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Trip to Iraq was shrouded in secrecy
Washington Times ^ | 15 June 2006 | Joseph Curl

Posted on 06/14/2006 6:44:03 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher

"The POTUS is on board!" yelled a man of nearly 60 wearing a Navy baseball cap, dark pants and no tie, who had just climbed the drop-down backstairs of Air Force One in the dark and slipped into the rearmost cabin, crammed full with reporters and photographers.

It was, in fact, not just the customary announcement made when the president of the United States (POTUS) boards his plane. This was, in fact, the POTUS himself, minutes before Monday night's secret trip to Baghdad, one so elaborately planned that it included the president lying to his closest aides and the White House duping reporters.

At 7:45 p.m. Monday, Mr. Bush, nearing the end of the first of two days of meetings on Iraq at Camp David, sought his leave from his top military and intelligence advisers, including National Intelligence Director John D. Negroponte, CIA Director Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden and Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"I'm losing altitude -- I'm going to read," Mr. Bush told the group, ostensibly heading to bed. But he did not. Instead, he slipped out of the fortified presidential retreat and into an unmarked helicopter, not his normal Marine One chopper, for a quick ride to Andrews Air Force Base and an 11-hour flight to Baghdad.

Vice President Dick Cheney was about the only one at the nighttime Camp David gathering who knew that the president was headed to Iraq.

"Our Cabinet is not completely aware," senior Bush aide Dan Bartlett later told reporters on Air Force One en route. "They all expected him to show up at breakfast with the ambassador of Iraq."

(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: airforceone; bush43; cic; georgewbush; iraq; josephcurl; oif; surprisevisit
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To: airborne
"This is the first time I've seen that President Bush said he was "going to read"."

Tony Snow was on Imus this morning and reported that this is exactly what he said.
21 posted on 06/14/2006 7:34:41 PM PDT by DocRock
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To: DocRock

Well, I haven't been home in front of the tube at all today.

Busy taking care of my sick dad. i guess I missed it.


22 posted on 06/14/2006 7:40:34 PM PDT by airborne (Satan's greatest trick was convincing people he doesn't exist.)
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To: airborne

Jerry Springer was having a cow over the secrecy. He thought either we don't trust the Iraqi's or we don't trust their ability to provide security. He thought we insulted the Iraqi's by not giving them advance warning of the visit.

The notion that we don't trust the press didn't occur to Springer.


23 posted on 06/14/2006 8:16:17 PM PDT by Tymesup
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To: Aussie Dasher

Bill Sammon's book "Misunderestimated" has a chapter on the planning and preparation for Pres. Bush's trip to Iraq to thank the troops at Thanksgiving, and one of Pres. Bush's biggest concerns was the possible danger to the troops if the trip became public knowledge beforehand. One of my favorite lines in this chapter is where Pres. Bush asked his Air Force One pilot whether it could be done, and the pilot said sure, there was a 99% chance they could get in safely, and Pres. Bush said let's spend a little time on that one percent.


24 posted on 06/14/2006 8:16:49 PM PDT by hsalaw
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To: Aussie Dasher
Bush flew...

And no one knew

25 posted on 06/14/2006 8:20:55 PM PDT by Cobra64 (All we get are lame ideas from Republicans and lame criticism from dems about those lame ideas.)
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To: airborne

Probably reads in bed. My wife and I do.


26 posted on 06/14/2006 8:21:54 PM PDT by Cobra64 (All we get are lame ideas from Republicans and lame criticism from dems about those lame ideas.)
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To: Aussie Dasher

Technically, the plane did not become "Air Force One" until the moment the President stepped on board. Until then, it was just a very fancy Air Force plane.

Good on "W" he even got to dress up (or is it down??)! lol

Pinz


27 posted on 06/14/2006 9:11:22 PM PDT by pinz-n-needlez (Charter Snowflake, Rummy fan)
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To: Mo1; Aussie Dasher

Seeing as how the media has sided itself with the terrorists, I'm not surprised the trip was shrouded in secrecy.


28 posted on 06/14/2006 11:38:35 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (There is no alternative to the GOP except varying degrees of insanity.)
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To: Aussie Dasher

The press is telling the public Iraq is a dangereous place...why wouldn't Pres. Bush fly in secret?


29 posted on 06/15/2006 6:27:20 AM PDT by Milligan
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To: Mo1; pinz-n-needlez

When did this happen? I completely missed this; are there pictures?


30 posted on 06/15/2006 6:36:08 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Tymesup; Mo1; Howlin
Jerry Springer was having a cow over the secrecy.

Jerry Springer is still on the air somewhere? And people actually listen?? sheesh, who knew...

Thanks for the ping Mo1, I love this part:

The trip was the brainchild of the president himself, who told his staff that he wanted to travel to Baghdad as soon as Mr. al-Maliki filled the final positions in his government, which occurred Thursday. The White House set up a strange series of movements for the president: He went to Camp David on Thursday and then returned to the White House on Sunday, only to leave again for his retreat early the next morning. Reporters were lulled.

Lulled, as in anesthetized, LOLOL! Actually, I'd like to see a list of the reporters who were trusted enough to be told the information and invited along.

Good morning Howlin nice to see you.

31 posted on 06/15/2006 6:43:27 AM PDT by prairiebreeze (“Double or triple our troubles and we would still be better off than any people on earth.”---Reagan)
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To: Howlin

Check Monday's Dose for pics.

Pinz


32 posted on 06/15/2006 7:03:09 AM PDT by pinz-n-needlez (Charter Snowflake, Rummy fan)
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To: Howlin
Yep .. lots of pictures

and the best part is .. the libs are in a complete melt down between that trip and Rove not being indicted




An AMAZING Day in the Life of President Bush! -(photos) - 6.13.06
Whitehouse.gov, Yahoo.com; Reuters | 6.13.06 | ohioWfan
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1648836/posts
33 posted on 06/15/2006 7:20:52 AM PDT by Mo1 (DEMOCRATS: A CULTURE OF TREASON)
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To: prairiebreeze
I'd like to see a list of the reporters who were trusted enough to be told the information and invited along.

Good question .. I'd like to see the list also

34 posted on 06/15/2006 7:24:01 AM PDT by Mo1 (DEMOCRATS: A CULTURE OF TREASON)
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To: Aussie Dasher
A few days ago Fox news radio reported that "Rumsfeld can keep a secret for a whole week!!" because apparently he knew about the trip that far ahead of time. The mediots, and many politicians, can't comprehend secret-keeping. I guess they don't realize there are many thousands of DOD personnel who not only can keep a secret for *a whole week*, but can keep one for the rest of their lives. And, it ain't that hard, either. All it takes is a little bit of character.
35 posted on 06/15/2006 8:20:31 AM PDT by FlyVet
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