Obama makes surprise visit to Iraq.
By on Apr 7th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Obama makes surprise visit to Iraq.
President Obama today made an unannounced stop in Baghdad, after spending the past two days in Turkey. The visit marks his third to Iraq, and his first since taking office. CNN reports that although there was considerable speculation that Obama might stop in Iraq, details of the President’s plans weren’t released ahead of time. Watch it:
Obama’s visit comes a month after he announced that that U.S. troops would withdraw from Iraq by 2010. Iraqi leaders welcomed this development, saying that Obama’s plan was “responsible and realistic.” In contrast, President Bush’s final visit to Iraq was marked by an Iraqi journalist throwing a shoe at him.
Update CNN reports that Iraq's federal appeals court has reduced the sentence for Muntader al-Zaidi, the man who threw his shoes at Bush. Zaidi will now serve one year instead of three.
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Any bets as to how many shoes the current president gets thrown at him?
April 7th, 2009 at 10:21 ammisscoleopteramolly says:
A. zip, zero, zilch.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:23 amdetails of the President’s plans weren’t released ahead of time.
It’s good to know that there is still someone that’s allowed to keep a secret.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:27 amdetails of the President’s plans weren’t released ahead of time.
– - And that should have always been the metric by how we measure our progress in Iraq. It’ll be a secure place when we have the confidence to announce presidential visits in advance.
Although if piss-and-vinegar McCain had won I’m sure he’d just hang his balls out there and scream that he was coming. Lindsey Graham would accompany him for the great deals on rugs.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:32 amDr. Moth Matt Says
April 7th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Reich-wing MSM screeching this is “a lame PR stunt” in 5…4…3…2…1…..
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Oh, and you KNOW they will. Obama can’t get a break either as President or as a candidate — either he visits Iraq too much or not enough.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:35 amThroughout the Bush administration, we heard how well things were going in Iraq. Now, Obama makes an “unannounced visit”. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…. I’ll believe that things are so much better when they start announcing their visits.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:37 amDoes this mean Obama hates his country because he delayed coming home?
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
April 7th, 2009 at 10:40 amFox News is going to have a field day with this trip. I’m kinda of glad he went. Obama is doing what Bush should have done all along that is building new alliances for America rather than be a bully to the World. So he made a surprise trip to Iraq I bet he goes to Afghan next. Obama is displaying leadership as well as being a diplomat ensuring that America remains competitive in the World which is something Bush lacked because of Cheney, I’m sure.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:45 amFox News is gonna claim he’s following the “code” to surrender to Al-Qaeda or something similar.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:54 amThe haters and right wingnuts can all suck it!
I just hope my husband who is deployed to Iraq gets a chance to see our noble President.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:54 amAs long as he’s not carrying a plastic turkey…
April 7th, 2009 at 11:02 amI’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…. I’ll believe that things are so much better when they start announcing their visits.
Kirby Says:
I agree, Kirb., and if anyone believes that we’ll have less than 120,000 troops there come 2012 (not including mercenary contractors), well, I’ve got some Green Zone that I’d like to sell ‘em.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:16 amI don’t blame Obama, it’s just another campaign promise that he won’t be able to keep.
#
arbereshe Says:
I just hope my husband who is deployed to Iraq gets a chance to see our noble President.
Good luck with that, but just like when Bush was President, Obama will be well out of Iraq before most soldiers know that he was even there.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:24 amAIO grasshopper Says:
#
Good luck with that, but just like when Bush was President, Obama will be well out of Iraq before most soldiers know that he was even there.
That’s not true. My husband knows the Pres. is there and would like to see him but is unable to leave work at the moment.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:37 amI said it when Bush visited Iraq and I’ll say it about Obama. I don’t think we can truly declare that the country has been stabilized until the American President can go for an official pre-announced state visit in the country.
I’m not sure what purpose these surprise visits really serve. It doesn’t seem like the security needs of the President would allow him to get much of a feel for the actual situation in Iraq outside of the heavily fortified embassy and air bases. I suppose speaking face to face with the President in Iraq feels a bit different than speaking face to face after being summoned to the White House or by video conference.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:57 ami see I’m repeating somebody else’s I’ve said it before line. That’s what I get for not reading the other messages before commenting. They said it before and I’ll say it again. Or something.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:59 amabereshe; With all due respect, by the time that you wrote your first comment at 10:54 am/et, the President was long gone from Iraq.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:05 pmFor security and propaganda purposes the Pentagon delay all pictures and video, but they try to make it look like the images are current.
Some heads are going to explode today at Fake News Network! I’m guessing Insanity Hannity and Bedlam Beck will be trying to rally their reichwingnutcrazies for mass hysteria! I wonder what they will call Obama next since they’ve already used socialist, fascist and dictator?
April 7th, 2009 at 12:09 pmAmong other things, Obama will participate in the awarding of 10 medals of valor while in Baghdad.
How long does it take to meet with the troops, meet with al-Maliki & Talibani, and give out 10 medals of valor?
Him meeting Maliki and Talibani face-to-face can’t hurt. I’m glad he chose Iraq over Afghanistan to visit this time.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:14 pmAIO grasshopper Says:
abereshe; With all due respect, by the time that you wrote your first comment at 10:54 am/et, the President was long gone from Iraq.
For security and propaganda purposes the Pentagon delay all pictures and video, but they try to make it look like the images are current.
I’ve been in constant email contact with my husband for the past 2 hours and he has kept me updated as much as he safely can. The Pres. finished his speech and is still there. My husband is not some Army grunt….he is privy to what is going on there now on the ground.
I know you want to believe what you think however I do have someone I love there on the ground telling me what he is seeing and hearing.
I do not like the implication that I don’t know what the hell I am talking about.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:22 pmyeah, too bad Valerie Plame didn’t have that same kind of respect for secrecy around her job!
April 7th, 2009 at 12:33 pmI just saw a clip on CNN and it looks like he’s still there. They were talking about who he was going to meet with as though it still hadn’t happened yet. As in, he’ll be there for a little while anyway.
They showed him shaking hands with a lot of what appeared to be what some might call ‘grunts’ as well. Everyone seemed happy to see him.
arbereshe- you go girl! I’m glad that you’re able to be in such contact with the someone “you love”. I’m glad you can email each other like that. That must help a bit.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:40 pmabereshe:
It’s a known fact that they don’t announce these visits to a war zone until after the President is gone.
If you’re in such constant communication with your husband, then why did your lament go from “I hope that he can see the President” to “O darn, he has to be working”.
I call baloney, if your husband were really there, chances are that Obama was long gone before he (or any insurgent) found out that he (Obama) was there.
¶ AIO
April 7th, 2009 at 12:44 pmmary lacewing Says:
I just saw a clip on CNN and it looks like he’s still there.
Oh please, IT’S ALL CHOREOGRAPHED BY THE PENTAGON.
Don’t be deceived, it all happened hours ago, and CNN and MSNBC know it full well.
Tell me Mary, the images that you saw…WASN’T THE SUN STILL SHINING IN BAGHDAD?
¶ AIO
April 7th, 2009 at 12:51 pmaio – the clip I saw was taken inside a building crowded with soldiers all reaching for their chance to shake Obama’s hand. I couldn’t see if it was day or night.
I heard more recently that when he spoke to them and said something about it being time for them to leave Iraq they cheered.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:26 pmIs corporate media covering Iraq at all? I imagine most of the troops were pretty excited about the visit, and glad to be acknowledged.
April 7th, 2009 at 5:35 pmOK Pat obviously senile dementia has set in. Time to see the nice young men that will need to take care of you soon.burun estetigi rent a car arac kiralama
April 18th, 2009 at 5:57 amsac ekimi
Bush had strong support from the military so I hope Obama is able to get the same respect from out troops.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:28 am