Posted on 06/13/2006 4:51:39 PM PDT by ohioWfan
Today our courageous and intrepid Commander in Chief and Leader of the Free World......a world freer because of his courage and leadership, made a surprise visit to Baghdad. It was his second visit to Iraq, the first being made at Thanksgiving in 2003, and not announced until he had already departed Iraq. This trip was different. Air Force One landed at Baghdad airport and the President with a handful of reporters, and his Press Secretary, Tony Snow took a Black Hawk helicopter into the Green Zone.
He met with new Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who was informed only shortly before the Presidential visit, and they met together with the newly formed Iraqi Cabinet in a video conference with the President's Cabinet who were gathered at Camp David, Maryland in a remarkable moment in history. He also met with Iraq's President Jalal Talabani during a private meeting to discuss Iraq at the U.S. Embassy.
The President then spoke to military personnel and Embassy personnel at the U.S. Embassy, thanking the troops, and giving a moving speech about the noble mission in Iraq. He was deeply emotional as he discussed their sacrifice and their accomplishment, and the pride that Americans have in them, as well as the amazing progress in the newly sovereign Iraq.
First Lady Laura appeared today at a fundraiser for Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum while her husband was 'away.' She spoke there of her pride in her husband. She also appeared at a fundraiser for New Jersey's Tom Kean.
Here are the President's comments during video conference
And here are the pool reports from Drudge...........some good reads...............right HERE
The President is, as I type this, on his way home. Dear Lord, please continue to protect our brave, strong President as he leads this nation through perilous times. Keep him close to Your side, we pray!
Enjoy your trip to Sanity Island on the Daily Dose. It has NEVER been a better day to be a BUSHBOT!!
Some one pointed out above that the President wanted to meet the Prime Minister in person to get to know him better and assess how he will do. GWB being such a good judge of character in people, now he has good idea of the sort of man he is dealing with. I think this is big bonus of him making the trip and that it will pay off big. Another important benefit of the trip is the impression his visit will have on the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people. Many of those government officials could listen to his speech in English without translation and they are bound to have been impressed.
I agree
I agree, and I think the Iraqis will peceive it this way. See my reply #461 below.
He certainly is.
Dear OWF, Just a quick THANK YOU for this wonderful thread. I have been checking on it all day at work... now that I am home, I was able to go right to #117 (remembered the number, not like me, lol!) and see the VIDEO of GWB speaking to the troops... and their enthusiastic reaction. What a treat.
I loved your 'overcome' comment... yes, the emotions of this day were very evident. I was OK till I read that post of yours, then I lost it.
So glad to be able to share this with FR, even though I was cubicle-bound! Thanks again! (and special thanks/hugs to your son 'over there' - I am so glad W thanked them for US!)
They are such darlings, Pol. So innocent and sweet. I'm privileged to have them in my life while they are little.
Where's the pics of them?
Wow... great thread with some amazing pics! Thanks so much for the heads up... I'll ping my list here.
The kittys? On Sunday's Dose thread. I'd repost them here, but this is a long thread already. I can FReemail you the links.
That photo of Dubya in the cockpit! He looks like a little kid on Christmas... :o)
Hey, isn't that Fox News' Brett Baier on Dubya's left in the cockpit?
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
Thanks for the link!
They are precious, with real personalities.
You could not have looked at the pics so quickly. Go back and see them ALL.
I got two tabs open in Firefox. I'm posting and looking!
And telling stories.
Heartbreaker!
I saw the replay on C-SPAN during Vannity & Homely after I switched when O'Reilly was done.
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