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Obama Lands in Afghanistan for First Tour of War Zones (With Details)
The New York Times ^ | Saturday, July 19, 2008 | Carlotta Gall and Jeff Zeleny

Posted on 07/19/2008 9:05:33 AM PDT by kristinn

SNIP

Mr. Obama touched down in Kabul about noon, according to a statement released by his aides. His trip has been cloaked in secrecy, which advisers said was due to security concerns set forth by the Secret Service.

SNIP

The governor of Nangarhar province, Gul Agha Shirzai, a burly former mujahedeen commander with a brutal past but who is favored by the United States as someone who gets things done, was the only Afghan official to meet Senator Obama and Senators Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, and Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, at Jalalabad airfield along with the United States ambassador and generals.

SNIP

“Barak Obama thanked the officials of Nangarhar and the people of Nangarhar for eliminating poppy cultivation, fighting corruption, and he promised that the United States would give more help to Afghanistan and especially to Nangarhar,” he said by telephone after the one-hour meeting.

“I talked to him about our security and other development projects and programs that we have,” Mr. Shirzai said. “We also discussed some other important issues. I hope Nangarhar becomes an example for the other parts of Afghanistan.”

The senators flew back to Bagram airbase at 5 p.m., the governor said. At 6 p.m. two military Chinook helicopters landed at the United States embassy, as two more attack helicopters circled above. The senators are expected to stay the night in the Kabul embassy.

Mr. Obama’s whereabouts had been unknown since he departed Chicago. He left Andrews Air Force Base near Washington on Thursday afternoon, according to a pool report, and stopped and visited American troops in Kuwait on the way to Afghanistan, the statement from his aides said.

SNIP

No reporters accompanied him to Afghanistan.

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


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 110th; 2008; afghanistan; blueturban; hagel; jackreed; obama; obamavisit; obamawarzonetour; propagandawingofdnc
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To: Chgogal

For Julie and her liberal friends who don’t know the difference between a photo op and “a powerful image”, this is a big deal.
For neophyte, ideologs, like B.O., there will be no “learning” in this process.
He will simply wrap this photo op in the guise of “experience”, to further his existing bias.


21 posted on 07/19/2008 9:41:23 AM PDT by G Larry (Fight B.O. with RIGHT GUARD! Vote McCain!)
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To: kristinn
Photobucket
22 posted on 07/19/2008 9:43:24 AM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Chgogal; LS
The MSNBC Saturday morning news anchor was using the same phrase to describe the footage of Obama sitting at a conference table: "Powerful."

The AP reports that Obama had a two hour stop at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. They quote a spokesman for the base as saying Obama met with soldiers and "constituents" and played basketball. He says the officers at the base gave a briefing to Obama.

23 posted on 07/19/2008 9:46:48 AM PDT by kristinn
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To: Chgogal; kristinn; Captain Shamrock
Just listened to Julie Kurtz (sp) - She made me ill. You see Sissy Boy sitting around a table with the local politicians and the US Military are at the end of the table.

According to Julie, “These are powerful images”. Please. This is OB’s first trip to A-stan since this WOT began almost seven years ago. He has been Jr. Senator of Illinois for about four years. I am NOT impressed with Sissy Boy's World Trip in Search of His “Gravitas”.

*************************************************

Something is not computing here....where was this table that appears in the photos...based on the report from Captain Shamrock on the other thread...seems if the table was there....it was very little more than a photo op...

24 posted on 07/19/2008 9:46:49 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: smoothsailing

Can there be any doubt that the terrorists prefer Obama in the White House?


25 posted on 07/19/2008 9:55:02 AM PDT by pleikumud
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The Obama campaign is accusing McCain of endangering Obama's security by his saying yesterday it looked like Obama will in Iraq in a day or two.

