Where was GW having Turkey today?

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May God protect and bless him, the troops and innocent civilian life.


DB9
 
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:rolleyes: I'm sure Bush made no political gains out of today, right Diamond?

You can't condemn one politician for using a photo op for political advantage while saying it's acceptable for another.
 
FizzingWhizzbees said:


You can't condemn one politician for using a photo op for political advantage while saying it's acceptable for another.

One is the Commander of the Armed Forces of the United States; The other is not. One is in the direct chain of command; The other is not.

It is totally acceptable for the President as a moral boost to the troops to do what he did today! If I were still in the army today I would be proud to be serving under this man based on his actions today.

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Why is it everything he does is considered a photo op. The speech was excellent and a wonderful meassage to the troops. I just listened to it. Why in the world can't he be given a shred of credit for something good for once?
 
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I think it was very honorable for him to be there. He didn't have to risk his life on Thanksgiving to fly to Iraq and visit troops, but he did. This shows the character of this president. Good for him.

And I'm sure all the liberals will be upset by the visit but when history looks back, what will be remembered, the complaining liberals or President Bush visiting the troops on Thanksgiving Day in Iraq?
 
Quite frankly I don't mind that either one of them were there. Of course it's a photo-op. Of course Bush is Commander-in-Chief. Of course Hillary is a former first lady and current U.S. Senator. I don't see any of it as an earth-shaking event. If bin Laden had been busted or something it would have been more important.
 
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Good for him. But he shouldn't get any praise for this move. This is the very least he should do. Especially given the way this administration has abused these troops.
 
verte76 said:
Quite frankly I don't mind that either one of them were there. Of course it's a photo-op. Of course Bush is Commander-in-Chief. and current U.S. Senator. I don't see any of it as an earth-shaking event. If bin Laden had been busted or something it would have been more important.

Of course Hillary is a former first lady

When did former 1st ladies start visiting troops abroad during war-time? :scratch:

DB9
 
It was great to see the reaction of the troops when Bremer asked if there was anyone more senior in the room to give the Thanksgiving Day address, and suddenly Bush walked on stage. I hope liberals were watching and are aware of the strong support this President has among the men and women of the military.

Deep,

"this is typical of him to play dress up soldier in a safe enviroment."

So you admit that Iraq is becoming safer do to the efforts of lead by this administration?
 
"But he shouldn't get any praise for this move. This is the very least he should do. Especially given the way this administration has abused these troops."

Did you see the reaction of the troops as Bush walked on stage by surprise? No, that did not snap to attention or give a formal greeting, they gave Bush something that only comes from the heart.

These troops certainly did not feel they had been neglected or abused by this President. Their response to those that would cut their funding, coming primarily from Democrats, would certainly be different.
 
diamond said:


Of course Hillary is a former first lady

When did former 1st ladies start visiting troops abroad during war-time? :scratch:

DB9

I believe Senators met troops in Vietnam. I could be wrong. I see nothing wrong with a Senator, especially a high profile Senator visiting those troops. What the troops themselves might want to think about it is a different matter. That's their business.
 
:sigh: Why do some people have to turn this into the same old partisan arguments?

I'd just like to say that my heart is with all the men and women who are serving there, and if this visit, or ANYONE'S visit, can help them in any way, shape, or form, then I am 100 PERCENT for it. God bless them all today and every day, and I salute them :)

I don't want to let cynicism creep in..there is enough of that in this world. Sure, there might be some political gain or motivation behind this, but my heart wants to believe that it was purely for good reasons. I was truly touched by it. If you want to think he was faking or manufacturing this, that's your right. And all this from a Democrat who isn't exactly a fan of GWB :wink:

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[Q]Bush appearance stuns troops gathered at airport for Thanksgiving BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov 27, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- It was the biggest of holiday surprises.

The troops were getting ornery, 300 of them sitting for over an hour, waiting - for no good reason, it seemed - to get in the chow line at the Bob Hope Dining Hall at Baghdad International Airport and get their turkey dinners.

Finally, a visibly nervous U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer III strode to the podium with Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. military commander in Iraq.

The two dispensed a few quick words. Bremer then turned to Sanchez and said he had a Thanksgiving message from U.S. President George W. Bush. Bremer said the most "senior" U.S. official among them should be the one to read it.

Turning toward the stage backdrop, Bremer asked: "Is there anyone back there who's more senior than us?"

Bremer's hands, cradling the president's speech, quavered.

At that moment, Bush strode forth from the wings in an Army track suit emblazoned with a 1st Armored Division patch. The bored crowd shot immediately from their seats and whooped. As he surveyed the crowd, a tear dripped to the president's cheek.

"I was just looking for a warm meal somewhere," Bush said, to another whoop. "Thanks for inviting me to dinner."

After his speech, Bush waded into the crowd, shaking hands, dispensing hugs and posing for photos.

A towering Army master sergeant, Michael Johnson of Turlock, California, thrust his hand at the president.

"Johnson!" Bush declared as his hand was enveloped by the sergeant's. "I'm glad we're on the same side."

Afterward, Johnson, 40, cut a fairly blase pose.

"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."

Bush served mashed potatoes in the chow line for 10 minutes and then said he had to leave. He ducked into a meeting with National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, Bremer, Sanchez and four members of the Iraqi Governing Council. Then he was off.

Soldiers said they were impressed to see the commander in chief, the world's most powerful man, flying into Baghdad just days after a cargo plane was struck by a shoulder-fired missile.

