Bush snubs Baghdad-goes to Anbar only. "Bush Makes War Assessment in Iraq"

[rodeodance]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/03/AR2007090300343.html?tid=informbox

Bush Makes War Assessment in Iraq

By DEB RIECHMANN and ROBERT BURNS
The Associated Press
Monday, September 3, 2007; 11:33 AM

AL-ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- President Bush and his national security team made a first-hand assessment of the war in Iraq and prospects for political reconciliation Monday before a showdown with Congress over the U.S. troop buildup.

The president secretly flew 12 hours to this dusty air base in a remote part of Anbar province, bypassing Baghdad in a symbolic expression of impatience with political paralysis in the nation's capital. The gesture underscored the U.S. belief that the spark for progress may come at the local level.


Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived ahead of Bush and conferred with senior U.S. officials, including Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, before a session with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, and other top Iraqi officials from Baghdad.

To a large degree, the setting was the message: Bringing al-Maliki, a Shiite, to the heart of mostly Sunni Anbar province was intended to show the administration's war critics that the beleaguered Iraqi leader is capable of reaching out to Sunnis, who ran the country for years under Saddam Hussein.

[AlCzervik]

1. 2 things--isn't Anbar the province where all the chickenhawks are proclaiming

great success? And 2, i bet Baghdad is too dangerous for him to fly into.

[rodeodance]

2. Bush's six-hour stay was being confined to Al-Asad Air Base,

"Morale?" asked Bush. "How's morale?"

"Very high sir," the pilot, Capt. Lee Hemming, said.

Bush's six-hour stay was being confined to Al-Asad Air Base, an airfield once part of Saddam Hussein's military.

National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said the trip was conceived about six weeks ago when top White House advisers began discussing Bush's role as Congress returns to Washington and debate over the war heats up. It was decided that progress in Anbar made it the perfect place to showcase the administration's strategy.

There has been a drop in violence in Anbar, where Sunni tribal leaders and former insurgents have teamed up with U.S. troops to hunt down al-Qaida and other extremists.

[rodeodance]

5. Anticipating criticism that Bush's trip was a media event to buttress support for his war strategy,

Anticipating criticism that Bush's trip was a media event to buttress support for his war strategy, the White House was ready to push back.

"There are some people who might try to deride this trip as a photo opportunity," White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. "We wholeheartedly disagree."

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. you KNOW he will put that in his speech.

every one of his oratory fiascos manages to have that "homey" touch, usually about 17 minutes into the talk, and almost halfway through his bullshit. They program one of those in. Each and every time. Gives him that "common touch".

Man, if the democrats were smart, they'd do a SNL version of his upcoming PR campaign for Iraq Funding. They could write it in advance, pretend to give it, then take it apart. But except for a few, the Democratic leadership has the spine of a jellyfish.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. one of the worst managing partners i had

was a female who's daddy started the firm. Arbitrary, capricious, lying and incoherent would be compliments. But, I can never forget how she pulled something on the first meeting she called as managing partner.

She demanded that we all be there on time, but managed to storm in 15 minutes late. She threw a book on the table, and said she now knows everything about running a firm. It was "15 Minute Manager". She told us that she scanned parts of it, and decided she knew more than the book, and couldn't be troubled by those pesky management details.

Her attitude reminds me so much of George the Wth, that it frightens me. Same arrogance, same smirk, the same PR, taking credit from others, while placing blame for her mistakes far away from her fingertips.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Gosh, I just wonder what his "assessment" will be ...

:eyes:

[rodeodance]

6. Here is a hint: "Morale?" asked Bush. "How's morale?"

"Morale?" asked Bush. "How's morale?"

"Very high sir," the pilot, Capt. Lee Hemming, said.

[rodeodance]

8. "There is no substitute for sitting down, looking him in the eye,

.....Anticipating criticism that Bush's trip was a media event to buttress support for his war strategy, the White House was ready to push back.

"There are some people who might try to deride this trip as a photo opportunity," White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. "We wholeheartedly disagree."


Hadley said Bush wanted to hear personally from commanders and from al-Maliki himself.

"There is no substitute for sitting down, looking him in the eye, and having a conversation with him," Hadley said. "The president felt this is something he had to do in order to put himself in a position to make some important decisions."

[rocktivity]

9. PUFF PIECE ALERT!

The president secretly flew 12 hours to this dusty air base in a remote part of Anbar province...
If the surge was working and Bush was making progress, the president wouldn't HAVE to fly secretly.

Baghdad (was bypassed) in a symbolic expression of impatience with political paralysis in the nation's capital...
He probably bypassed Baghdad because it's too dangerous for him to land there (a plane full of mostly Repub senators was recently shot at, remember?). And Bush's "impatience" with the Iraq government is due to their not handing him an oil revenue-gouging deal.

Bringing al-Maliki, a Shiite, to the heart of mostly Sunni Anbar province was intended to show the administration's war critics that the beleaguered Iraqi leader is capable of reaching out to Sunnis...
The very fact that al-Maliki HAD to be brought there contradicts that right on its face. More to the point, are the Sunnis reaching back?

Bush's six-hour stay was being confined to Al-Asad Air Base...
Another so-called sign of progress. He couldn't even go shopping in town like McCain did!

...the White House is working to keep Republican members of Congress in the president's fold to prevent Democrats from amassing the strength to slash war funds or mandate immediate troop withdrawals.
Which explains the media blitz we've been getting about how the Dems are going to meekly hand him an additional $50B and permission to invade Iran.

I would be able to make bigger donations to DU if I wasn't constantly buying new bullshit meters.

:nuke:
rocknation

[rodeodance]

10. There is NO love lost between Maliki and the Sunni---mostly genocide.

[lonestarnot]

13. WOOT! What you said!

:applause: I bought stock in those bullshit meters!

[rocktivity]

17. Oh, good! That means you can get them for me wholesale!

:bounce:
rocknation

[Poiuyt]

16. Great points!

[Jim__]

11. "...bypassing Baghdad in a symbolic expression of impatience ..."

No. Just normal chickenhawk avoiding all personal danger.

[UTUSN]

12. Ah, a photo op honeymoon for Shrub & Condo n/t

[Bitwit1234]

14. Leave it up to bush to pick the "cowardly" approach

remember...he's the guy who got daddy to find him a comfortable perch in the Guard and then when there was a chance he blew it and might go fight he disappeared for a whole year. AND NOTHING WAS DONE BUT HIS """VACATION""""erased....

[billybob537]

15. Bush to troops

The beatings will continue untill morale improves.:sarcasm: