NEWS: Vice President Cheney Takes Iraq by Surprise, page 1

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 01:52 PM

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Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit to Iraq today, becoming the highest ranking US official to visit Iraq since the President's last visit at Thanksgiving 2003. Cheney visited with US troops, US military leaders, and Iraqi political leaders. Cheney announced that last week's elections have brought a stable democracy in Iraq closer to reality.

www.n ytimes.com
Vice President Dick Cheney, taking a look for himself at the country he once predicted would greet Americans as liberators, made a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday, and proclaimed that last week's election showed tangible progress toward a stable democracy.

After arriving in Baghdad amid great secrecy on Sunday morning, Mr. Cheney hopscotched around Iraq under intense security for nine hours. He got a briefing from the senior American officials in Baghdad, met with Iraq's leaders, got a firsthand look at newly trained Iraqi forces and spoke to United States military personnel.

It was Mr. Cheney's first trip to Iraq as vice president, and upon touching down here, he became the highest ranking American official to visit the country since President Bush's stop here on Thanksgiving 2003. As defense secretary, Mr. Cheney had traveled to southern Iraq immediately after the Gulf War in 1991.

Mr. Cheney's dramatic visit on Sunday came three days after 11 million Iraqis went to the polls to elect a parliament. Mr. Cheney's trip gave him a chance to deliver a pre-holiday thank you to American troops and to focus attention on the progress Iraqis are making toward self governance and providing their own security.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

This visit by the Vice President to Iraq is symbolic of the ongoing progress toward creating a stable democracy in Iraq and further helping to stabilize the ever volatile Middle East. The increasing involvement of the Sunnis in the democratic process is very encouraging, also. It is good to see the Administration taking a proactive role in creating a positive view of our efforts in Iraq.

Related News Reports:
smh.com.au
abcnews.com
nytimes.com

[edit on 2005/12/18 by GradyPhilpott]

FlyersFan

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:10 PM

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It makes me nervous.

I know ... I know .. he's there to show that there is stability
and the such. It still makes me nervous. Perhaps things are
more stable there than I think.

skep

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:14 PM

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I can't believe that you are actually "surprised" by this administration's pathetic and repeated attempts to put a positive spin on the tragedy that is our blunder in Iraq. What is surprising is that Cheney would go anywhere within 100 miles of anyone with a loaded 22 cal. weapon ( maximum distance of 1 mile).
If a 22 cal. can only go one mile even Cheney might brave the 100 mile safety envelope, him being so brave and all like that there!

You might want to reconsider making positive statements in support of this administration least you appear as delusional as other supporters. On the other hand if you actually believe they are anything other then a bunch of girly=boy incompetents maybe you are delusional and then... it won't matter.
Huh?
skep

valkeryie

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:15 PM

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But it really is just this;

www.suntimes.com...

Cheney's aides said the timing was a coincidence, but regardless, the two events combined in a public relations blitz aimed at capitalizing on the elections to rebuild support for the unpopular war.

Just a big play for publicity nothing else.

GradyPhilpott

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:25 PM

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deleted by author

[edit on 2005/12/18 by GradyPhilpott]

Luxifero

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:42 PM

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Delusional? The only delusion I see here is the minconception of proactive awareness and effort elected by members on this site, and nothing more. This administration has fumbled this war from the start and continues to do so masking it with witty optimistic remarks which are vernacular to jargon used on elementry school children; children who can still not be fooled by such ridicule. The deliberate usage of such language by this administration degrades and belittles the common man. It's indirect, and yet very effective; it's speaks to the child in us that needs to be chided by these overbearing clowns.

We should be concerned about the mental state of these politicians who seem to live in this surreal facade of thiers, and not of ours which have been washed away by this dementia.

How is Cheney's prescence in Iraq the least bit symbolic, Grady? It's been 2 years since a high ranking member of this administration has visited, and you saturate this as some sort of bastion of light carried unto this country upon Cheney's breast...

Luxifero

skep

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:50 PM

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My rant wouldn't post and I kept trying. It posted twice = eventually.
Sorry All
skep

GradyPhilpott

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 02:54 PM

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Originally posted by Luxifero
It's been 2 years since a high ranking member of this administration has visited, and you saturate this as some sort of bastion of light carried unto this country upon Cheney's breast...

Condoleeza Rice visited Iraq in May of 2005. I would consider the Secretary of State to be a high ranking member of the Administration.

Sunday, May 15, 2005 Posted: 8:33 PM EDT (0033 GMT)

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a surprise visit to Iraq Sunday, praising Iraqi authorities and U.S. troops amid an insurgency that is taking dozens of lives each week.