"It was a shock," said Pvt. Jason Strickland of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"It was a display of confidence in our ability to protect not just us, but him," said Pfc. Telo Monahan, 20, of Woodinville, Washington. "It was just three or four days after that DHL plane got hit."

Others said they'd been given a heartfelt boost after struggling with a difficult occupation.

"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."

Bremer said he'd known the visit was planned for quite a while. Few others shared the knowledge, not even some top officials on his staff.

"The surprise was terrific," Bremer said, beaming. "Operational security was great. It was quite an operation. We've been working on it for months."

By JIM KRANE Associated Press Writer


Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
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MrsSpringsteen said:
:sigh: Why do some people have to turn this into the same old partisan arguments?

I'd just like to say that my heart is with all the men and women who are serving there, and if this visit, or ANYONE'S visit, can help them in any way, shape, or form, then I am 100 PERCENT for it. God bless them all today and every day, and I salute them :)

I don't want to let cynicism creep in..there is enough of that in this world. Sure, there might be some political gain or motivation behind this, but my heart wants to believe that it was purely for good reasons. I was truly touched by it. If you want to think he was faking or manufacturing this, that's your right. And all this from a Democrat who isn't exactly a fan of GWB :wink:

Nice post. Like I said I really don't mind that either one of them were there. It doesn't have to be construed as politics, especially when you consider that this was done very low-profile with no press in tow or whatever.
 
[Q]Bush Iraq text
Associated Press

A text of President Bush's remarks Thursday to U.S. troops in Baghdad, as provided by the White House:

Thank you. I was just looking for a warm meal somewhere. Thank you for inviting me to dinner. General Sanchez, thank you, sir, for your kind invitation and your strong leadership. Ambassador Bremer, thank you for your steadfast belief in freedom and peace. I want to thank the members of the Governing Council who are here, pleased you are joining us on our nation's great holiday, it's a chance to give thanks to the Almighty for the many blessings we receive.

I'm particularly proud to be with the 1st Armored Division, the 2nd ACR, the 82nd Airborne. I can't think of a finer group of folks to have Thanksgiving dinner with than you all. We're proud of you. Today, Americans are gathering with their loved ones to give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. And this year we are especially thankful for the courage and the sacrifice of those who defend us, the men and women of the United States military.

I bring a message on behalf of America: We thank you for your service, we're proud of you, and America stands solidly behind you. Together, you and I have taken an oath to defend our country. You're honoring that oath. The United States military is doing a fantastic job. You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq, so that we don't have to face them in our own country. You're defeating Saddam's henchmen, so that the people of Iraq can live in peace and freedom.

By helping the Iraqi people become free, you're helping change a troubled and violent part of the world. By helping to build a peaceful and democratic country in the heart of the Middle East, you are defending the American people from danger and we are grateful.

You're engaged in a difficult mission. Those who attack our coalition forces and kill innocent Iraqis are testing our will. They hope we will run. We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost in casualties, defeat a brutal dictator and liberate 25 million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins.

We will prevail. We will win because our cause is just. We will win because we will stay on the offensive. And we will win because you're part of the finest military ever assembled. And we will prevail because the Iraqis want their freedom.

Every day you see firsthand the commitment to sacrifice that the Iraqi people are making to secure their own freedom. I have a message for the Iraqi people: You have an opportunity to seize the moment and rebuild your great country, based on human dignity and freedom. The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever.

The United States and our coalition will help you, help you build a peaceful country so that your children can have a bright future. We'll help you find and bring to justice the people who terrorized you for years and are still killing innocent Iraqis. We will stay until the job is done. I'm confident we will succeed, because you, the Iraqi people, will show the world that you're not only courageous, but that you can govern yourself wisely and justly.

On this Thanksgiving, our nation remembers the men and women of our military, your friends and comrades who paid the ultimate price for our security and freedom. We ask for God's blessings on their families, their loved ones and their friends, and we pray for your safety and your strength, as you continue to defend America and to spread freedom.

Each one of you has answered a great call, participating in an historic moment in world history. You live by a code of honor, of service to your nation, with the safety and the security of your fellow citizens. Our military is full of the finest people on the face of the earth. I'm proud to be your commander in chief. I bring greetings from America. May God bless you all.
[/Q]
 
STING2 said:


These troops certainly did not feel they had been neglected or abused by this President. Their response to those that would cut their funding, coming primarily from Democrats, would certainly be different.

Tell that to the reservists who thought they'd be there only a few months. Tell that to the former POWs who aren't getting their fair compensations.
 
I STRONGLY disagree that Hillary is in Afghanistan or heading into Iraq for any reason other than for political gain. She has been critical of the administration's handling of the war in Afghanistan and in Iraq. She was traveling on a FACT finding mission to make her case against the Bush administration, not to boost the moral of the troops. Its a little different.

Now I do agree, that as a soldier I could have cared less which party a politician was from if they were truly working for the interests of the soldiers. As someone who has been watching Hillary prepare for this trip, and was aware of the reasons she was making the trip, I do not find her to be interested in the cause of the American soldier.

Just my 2 cents.

Peace
 
"You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq, so that we don't have to face them in our own country."

meaning "actually we weren?t able to find the nuclear weapons our secret servies told us about. anyway now that we?re here we?ll stay in order to secure our military presence in this region, if it bangs a few times, that?s part of the game. the money our taxpayers spend in order to keep our defense industry running, the money our taxpayers spend in order to pay your presence here, when some of you would prefer to sit at a table with your family in texas, those billions of $ in good hands... don?t ask me who makes a profit."

*yawn
 
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