Posted on 09/03/2003 12:42:19 PM PDT by Pokey78
SAVANNAH -- President Bush is planning a trip to Fort Stewart this month to congratulate the soldiers who led the assault on Baghdad, The Associated Press has learned.
Sources with advance knowledge of the president's schedule said Wednesday that no final date has been set for the visit, although one source said it could be as early as Sept. 12. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity.
The White House does not disclose Bush's schedule until 48 hours in advance.
The presidential visit, first reported by the Savannah Morning News, has been widely expected. Residents of neighboring Hinesville have speculated since the troops were at war that Bush would come soon after they returned.
The last soldiers among the 16,500 3rd Infantry Division troops deployed to Iraq returned last week.
If Bush wants to publicly congratulate the 3rd Infantry's commander, Maj. Gen. Buford C. Blount III, he'll have to do it before Sept. 26, when Blount will relinquish his command for a new job at the Pentagon.
"We would definitely welcome the president if he does decide to come to Fort Stewart," said Master Sgt. Emma Krouser, a Fort Stewart spokeswoman. "But we haven't gotten anything confirmed from him."
He's been ignoring them, you know.
Sorry -- joke about a thread from a few days ago. Of course he's visiting the wounded, but not clintonstanding the time with them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.