President Bush in Iraq
“We stand with you.” — President Bush to P.M. Nouri al-Maliki
President Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad, Iraq today and is meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at this moment. (large photo) His visit should last approximately 5 hours. The President was flown into the Baghdad airport and then transferred to a helicopter for a six-minute ride into the heavily fortified Green Zone. He will meet with US troops before his departure back to the United States.
Critics are already calling it a publicity stunt or a PR staging, but no time should be wasted entertaining those wet blankets. This is what a President coming into a war zone means to his troops:
On Thanksgiving Day, 2003, as my husband was in Baghdad and I was with family and our children, we were reclining after a good meal and watching whatever news reports about Iraq that might be breaking across the wires. When President Bush “showed up†in Iraq, the same shock and awe that the soldiers in that room felt, the military family members felt. It showed solidarity (not to mention bravery, which is particularly appealing to a military family) and that the President is willing to put his money where his mouth is (another rarity for politicians that is particularly appealing to a military family).
When my husband flew out of the Baghdad International Airport in February 2004, it was common for insurgents to fire into departing aircraft. In fact, flack jackets and helmets had to be worn to avoid being hit INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT by penetrating bullets. It is a risk for anyone to fly into the airport and even more of a risk to fly via helicopter over Baghdad.
So when President Bush tells Prime Minister al-Maliki, Iraqis and US troops “WE STAND WITH YOUâ€, they all know he means it.
UPDATE:
GatewayPundit has more.
Cross-posted at Amy’s Blog
June 13th, 2006 at 8:39 am
I love President Bush’s surprise visits.
Wishing I could trackback you, but the last few times I tried…it would not work. Linked you on my site. (smiling)