# President Bush's secret Iraq thanksgiving visit- how?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bushs-secret-iraq-thanksgiving-visit-how/215599>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 27, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bushs-secret-iraq-thanksgiving-visit-how/215599 "2003-11-27T18:06:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Phouchg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@Phouchg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phouchg)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bushs-secret-iraq-thanksgiving-visit-how/215599/1 "2003-11-27T18:06:56Z")

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[Bush makes surprise visit to Baghdad.](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031127/D7V337S00.html)

Knowing the incredible security requirements, and the number of “loose lips” in washington circles (especially the press corps) - how on earth were they able to pull this off? Any security experts out there? How did word of this not leak out?

Please, no personal pit-type opinions on this - just curious about the logistics of planning this sort of thing.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bushs-secret-iraq-thanksgiving-visit-how/215599/2 "2003-11-27T19:26:39Z")

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It’s a pretty phenomenal feat, actually. I’ve worked for diplomatic security and the Dept. of State and know what has to go into a visit of that sort. He must have threatened immediate termination to anyone who spilled the beans and access denial for any reporter who blabbed.

As much as I hate this sorry fucker, I have to admit this is a brilliant bit of politicking.

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**Author:** ![Erroneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@Erroneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erroneous)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bushs-secret-iraq-thanksgiving-visit-how/215599/3 "2003-11-27T23:26:54Z")

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[Drudge has Mike Allen’s private notes on the trip](http://www.drudgereport.com/flashbb.htm), which have lots of details about the security measures in them.