CNN.com

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

skep

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 03:02 PM

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I made no diagnosis regarding your current mental state. I could do so after maybe three different sessions where I had at least 50 minutes each with or without your cooperation..
Name calling is a manisfectation of both fundamentalists and republican response reactions. While typical it adds nothing to your point.
All I was a tryin ta say wuz...iffin you be a supportin this administration you be a bein delusional or just plain uninformed about recent events. Now if you are capable of talking valid human dynamics that last one is a definite sympton of a common mental illness. Take note, I am also not saying that you actually exibit poor recall of recent events. If, on the other hand you genuinely support the baby Bush admin...you may likely be delusional or the other thing...I alluded to...can you guess? It's OK to look it up.
skep

intrepid

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 03:05 PM

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skep, I suggest that you look to the top right of the screen, it'll say you have x# u2u's, click on that, it's private messages.

dgtempe

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 04:36 PM

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Is there any other way Cheney could take Iraq other than surprise?

It cracks me up all day long they say he took them by surprise. Could he announce his trip? Evidently we are not at the stage where there would be a welcoming committee there waiting for him. Why not? If everything is going so wonderfully, as i said in another post, he should be able to jump out of an airplane and land in the middle of Bagdhad with his parachute!

Now, that would be a surprise!!!

alphacenturi

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 05:10 PM

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I think the timing is really distasteful. I know they say coincidence but couldn't they have waited a few more weeks, the Iraqi people just had their first elections and should be able to rejoice in this as something for THEM to be proud of.
They should be given time, as a nation to embrace their new found democracy without the painful reminder of why and how they have come to achieve this. I'm sure most Iraqis are well aware of the sacrifices their fellow countrymen, and fallen soldiers from all sides have made. This is their time to shine, not Dick Cheney's

jsobecky

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 05:16 PM

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Originally posted by skep
You might want to reconsider making positive statements in support of this administration least you appear as delusional as other supporters.

Translation: I (skep) hate this administration so much that I cannot tolerate anyone with a different viewpoint.

Another Translation: If you're not with us, you're against us.

jsobecky

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 05:26 PM

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Originally posted by dgtempe
Is there any other way Cheney could take Iraq other than surprise?

It cracks me up all day long they say he took them by surprise. Could he announce his trip?

Well, that's the NYT for ya, eh dg?

If everything is going so wonderfully, as i said in another post, he should be able to jump out of an airplane and land in the middle of Bagdhad with his parachute!

Or at least appear in person instead of showing up on a video-tape produced by Caveman Productions.

Things are going so badly for those guys that they can't stick their head out anywhere in the world.

jsobecky

posted on Dec, 18 2005 @ 05:35 PM

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Originally posted by alphacenturi
I think the timing is really distasteful. I know they say coincidence but couldn't they have waited a few more weeks, the Iraqi people just had their first elections and should be able to rejoice in this as something for THEM to be proud of.

According to the article, he met with poltical and military personnel:

After arriving in Baghdad amid great secrecy on Sunday morning, Mr. Cheney hopscotched around Iraq under intense security for nine hours. He got a briefing from the senior American officials in Baghdad, met with Iraq's leaders, got a firsthand look at newly trained Iraqi forces and spoke to United States military personnel.

I wonder if he stopped in to see Saddam?

subz

posted on Dec, 19 2005 @ 06:38 AM

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How has Cheney taken "Iraq by surprise"? Am I being overly literal in the interpretation of the headline? He conducted a surprise visit of Iraq, that's about all I can see. I guess the old police adage is true right up to the highest echelons of power, criminals always return to the scene of the crime

drfunk

posted on Dec, 19 2005 @ 07:57 AM

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what could of been a strong and supportive visit by the VP to Iraq and to show support for the troops was wasted on a Rovian 'public relations' offensive by the administration. The timing of Cheney's visit and Bush's address is obviously connected and personally it sickened me that his intentions for visiting the country were more to do with politics and greatly orchestrated propaganda offensives than seeing and talking to the troops and to iraqi officials.

drfunk

jsobecky

posted on Dec, 19 2005 @ 09:10 AM

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Originally posted by subz
How has Cheney taken "Iraq by surprise"?

You'll have to ask the ultra-lib New York Times how he did it - they were the ones who printed it.

I guess the old police adage is true right up to the highest echelons of power, criminals always return to the scene of the crime

Not yet - Annan, Chirac, Putin, and Schroeder haven't come back yet. Of course, since they will not be permitted to loot the Iraqi people again, there really is no reason for them to return, and about 25 million reasons not to.

Britguy

posted on Dec, 19 2005 @ 09:53 AM

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Was there a motorcade and an opportunity to stop and press the flesh of a few locals? Or, was he whisked from the airport to the green zone to make a speech then whisked off again before anyone outside the zone knew he was there?

Raideur

posted on Dec, 19 2005 @ 11:35 AM

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Lets try to be civil and stay on topic.

Im sure they did this by surprize because of the security and fanatical determination of suicide bombers. Thus he could do his job and visit Iraq without the fear of a planned stay. I do hope that him, Bush, and others visit Iraq enough to meet with their newly elected parliment to coordinate various efforts to rebuild the country.