Bush Makes Secret Thanksgiving Trip to Iraq to Rally Troops

Whew, I was starting to think I was the only persont hat supported Bush on this board. Wouldve made for some interesting debates.
Anyways, like I said earlier in the post, it makes me proud to have a president that will risk his life to see the soldiers that risk their lifes for us.



Drudge Report
"The President left Waco secretly Wednesday at 8:25 p.m. Eastern (7:25 p.m. Texan) with a small pool, stopped at Andrews to pick up a few staff and a few more poolers, change planes and then head to Baghad. Both flights were what we think of as the normal Air Force One, Boeing 747 with the normal marking. The President landed in darkness at Baghdad International Airport at 9:31 a.m. Washington time (5:32 p.m. local) on Thursday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day. He took off at 12:03 p.m. Eastern time, so was in Baghdad roughly 2.5 hours.

Following are quotes from three random soldiers:

Private Stephen Henderson, 19, of Inglewood, Calif., an Army infantryman, part of 1st Armored Division, 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry (136 Spartans), Task Force 137 ? has been in Iraq 1.5 week and expects to be here five or six more month.

"I've never been so surprised. I had no idea ? not a clue. I feel uplifted. I almost forgot I was even here."

Xxx

PFC Mark Hansen, 29, of Hillsborough, N.J., an Army field artillery surveyor (sorry no unit ?my bad), re the President, "I never thought he would be here. I'm proud to have him as the commander-in-chief. You can't beat it." Re Iraq: "It's frightening. Once you here the first shot, your adrenaline is pumping and you're in the game."

Xxx

Staff Sgt. Gerrie (cq) Stokes Holloman, 34, of Baltimore, who is stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, with the 1st Armored Division, 141 Signal Battalion, a multichannel communications specialist?her sons, Andrew, 10, and Marcus, 6, and husband Michael Holloman are back in Germany. She left them 45 days ago and expects to be here until April. "I think it's great. It shows that he cares about us and is thinking about us. It's not easy being here. Every day you're over here, you feel depressed anyway. But it's especially hard on a holiday and this is the kickoff of the holidays. For the most part people are tired, and want to go home. But the support and encouragement we get from our leadership builds a bond with our soldiers."

"The first conversation about this trip took place approximately five or six weeks ago ? the concept of visiting the troops during the holidays. The President instructed him to do some diligence on the logistics of this."

I see only three possible options:

1) Look-a-like
2) Studio setup
3) Another base

The chance that Bush, himself, would travel to Iraq: Zero.

Reporters sworn to secrecy?
No video of AF1 landing?

I'm with ECK. If this was a true photo-op, Rove style, we'd see more pictures than what we're being fed.

Wag the dog. n/t

Originally posted by kukla
I see only three possible options:

1) Look-a-like
2) Studio setup
3) Another base

The chance that Bush, himself, would travel to Iraq: Zero.

Reporters sworn to secrecy?
No video of AF1 landing?

I'm with ECK. If this was a true photo-op, Rove style, we'd see more pictures than what we're being fed.

Wag the dog. n/t

You know, everything isnt a conspiracy. I really don't know how to persuade someone with views that "to me" seem so far fetched. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but come on, what do you believe?

Originally posted by Dreamz


You know, everything isnt a conspiracy. I really don't know how to persuade someone with views that "to me" seem so far fetched. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but come on, what do you believe?

Hmm.. lets see Hillary runs off to Afghanistan then to make her way to Iraq...

You really think this stunt, real or not, would be taking place if Hillary hadn't made the first move? Now its a bandwagon, with Dean saying he's going to Iraq. Next, Democratic debates live from Baghdad...

What do I really believe? Doesn't matter if he was there or not...he's going to get the press anyways.

And yes I'm entitled to the opinion that it was staged.

I thought that most of the people on this board would be smart enough to avoid falling for partisan politics. I guess I was wrong. If you think this is democrats vs republicans, then maybe you should post on rush limbaugh forums or democraticundeground...

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by Helioform]

Originally posted by Helioform
I thought that most of the people on this board would be smart enough to avoid falling for partisan politics. I guess I was wrong. If you think this is democrats vs republicans, then maybe you should post on rush limbaugh forums or democraticundeground...

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by Helioform]

Politics is inherently partisan.

How can Bush's visit be anything BUT a partisan move? Its an election year, every move is a political move.

