So it appears that Georgie-boy has just arrived in Baghdad for Thanksgiving.
How much more American can the day be than Thanksgiving, other than the Fourth of July?
A much-needed morale boost for the troops. A fillip for the waverers at home (“Situation? What situation? It’s safe as houses here!”). But… ultimately imperial in its appearance.
I propose that the timing of this visit is cynical in the extreme, and ultimately serves only the election campaign.
jjimm
I propose that the timing of this visit is cynical in the extreme, and ultimately serves only the election campaign.
Exact thing that first sprung to my mind on finding out.
Look, he really cares. He’s sacrificing his lavish Thanksgiving at the Ranch to spend time with… sob… with our troops.
[sub]Sorry for the haphazard melodrama. [/sub]
I can see the reasons for Bush going there. The problem is that you can expect yet more “we are fighting the war on terra here” messages, and all the media not bothering to mention that any connection to 9/11 was horse manure. If you wondered why is that the people connect 9/11 to Iraq look no further.
A two-hour visit, is that right ?
/em Looks down, see’s blood in the water
I sense…another Bush bashing feeding frenzy. 
Have at him boys and girls!! I have a cold guiness and assorted other goodies and am prepared to sit back and enjoy while getting totally plastered today.
Personally, just to do a drive by on the OP, I think it was a pretty smart political move. SOMEONE in the Bush administration knows what they are about IMO. Sure, its a complete load, but it sure PLAYS well on TV…and thats what its all about in the big game.
Anyway, please continue.
Reguards,
XT
OK, so do you think it will help or hamper eventual peace in Iraq? Will anything he does WRT Iraq from now on have anything to do with the outcome of the war, or will it all be electioneering?
I think it unsporting to shoot fish in a barrel.
I now discover that he’s beenandgone and on his way back already.
I loath Bush more than any other politician I can remember, but on this one I think he’s done something right. If you are a leader and ask your “team” to do something unpleasant, or if their morale is low, then it’s a darned good idea to put yourself out to visit them.
amarone, I agree with you. My concerns are over the date of his arrival.
yes, but if they hadn’t mentioned it, it really wouldn’t have seemed so p.r. oriented.
I’m sure he had dinner, though.
From jjimm
I think it will have absolutely no effect on ‘peace’ in Iraq. Its all about the election IMO. Its a great sound bite on TV, a good spot on the news, and something they can show next year along with him on the carrier deck with smiling troops all about him. Iraq? lol, it has nothing to do with Iraq, except incidentally. Perhaps SOME of the troops will be heartened to see him there…but most of them know that same things I do…that this is about Bush being president for 4 more years.
From jjimm
Ya…I bet the security types were going nuts. I’m sure this was super secret, and they only gave out details he was there AFTER he was leaving. Makes sense, as I’m sure the resistance types in Iraq would go nuts if they knew he was about.
-XT
Actually, rather a good gesture. Only a gesture, of course, but still…
One wonders which variety of a uniform that’s not really a uniform he wore this time…
I’m beating my husband (Avalonian) to this, but wtf!? He’s supposed to be our President. Not a kamikaze soldier. This was just plain reckless, all for a self-serving purpose.
Hell, I’m just impressed that they pulled it off. They pretty much caught every single news organization off-guard – not an easy task with the most-watched man on the planet, especially given the logistics of planning the trip.
CNN indicated that even Mrs. Bush didn’t know.
Best part: getting commentary from reporters sent to Crawford, TX (where Bush was scheduled to be). You can tell they’re pissed. You can see it in their eyes: “Fuck, I had to go out to the middle of nowhere on a major holiday for nothing.”
And the first thing that entered my mind when I heard about this?
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
I do hope that some soldiers were heartened by his brief visit… they deserve that, and more. But a more obvious, more self-serving action I can’t imagine. With Bush’s lack of subtlety, it should be an interesting campaign year, and I’d say it officially started today.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Hillary’s concurrent visit, dinner with the troops and photo-op is less so? ummmm!
Imagien if something bad had happened, though.
The President of the United States chose to have Thanksgiving Dinner with our troops in Baghdad.
God bless George W Bush.
Do you detractors have a president too?
If you pay closer attention to the clip they’re showing, you’ll see that members of Iraq’s new governing council were in attendance.
Its a huge step towards gelling Arab support for the rebuilding of Iraq.
Oh, and jjim, its not “safe as houses” here. They’re blowing up tall buildings!
Well, at least now he’ll have a nice sound bite and lots of good video to use in his reelection campaign.
As opposed to that flight-suited landing on the carrier, back around the time that Major Hostilities Ended In Iraq… if anyone’s going to get any mileage out of THAT footage, it’ll be the Democrats…
What’s your concern? Might it be that the date has special significance for the soldiers in Iraq? I would suspect that this is one of the few days in the year when news viewership is below average. Everyone is eating turkey and watching football.
Can Bush take a piss without the Bush-bashers on this board drawing conclusions of nefarious political maneuverings?
One needn’t wonder. Unless. of course, one simply wants to toss mud instead of debating. Turn on one of the cable news channels right now and you’ll see he’s dressed in civilian clothes. I’d give an internet cite, but google isn’t turning one up right now. Don’t worry-- I’m sure you’ll be able to find some fault in what he’s wearing, though.:rolleyes: