Posted on 04/07/2009 7:02:24 AM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies
President Barack Obama tacked an unannounced trip to Baghdad Tuesday, saying a trip to Iraq was critical because progress in a country rocked by a new round of bombings lies "in political solutions."
The side trip will include a visit with U.S. troops, a meeting with Commanding Gen. Raymond Odierno at Camp Victory outside the city and calls to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Iraq was chosen over Afghanistan in part because of its proximity to Istanbul but also because troops in the war Mr. Obama hopes to end are just as important as troops in Afghanistan, where he hopes to intensify the U.S. campaign against Taliban militants.
"Our men and women who are in harm's way, either in Iraq or Afghanistan, deserve our utmost respect and appreciation," Mr. Gibbs said aboard Air Force One. He will also award 10 medals of valor while in Baghdad.
Mr. Obama had intended to take a helicopter for face-to-face consultations with the Iraqi leadership, but poor weather grounded Marine 1.
Mr. Obama flew into the country hours after a car bomb exploded in a Shiite neighborhood of the capital city, a deadly reminder of the violence that has claimed the lives at least 4,266 members of the U.S. military since March 2003.
The visit came at the conclusion of a long overseas trip that included economic and NATO summits in Europe and two days in Turkey.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
“The side trip will include a visit with U.S. troops”
WHAT??? You mean, he’s ACTUALLY going to talk to the troops this time??? Who would’ve thought?
Oops! Did a search but missed previous post!
Gee, his surrender tour is now complete.
“Obama Stops in Iraq on Unannounced Visit”
To do what? Surrender?
No no no...he’s there to get the girls a camel...decided against the dog.
I thought he promised that we’d be out of Iraq in 90 days ? Only 14 days left. Maybe he meant just himself !
I hope he thanks the troops for their role in the “distraction”. *spit*
“WHAT??? You mean, he’s ACTUALLY going to talk to the troops this time??? Who would’ve thought?”
He’s going to have them stand in formation as a captive audience to watch him shoot 3-pointers.
“whatever Obama calls himself when he’s in the middle east”
Obammed ibn Abu al-Baracki.
He’s there to sign a political solution with Al Qaeda. The surrender signing takes place in 5, 4, 3, 2....
Never ends with this guy.
“Going to shoot some hoops and have photos taken with some hand-picked “just smile and look at the camera” troops.”
Of a certain persuasion, of course.
Will the media even allow a video of the the troops not greeting Obama with more enthusiasm than with his global muslim following?
I’m really curious how that’ll go.
Bush had a bailout, Obama has to have a bigger bailout.
Bush had a troop surge in Iraq, Obama has to have a troop surge in Afghanistan.
Bush made surprise visits to the troops, Obama has to make surprise visits to our troops.
etc.
do I detect a pattern here?
He just wanted to spit in their faces in person!
This is a good trip. Kudos to President Obama for acting Presidential.
Perhaps now Obama and the news media can shake up Congress to get our new Ambassador to Iraq confirmed...it’s embarrassing to have gone months now without one...and risks the political progress made there under the Bush Administration to continue with an empty embassy.
No, he is there to thank the "Sunni awakening" for the good that is going on and to make sure the troops know that he is their CiC and they better not forget it.
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