Originally posted by kukla

Originally posted by Helioform
I thought that most of the people on this board would be smart enough to avoid falling for partisan politics. I guess I was wrong. If you think this is democrats vs republicans, then maybe you should post on rush limbaugh forums or democraticundeground...

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by Helioform]

Politics is inherently partisan.

How can Bush's visit be anything BUT a partisan move? Its an election year, every move is a political move.

I respectfully disagree. Some people have compassion for the troops that give their lifes to protect our freedom.

I think both, he cares for the troops and it's good for Bush politically. Why can't it be both? It was a good idea. Won't get him my vote but it's nice to see him finally giving the troops their props. I mean, for the last six months he hasn't done anything. They wouldn't even let the media film the stories and funerals of the soldiers. But, he finally visited with some families and he's letting the media cover their stories. Now, this surpise trip on Thanksgiving. It's a good thing for the troops and their families and the country.

I think the people are wise enough to vote the issues and not the images.

Originally posted by Dreamz

Originally posted by kukla

Originally posted by Helioform

I respectfully disagree. Some people have compassion for the troops that give their lifes to protect our freedom.

I'm getting all teary-eyed reading all the posts about how great and awesome Bush is. not. It doesn't matter if he was there or not. Look at his record slashing soldiers/veterans funds and benefits. That's where he supports the troops or not. According to the record, he might as well be that guy Hillary is married to. And we all know how the military felt/feels about him. For the record, I have plenty of compassion for the troops. To question that is beyond absurd. I strenuously objected to the war because unlike many, many good intentioned Americans, I refused to believe the lies. True, they are there now and we are beyond the war argument. I support the troops completely.

By the way Dreamz, on Thanksgiving day 1990, I was serving in Operation Desert Storm. Where were you?

Dreamz: Some people have compassion for the troops that give their lifes to protect our freedom.

I think I earned the right to give my opinion, so you can save the drivel for someone who was born yesterday.

You know, some of you are such boneheads, such little negative minded little brainless trolls waiting to say something bad about the President that you really aren't even troubling with.

Not only was such a visit a morale-booster for the troops, but was also a demotivator for the enemy. The political value was very little, but all the other values were very high.

You know, some of you maggots are so stupidly biased, if he came out and proved that he had just found the cure for cancer, you'd be saying he did it just so his drug-company pals could make money off the pill!

Sorry if I'm not all weepy-eyed and pissing my pants because of Dubya's little secret foray to Iraq. I can't help but be nostalgic for the good ol' days when the president - Bush the first - was man enough to show up for dinner in broad daylight with a much larger number of us. But then again, he wasn't quite as hated by the world at large. Sniff, sniff.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
You know, some of you are such boneheads, such little negative minded little brainless trolls waiting to say something bad about the President that you really aren't even troubling with.

Not only was such a visit a morale-booster for the troops, but was also a demotivator for the enemy. The political value was very little, but all the other values were very high.

You know, some of you maggots are so stupidly biased, if he came out and proved that he had just found the cure for cancer, you'd be saying he did it just so his drug-company pals could make money off the pill!

And maybe you could keep the Mudpit Venom in the Mudpit, oh semi Super Moderator!?!

And here I was going to share My Famous Jack Daniels Pecan & Hazelnut Pie! NONE FOR YOU!

Look, if he was there or not, it's just further evidence that he's a poll-driven-photoOp-mediawhore.

Conviction? Morals? Love for the Military?
Where were all of these values before - because they sure as hell not have appeared in the actions revoloving around anyo of it?

And, for those still living in reality:

Think about the OPERATION:SCRUB THE PERIMETER that must have prepared for this "secret trip"?
I doubt that any folks were anywhere near the airport within shoulder launcher range. And those are the 'pro-US' folks being moved.

All the cluster# policy by this Idiots Handlers that have lead us to this sorry state is washed away by a Turkey PhotoOp? You Brownshirts are so "GUL--LA--BEL".....how's the weather in Weimar this time of year?

Face it: this was another AirCraft Carrier landing without the costume.

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by Bout Time]

BT, what then was Hillary doing? Now, give me some of that Jack Daniels Pecan & Hazelnut Pie!

I am happy that Bush went and it was a good thing that he did.

Some of the people there would have appreciated the obviously well needed support.

What can I say about the countless backstabbers being produced in the west now in the school system.

