Bush to Begin New Year By Visiting Troops

FOXNews.com ^ | 29 December 2005

[Aussie Dasher]

CRAWFORD, Texas — President Bush plans to begin 2006 by visiting wounded troops at an Army medical center in Texas on New Year's Day.

Bush will stop at Brooke Army Medical Center on Sunday on his way back to Washington from a weeklong stay at his Texas ranch, said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Most of the soldiers he will see were injured in Iraq, Duffy said.

During his holiday stay, the Crawford chapter of Veterans for Peace is organizing small demonstrations near Bush's ranch. The group wrote a letter to the president on Christmas Eve, asking him to limit air attacks in Iraq to reduce civilian casualties and bring U.S. troops home.

"Wouldn't you much rather be known as the peace president rather than the war president?" Carl Rising-Moore, field organizer for the group, said in the letter.

Duffy responded on Wednesday, saying that the president welcomes the opinions of all Americans.

[Aussie Dasher]

A suggestion: after visiting the troops, the President should take his motorcade and run down the 'Veterens for Peace"...

Just a thought.

[MJY1288]

I love this President, but I think he owes a visit to our troops in Afghanistan FIRST, and then another trip to Iraq to visit the troops in the Shia's in the South, Sunni's in the Middle and Kurd's to the North and on his way back, he should visit Tsunami hit areas to say we will help where we are welcomed

[GSlob]

Nah.... He ought to run over them on his way to visit the troops, and then again, on his way back. Two for the price of one.

[Lemondropkid31]

I agree. Whatever happened to Afghanistan? I think we have kinda forgotten about them. Whatis going on over there, anyway?

[MJY1288]

The Taliban have been planting roadside bombs and causing some trouble as of late. There are 20,000 coalition troops in Afghanistan that are doing a great job, but our presence there will be needed for at least 10 years IMHO.

For the most part, Afghanistan is not the vipers nest Iraq is. I believe that is because of the harsh terrain, their Jihadist believe Iraq is the Central front, just as our President correctly believes

[ruschpa]

I second that... I was expecting a Christmas day visit to the troops in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Hopefully he'll go out on a trip soon.

[Marine_Uncle]

Hey Brooks is where one of the Marines some of us have written letters to, who lost both his feet is at. I hope GWB will be able to give each of them some quality time. Bet you a buck a few tears and deep hugs shall be exchanged. And most likely some smart salutes.

[MJY1288]

I am more than disappointed, Tony Blair was there last week, The Polish President was there today, and even our own Scottish law expert "Arlen Specter" was there yesterday.

I will not trash President Bush over this because I believe there is much more to such a trip besides saying "Hey... Lets go" I know he has a very demanding schedule that prevents him from just dropping everything and head for Iraq. The Troops love him by wide margins and I thin k a visit from him will work wonder for morale.

God Bless our Troops and their Commander-in-Chief

[PISANO]

asking him to limit air attacks in Iraq to reduce civilian casualties

Yeah.......like we are BOMBING IRAQ from the air on a daily basis. Pure BS.

[McGavin999]

Me too Mike. I really did expect a surprise Christmas visit. I think the thing that is holding him back is that the guys in the field have warned against it, otherwise, I don't think anything could keep him away.

[Grut]

Speaking as a veteran, there's not much worse than a Presidential visit: the commanders have kittens, their commanders come down and have kittens on them and the troops end up polishing the bowling balls in the base bowling alley just in case He decides to roll a few.

Seriously - the President should stay away from the war zone. He'll just make work for the troops.

[systematic]

[MJY1288]

Great Pic

[Lemondropkid31]

What do you think about Iran and the problems they are causing, and I think have caused for quite some time? Do you think that mabe it would have been better to go there first? I know this is all arm chair quarterbacking and I hate that, but 20/20 hindsight is always like that LOL. It seems like all the soldiers in Iraq are fighting now are people not even from Iraq.

Man I haven't heard a think about Afghanistan. I wish the media would say SOMETHING. Well, mabe not LOL.

[MJY1288]

No way, Iran has a population that primarily under 30 years of age, they are mostly pro western and I believe in time the Military will oust the Mullahs. Not to mention we had 17 U.N. Resolutions and 12 years of defiance by Saddam and his Regime. President Bush was spot on with his next move after the fall of the Taliban.

We have had no diplomatic ties with Iran since 1979 and now we see their new "elected" president is a lunatic. His election has done more to isolate Iran than anything we could have done in the Socialists Vipers Nest we call the U.N.

The "Tehran Tyrant" is doing a fine job of isolating his country without us impeding his progress :-)

[Lemondropkid31]

Oh ok. I was thinking mainly about their deal with trying to make nukes, and whether they actually have one. I feel like they are either going to start a war with us or Israel, or Israel is going to hit them first (their nuke facility). I do hope that their people can overturn their leaders though. that's the best way to do it.

Please dont misunderstand. I am glad we got rid of Saddam and his nastiness and the President was right. I am just rolling all these things in my head.

[Just Lori]

I really loved the way he "snuck out of town" last Thanksgiving. He's a good man.

[ruschpa]

That was 2 years ago... Thanksgiving of 2003.