A reporter at The New Republic writes today that it would have been easy to figure out where Obama is this weekend based on the Obama campaign's communications:

Those of us covering the campaign got an e-mail from Obama communications strategist Robert Gibbs a little after 3 this morning saying Obama had landed in Afghanistan. The timing of the trip had previously been shrouded in secrecy for obvious security reasons. But, in retrospect, I probably should have put it together (as I'm sure many of my more observant colleagues did). A little over a week ago, a Netroots Nation spokesperson told me the campaign had told her Obama was going to be out of the country during the conference, which was scheduled to run from Thursday through Sunday. Then, this week, the press was reporting that Obama would be in Jordan and Israel beginning Monday before heading to Europe later in the week. And we already knew Obama was headed to Afghanistan and Iraq at some point. That left a two-plus-day window in which he'd be out of the country before he was due in Jordan. Which basically had Afghanistan and Iraq written all over it if you were paying attention.

26 posted on 07/19/2008 9:55:25 AM PDT by kristinn
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To: kristinn

Campaign stop for Barry Hussein. Pure and simple.


27 posted on 07/19/2008 9:56:35 AM PDT by 4yearlurker
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To: kristinn

Bush and McCain in Iraq are “propaganda”, Obama pics are “powerful and historic”. I’m so damned sick of leftists, Euro-turds and the media. I don’t need that idolized caramel Caesar wannabee as tyrant in chief.


28 posted on 07/19/2008 9:58:22 AM PDT by SolidWood (Stop the Muslimarxist Obama.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
I can see how busy the news desks must be in how to manage the news that will flow from the upcoming series of photo ops.. What will they be able to get away with in the way of alternations and literal fabrications.
29 posted on 07/19/2008 10:00:50 AM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Duncan Hunter was our best choice...Now we are left with a bunch of idiots.)
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To: kristinn
IMHO, B Hussein is a dollar short & a drink behind with this visit to Afghanistan. He is trying to look "Presidential", but once again he looks foolish.

For years the left have said Afghanistan has been "forgotten" by President Bush. Now after all these years B Hussein decides to go & visit for the first time????

Give me a friggin break!

30 posted on 07/19/2008 10:04:34 AM PDT by tiredoflaundry (I know, you know ,that I know, you can see me.)
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To: kristinn

***Mr. Obama touched***

They worship the ground he walks on. Not in a good way.


31 posted on 07/19/2008 10:05:36 AM PDT by wastedyears (Show me your precious darlings, and I will crush them all)
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To: kristinn

Bill Clinton wanna be.


32 posted on 07/19/2008 10:06:58 AM PDT by dalebert
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To: pleikumud
Nope, None whatsoever.
33 posted on 07/19/2008 10:07:28 AM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Chgogal

Im sick of hearing about sissy boy 24/7.


34 posted on 07/19/2008 10:08:13 AM PDT by dalebert
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To: kristinn
"No reporters accompanied him to Afghanistan."

Why, so they couldn't see him pray toward Mecca?

35 posted on 07/19/2008 10:14:49 AM PDT by mass55th
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To: LS

That’s because Obambi has been anti war for so long..Now he will use the images from this trip to make himself look like he’s finally strong on national security. enough to make one puke.


36 posted on 07/19/2008 10:27:44 AM PDT by hope
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To: kristinn
The Osama/Obama Kumbaya Tour begins!

I think I am going to be SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

37 posted on 07/19/2008 10:28:25 AM PDT by Anti-Hillary (Yo Obama! IF FOR 20 YEARS YOU STAY IN THE PEW, IT'S BECAUSE YOU SHARE THE VIEW!!!!!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Another one grabbed from some FR’er:-)


38 posted on 07/19/2008 10:30:44 AM PDT by geo40xyz (BE PREPARED: Rotate the ammo, food supplies, water, gas etc. Update the list:-() No new debt..)
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To: Chgogal

Oh yeah — “powerful images” of the visit indeed! Hah!

This Obambi sojourn is about as ridiculous as that old comedy, “If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium.”


39 posted on 07/19/2008 10:35:56 AM PDT by CaliforniaCon
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To: OKIEDOC

My question is why are taxpayers paying for Hagel when he’s leaving the Senate.


40 posted on 07/19/2008 10:36:17 AM PDT by roj
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