They are taught by the socialistic globalistic educators in unions to hate their country. They are the cannon fodder for the socialists takeover attempts of the democratic and capitalistic countries. These spoiled punks with all their comforts and wealth fight to ensure that socialism takes over their country with nary an idea of what they are doing. Talk about stupid.

Originally posted by THENEO
What can I say about the countless backstabbers being produced in the west now in the school system.

They are taught by the socialistic globalistic educators in unions to hate their country. They are the cannon fodder for the socialists takeover attempts of the democratic and capitalistic countries. These spoiled punks with all their comforts and wealth fight to ensure that socialism takes over their country with nary an idea of what they are doing. Talk about stupid.

How rich. A kid that sounds constantly like he's all of 16 yrs. old - maybe - TRYING to comment on issues he truly has no understanding of. Go join the military when you grow up NEO, then you MIGHT know what you're talking about.

ECK,
Once again I have to question your supposed military history. You say that you were serving in Desert Storm on Thanksgiving day in 1990...
Desert storm did not officially begin until Jan. 16 1991. The threat of force was not made until one week after Thanksgiving.
As a matter of fact I believe Bush Sr. visited with troops that Thanksgiving.
I remembered because I had Thanksgiving dinner in a Chinese place in Paris that day. I would not have been traveling during a war.

Are you sure you have your dates right? Just out of curiosity, what unit did you serve with?

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by Fry2]

Originally posted by Fry2
ECK,
Once again I have to question your supposed military history. You say that you were serving in Desert Storm on Thanksgiving day in 1990...
Desert storm did not officially begin until Jan. 16 1991. The threat of force was not made until one week after Thanksgiving.
As a matter of fact I believe Bush Sr. visited with troops that Thanksgiving.
I remembered because I had Thanksgiving dinner in a Chinese place in Paris that day. I would not have been traveling during a war.

Are you sure you have your dates right? Just out of curiosity, what unit did you serve with?

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by Fry2]

Yes, I was in Saudi Arabia in November 1990 - which was OPERATION DESER SHIELD. I was stationed at KING FAHD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT with the 101st AVIATION BRIGADE.
OPERATION DESERT STORM commenced in January 1991.
What else would you like to know?

Originally posted by energy_wave
If all this terrorist web chat and talk of an attack durring this Thanksgiving was just a load of CRAP to throw everyone off track, just so Bush could make this trip which by the way, was a careless and dangerous thing to do.

What would have happened if this trip hadn't worked out?

Just shows how deceptive this administration can be to stage an event of this magnatude.

[Edited on 27-11-2003 by energy_wave]

excellent view point

Bottom line isGWB is coming and going where he wants when he wants while Osama and Saddam are hiding like MICE in caves...

THAT'S the point. T.C. tried to spell this out for you people but obviously when you swim in the swill of sickened simplistic sewage it's difficult to grasp, I understand...

The troops KNOW he gives a # about them, READ the interviews from Drudge's site.

Politically it helped him a little, not nearly as much as it helped our EFFORTS, which, beleive it or not is GWB's top priority.

So, East Coast Kid, you were in Desert Storm BEFORE desert storm started huh? AMAZING! I too would like to know what unit you are/were in.

All this balderdash about Hillary is pitiful too. Talk about a woman who is going to MAKE SURE GWB gets re-elected! Unless she comes out and runs in 2004 (which it is too late for now) she CAN NOT ALLOW a democrat to win the whitehouse.

SHE was hoping to build some equity for 2008 is the ONLY reason SHE was anywhere. Talk about a woman who HATES the soldier! She had battle commendated Officers tending bar at the whitehouse like manservants!

P...
m...

I'd be more than glad to school you people on the difference between OPERATION DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, since you obviously don't have a clue.

OPERATION DESERT SHIELD - AUGUST 1990-JAN., 1991
This was the buildup, people.

OPERATION DESERT STORM - JAN - MARCH, 1991
This was the WAR.

Good grief, where have you been? Maybe you were busy being breast-fed back then.

Ok, for all you folks who need to know what UNIT I was in, let me ease your minds..

6 BN, 101st Aviation Regiment,
Ft. Campell, KY
KFIA, Sept. 19, 1990-Jan. '91
Iraq, Jan.March, '91
KFIA, April, '91
Home April 6, 1991

Are we clear?