with National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, Bremer, Sanchez and four members of the Iraqi Governing Council. Then he was off.

Soldiers said they were impressed to see the commander in chief, the world's most powerful man, flying into Baghdad just days after a cargo plane was struck by a shoulder-fired missile.

"It was a shock," said Pvt. Jason Strickland of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"It was a display of confidence in our ability to protect not just us, but him," said Pfc. Telo Monahan, 20, of Woodinville, Washington. "It was just three or four days after that DHL plane got hit."

Others said they'd been given a heartfelt boost after struggling with a difficult occupation.

"After 13 months in theater, my morale had kind of sputtered," said Capt. Mark St. Laurent, 36, of Leesburg, Virginia. "Now I'm good for another two months."

But other soldiers grew angry that their departure from the airport was delayed for an hour, while they waited for Air Force One to depart. Finding the door barred, about 50 troops got into a shouting match with the soldier blocking their exit. The streets of Baghdad were too dangerous to delay their departure any longer, they shouted.

"Do you have any idea how many IEDs are on this road?" one soldier shouted, referring to improvised explosive devices or roadside bombs. "I have to get back to my base. I don't want to lose a soldier because the president wants us to sit here."

Bremer said he'd known the visit was planned for quite a while. Few others shared the knowledge, not even some top officials on his staff.

"The surprise was terrific," Bremer said, beaming. "Operational security was great. It was quite an operation. We've been working on it for months."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: airport; bia; bush; cic; iraq; surprise; thanksgiving; thanksgivingvisit; troops
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hope this isn't a duplicate.

"We've been working on it for months." At least Hillary's crowd can't complain that this was a spur of the moment thing (Oh, all right! We all know they will, anyway!)

Sounds like not ALL the troops were happy about the visit.

1 posted on 11/27/2003 1:25:47 PM PST by Maria S
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To: Maria S
Well you can't please all of the people all of the time. I'm sure that 98% of the troops will remember this day forever. Bush had to take some risks as well. That Air Force One is one big sitting duck.



2 posted on 11/27/2003 1:28:47 PM PST by SamAdams76 (198.2 (-101.8))
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To: Maria S
Happy for AP that they could find some that were digruntled.I'm sure they were pleased.
3 posted on 11/27/2003 1:33:17 PM PST by MEG33
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To: Maria S
>>At least Hillary's crowd can't complain that this was a spur of the moment thing (Oh, all right! We all know they will, anyway!)

I did something I rarely do, and snuck at look at (sotto voce) that other site.

They were complaining, pissed, and as psychotically illogical as usual, but also unusually subdued in the posts I saw, compared to what I expected to see. I think they realized how powerful a statement this makes, for Bush to do such a risky thing for the troops' morale. I'm sure the Secret Service was totally freaked out.
4 posted on 11/27/2003 1:34:56 PM PST by FreedomPoster (this space intentionally blank)
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To: Maria S
Didn't take them long to find something negative to report did it? At least he wasn't getting his hair cut.
5 posted on 11/27/2003 1:35:07 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: Maria S
Good for Bush!
6 posted on 11/27/2003 1:37:43 PM PST by RJCogburn ("You've bested no one when you've bested a fool"........Texas Ranger LeBoeuf)
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To: Maria S
But other soldiers grew angry that their departure from the airport was delayed for an hour, while they waited for Air Force One to depart. Finding the door barred, about 50 troops got into a shouting match with the soldier blocking their exit. The streets of Baghdad were too dangerous to delay their departure any longer, they shouted.

"Do you have any idea how many IEDs are on this road?" one soldier shouted, referring to improvised explosive devices or roadside bombs. "I have to get back to my base. I don't want to lose a soldier because the president wants us to sit here."

Sounds like a Jason Blair quote. The B.S. meter is spiking.

7 posted on 11/27/2003 1:37:55 PM PST by Rebelbase
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To: CindyDawg
I wonder if AP actually had a reporter at that gate. Makes you kinda wonder if they make things up, doesn't it? NAH!!!!!!!!
8 posted on 11/27/2003 1:44:00 PM PST by kitkat
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To: Maria S
Our president has raised the bar of character in leadership to the stratosphere.
9 posted on 11/27/2003 1:45:25 PM PST by the invisib1e hand
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To: MEG33
Happy for AP that they could find some that were digruntled.I'm sure they were pleased.

Yes. The AP had to find something to make the story "Fair and Balanced". (/sarcasm)

10 posted on 11/27/2003 1:45:42 PM PST by elbucko
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To: elbucko
Can't wait to see what Reuters drags up.
11 posted on 11/27/2003 1:47:00 PM PST by MEG33
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To: MEG33
Happy for AP that they could find some that were digruntled.I'm sure they were pleased.

It would have been scary if the AP couldn't find some (soldiers/sailors/marines) to bitch about the situation.

That they were able to find a few disgruntled types is reassuring. SNAFU!

Good for President Bush. That required some large and clanging ones.

12 posted on 11/27/2003 1:50:05 PM PST by Ole Okie (Go Oklahoma Sooners!)
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To: kitkat
We need the "Daschle deeply saddened" photo.
13 posted on 11/27/2003 1:52:55 PM PST by 07055
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To: Maria S
"The bored crowd shot immediately from their seats and whooped."

As I posted on another thread about this trip, I've seen the clip showing President Bush walking in...it's a real thriller! The troops literally SHOOT from their seats and start hollering! Quite a moving few seconds!
14 posted on 11/27/2003 1:53:58 PM PST by Maria S ("When the passions become masters, they are vices." Pascal, 1670)
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To: MEG33
I have been following a few threads. So far the reports are that he served mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn.
By the time this du gets finished with it W will be eating crow and serving the troops rat poop.
15 posted on 11/27/2003 1:53:59 PM PST by TASMANIANRED
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To: Ole Okie
Big ole Texas cajones! I've never been more proud of Dubya.
16 posted on 11/27/2003 1:54:09 PM PST by EggsAckley (..................."Dean's got Tom McClintock Eyes".........................)
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To: SamAdams76
I'd be kinda surprised if they used the 747. When Bush visited my town he came in a 757 AF standard issue, because the runway was too short. The 747 paint scheme is recognizable by just about everybody everywhere.
17 posted on 11/27/2003 1:56:24 PM PST by kylaka
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To: Maria S
I am glad they are replaying that scene a lot...even a Time reporter who was present spoke of the euphoria!
18 posted on 11/27/2003 1:56:49 PM PST by MEG33
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To: Ole Okie
"Good for President Bush. That required some large and clanging ones."

I would LOVE to have been a fly on the wall nearby when the "Impeached One" heard about it, and realized his own cowardice compared to Bush II.

The only balls that Clintonicus has are cotton.

19 posted on 11/27/2003 1:57:44 PM PST by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel)
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To: Maria S

20 posted on 11/27/2003 1:58:29 PM PST by EggsAckley (..................."Dean's got Tom McClintock Eyes".........................)
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