Posted on 11/25/2004 2:12:18 PM PST by FairOpinion
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush made Thanksgiving Day calls from his Texas ranch to U.S. troops abroad on Thursday, a year after he made a secret trip to spend the holiday with soldiers in Iraq. "The president wanted to express his gratitude for their service and sacrifice and to wish them a happy Thanksgiving," said White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan.
Last year, Bush secretly flew to Baghdad for Thanksgiving dinner with U.S. troops.
This year, the president spent the holiday at his Crawford, Texas, ranch, where he also rode his bike, chopped some brush and had a traditional turkey-and-stuffing meal with family.
Bush's Thanksgiving Day call list included Cpl. Kevin Norris of the Marine Expeditionary Force in Falluja, where U.S. troops launched a major offensive against insurgents. He also called troops from Afghanistan to Djibouti and Qatar.
The Pentagon's latest official count, provided on Wednesday, listed 1,230 U.S. military deaths in the Iraq war. At least 109 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq this month alone, about half of whom died in the Falluja offensive.
Golly, it is hard to believe that that was just a year ago. What a long election year it has been.
It does seem like it was a long time ago instead of just a year, and what a year it's been!
Campaign 2004 is the longest of my memory, and campaign 2008 is already starting.
I'm so glad he was home this year, enjoying it with his family. He couldn't have topped last year if he had tried.
I do adore that man!
Bush calling the troops today
Not that I would want him to do a repeat, but the two photos seem incomplete somehow as side-by-sides, after the joy seen in last year's celebration.
Today Bush is entertaining the King and Queen of Spain. This is important, because they represent the many people who did NOT vote for the socialist, Zapatero, who has done nothing but try to insult the US and Bush since the day of his terrorist-inspired election. Spain also controls areas on either side of the Straits, and it is important to us to keep access to the Med open and make sure it is not controlled by Muslims (even though ZP has virtually announced that he is ready to give it away).
this photo released by the White House, President Bush phones U.S. troops from his ranch on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2004, in Crawford, Texas 
In this photo released by the Iraqi government, chemicals are seen after Iraqi troops searching suspected terrorist hideouts in Fallujah discovered a laboratory with manuals manufacturing explosives and toxins including anthrax, Iraq
I thought, from the Yahoo photos, that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were at the Bush's ranch for the afternoon only, yesterday. Poppy was there, too. He seemed to have a much closer relationship to them then W and Laura, judging by the hugs 41 and King Juan Carlos exchanged.
Holiday greetings to you.
Betcha he'll visit the Troops on Christmas!
Does Reuters really believe that we are not aware of the statistics that they put in their last sentence?
Just another attempt at a cheap shot, but then, that is Reuters.
He gave them their surprise last week in Chile. I just hope they get to see it.
I was thinking the same thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.