I think I've become tainted

[canman]

I just read this article and immediately thought what a perfect photo op for the president. Perhaps he was being genuine and really wanted to visit the troops, but for some reason I just didn't see it that way.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031128/ap_on_re_mi_ea/bush_iraq&cid=540&ncid=716

[Big Booger]

It's easy to say he did it for the "photo Op" and much harder to accept that he did it out of a genuine care for the troops.

I think he did it for both, and to boost morale. It certainly will paint him in a more positive light with the American public.. that is for sure. ANd there is an election coming up oh.. next year..

I wonder when Bony Tony and Coochie Koizumi are going to head to IRaq?

[cstaylor]

Yeah, you're tainted. Protection or not, he did put himself in danger, far more than you or me. He could just have easily flown to the base in Qatar or someplace else that's a lot more safe (like Clinton's trip to Macedonia during the war in Kosovo).

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

My eyes My eyes How can I stop myself from tearing our my eyes

Picture #1 It seems he is good friends with the token family. He just happened to meet up with token black guy #1 and double token black gurl #2. Looks like there may be some token medals handed out in the future.

Picture #2 Where is his dinner plate? I wonder if they are having Freedom jambon et pommes de terre.

Sorry I am feeling teh cynical today (asskissinger this has a teh geek joke included)

[AssKissinger]

asskissinger this has a teh geek joke included

Pardon?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Stop you are making me teh giggle

[omae mona]

Yeah, you're tainted. Protection or not, he did put himself in danger, far more than you or me.

And it's a good thing for the President to put himself in personal danger because.... ?


Literally a handful of soldiers even knew he was there. I think there would be more of a morale boost if, say, soldiers were home for Thanksgiving or maybe not getting killed.

Karl Rove is a genius, however.

[omae mona]

AP managed to sneak an article past the White House Department of Information..

Bush appearance stuns troops gathered at airport for Thanksgiving
AP Worldstream via COMTEX

"After 13 months in theater, my morale had kind of sputtered," said Capt. Mark St. Laurent, 36, of Leesburg, Virginia. "Now I'm good for another two months."

But other soldiers grew angry that their departure from the airport was delayed for an hour, while they waited for Air Force One to depart. Finding the door barred, about 50 troops got into a shouting match with the soldier blocking their exit. The streets of Baghdad were too dangerous to delay their departure any longer, they shouted.

"Do you have any idea how many IEDs are on this road?" one soldier shouted, referring to improvised explosive devices or roadside bombs. "I have to get back to my base. I don't want to lose a soldier because the president wants us to sit here."

BB is spot on when he says "It certainly will paint him in a more positive light with the American public". That's all that matters!

[Robato]

omae mona
I dont think its fair to quote 1 soldier making that complain and pointing out that out of 300, 50 were upset they couldnt leave for an hour.

250 had raised spirits accourding to that news report you posted.

"It was a pleasant surprise, actually," he said. "They had us waiting so long I started to get (mad). But it's not so often you get to meet a president."

I think there are better means for the president to get re-elected other than putting himself at the front lines to eat turkey.

Things like this
http://www.msnbc.com/news/986926.asp

[Caustic Saint]

omae mona
I dont think its fair to quote 1 soldier making that complain and pointing out that out of 300, 50 were upset they couldnt leave for an hour.

250 had raised spirits accourding to that news report you posted.

50 got into a shouting match. I'm sure more than those 50 were upset. I can tell you from experience that junior enlisted soldiers very rarely get into shouting matching with those who outrank them.

Raised spirits can vanish pretty quickly when you realise the person responsible for raising them has also created a situation (the one-hour delay) that can put you in danger.

[GuyJean]

I have mixed feelings about the visit, but I really think it was good for the troops. Especially since their mission has shifted from protecting the US from WMD to liberating the Iraqi people (Which would you rather fight for?). All the while, Bush is pearched in The Haliburton House, egging terrorists to 'bring it on' in Iraq.. And they have been. The troops needed the surprise visit..

I think there are better means for the president to get re-elected other than putting himself at the front lines to eat turkey.
Things like this
http://www.msnbc.com/news/986926.asp

I'm no economist, but I'd be willing to bet the GDP is dictated, in large part these days, by military spending and the tax cut. Timing is everything in politics. Talk to me in 6 months.

GJ

[Robato]

Raised spirits can vanish pretty quickly when you realise the person responsible for raising them has also created a situation (the one-hour delay) that can put you in danger.

yeah it could be...I wasnt there. Or it could be one paranoid nut who said that for the news reporter to hear. Maybe the guy was pissed cause he was planning on going and seeing some hookers that night and was going to miss out on his bj because of curfew. Who knows? It was one quote.

There were 3 quotes praising him. Im not saying you are wrong, just that neither of us were there and its all speculation now matter how you cut it.

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

[Nagged]

Yeah, you're tainted. Protection or not, he did put himself in danger, far more than you or me. He could just have easily flown to the base in Qatar or someplace else that's a lot more safe (like Clinton's trip to Macedonia during the war in Kosovo).

I'm not a big fan of Mr. Bush but I'd agree that he did a good thing here, PR or not.

He might be safe back home now, but at least he had the decency to visit the troops that he was responsible for sending there in the first place. Paying his respects was good, fixing things ASAP would be even better.

[Robato]

Its amazing how belligerent you get when someone doesn't share your opinion. Do you and bejita sleep together?

[devicenull]

this was the first decent thing he has done since being sworn into office. seriously, trying to spin this is just going to make you look like a liberal asshole. obviously it was done for the press, but it was a good gesture nonetheless. gg prez

[maruosan]

For one second I thought it was funny (Satan does listen to metal), then I thought about all the people that is getting kill..

[Video-Link Japan]

..obviously it was done for the press..

HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN: DETAILED REPORT OF BUSH'S SECRET TRIP
http://www.drudgereport.com/flashbb.htm

[jim katta]

He could just have easily flown to the base in Qatar or someplace else that's a lot more safe...

How do you really know he didn't?

White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett told the Press on Air Force One:
"It is absolutely critical that you do not open your windows. Particularly as we land and when we're on the ground, we want no light emanating from the plane. We will not be pulling up to a terminal ... We will be stopping at the end of the runway. It's just important that we move quickly, do not open up the windows to illuminate any light."

So basically, the reporters don't really know 'where' they were. They have to take Bush's word for it; and we know Bush is always good for his word, right? The only people who can confirm for sure that he was there in Iraq are these alleged "600" [how can this confirmed by an outside agency??] soldiers in Iraq. And, if history is any indication, it's pretty easy to round up a group of troops/special forces soldiers and give an order to these guys to tell the public that the President did in fact visit them in Iraq. Propaganda in the name of national security has over-stepped the truth many times in U.S. history.

Or, maybe you think I've been watching too much Wag The Dog...

Why doubt Bush? Well, nothing, and I mean nothing, in his history indicates that he would ever display such personal bravery. Nothing. Dude not only dodged the military with his dads help during the Vietnam War, but he even shirked duty in the National Guard. Please correct me and point something out if you know of something I'm missing.

[Nagged]

Just a follow-up...

Stars and Stripes, the Pentagon-authorized newspaper of the U.S. military, is bucking for a court-martial.

When last we checked in on Stripes, it was reporting on a survey it did of troops in Iraq, finding that half of those questioned described their units' moral as low and their training as insufficient and said they did not plan to reenlist.

With the Pentagon just recovering from that, Stars and Stripes is blowing the whistle on President Bush's Thanksgiving visit to Baghdad, saying the cheering soldiers who met him were pre-screened and others showing up for a turkey dinner were turned away.

[AssKissinger]

Nice link, thanks.

Wow if the president can't even get friendly press in Stars and Stripes for visiting troops in a hostile nation he really is in trouble.

[GuyJean]

half of those questioned described their units' moral as low and their training as insufficient and said they did not plan to reenlist.

The Carlyle group is losin' it, man.. Bush sanctions Syria while simultaneously sucking the well oiled cocks of brother Bin Laden and the Saudi Royal Pains in the Ass? .. I wish Bush were smart enough to realize his decisions appear foolish..

So when do we start bombing the Florida flight school that trained the terrorists actually responsible for 9/11?.. Doesn't brother Jeb run Florida?.. Hhhhhmm.. I'm seeing a pattern here..

GJ