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Bush Arrives in Iraq on Surprise Visit
American Forces Press Service ^ | Gerry Gilmore

Posted on 06/13/2006 4:00:19 PM PDT by SandRat

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2006 – President Bush arrived in Baghdad today on a surprise visit to new Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Bush had been meeting at Camp David, Md., with his national security team to discuss the way forward in Iraq. He was to have met with Maliki and other Iraqi leaders via teleconference today, but traveled to Baghdad in secret overnight.

He shook hands with a surprised looking Maliki in front of television cameras at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad this evening local time.

Speaking at Camp David yesterday evening, Bush said the United States is resolved to assist the new democratic Iraqi government, the performance of which will ultimately determine victory or defeat in Iraq.

"We all agree that we have got to continue to help this new government move forward," Bush told reporters after a day of meetings with senior advisers including Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace.

"Success in Iraq will depend upon the capacity of the new government to provide for its people. We recognize that," Bush said.

The senior-level meetings and Bush's surprise trip come on the heels of two major successes in Iraq. On June 7, the Iraqi government announced the long-awaited appointment of its defense and interior ministers and the country's head of national security, just a day after al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed near Baqubah during an attack by U.S. military aircraft.

Bush yesterday said he was encouraged by progress in the formation of the new Iraqi government, noting the United States recognizes its responsibility to help that new government.

Asked by reporters about Zarqawi's apparent successor, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, Bush replied: "I think the successor to Zarqawi is going to be on our list to bring to justice."

Reporters also quizzed the president on how the U.S. and the Iraqi government can defeat an insurgency that continues to conduct deadly attacks. Establishing democracy in Iraq, Bush said, is a difficult and dangerous endeavor that's worth the cost.

The insurgents "have no positive philosophy," the president said. "All they can do is kill and hope that the government splits up or that the American people lose their will."

The Iraqis can help themselves by establishing a strong, fair and capable new government, Bush said.

"The best way to win this war against an insurgency is to stand up a unity government which is capable of defending itself, but also providing tangible benefits to the people," Bush said. Iraq is a rich country, he said, with plentiful resources to share among all of its citizens.

But Iraqis must decide to become a unified people in order to combat terror, defeat the insurgency and live in peace, Bush said. "And the United States and our coalition will help them realize their ambitions if they choose to live in peace and hope, which we believe they will."

(AFPS reporter Kathy Rhem contributed to this article.)


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arrives; bush; iraq; oif; president; surprise; surprisevisit; visit
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President's Remarks After the Interagency Meeting
1 posted on 06/13/2006 4:00:21 PM PDT by SandRat
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To: 91B; HiJinx; Spiff; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; TEXOKIE; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...

Enjoying that this made RAT Heads explode.


2 posted on 06/13/2006 4:00:56 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

Again?

I could swear this happened some hours ago....


(just joshin' ya, SandRat)


3 posted on 06/13/2006 4:03:15 PM PDT by Mikey_1962 (If you build it, they won't come...)
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To: Mikey_1962

this on top of finding out that Karl Rove is not being indicted, the RATS gotta be severely depressed


4 posted on 06/13/2006 4:08:55 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

Good information discipline - everyone thought he'd be in Camp David, and he is not. Kudos. If only he could enforce the same discipline on the intelligence and military apparates.


5 posted on 06/13/2006 4:10:14 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: SandRat

6 posted on 06/13/2006 4:13:27 PM PDT by Khepera (Do not remove by penalty of law!)
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To: GSlob

Looks like he understands the Russian term "Maskirovka" Offensive Deception.


7 posted on 06/13/2006 4:15:11 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

That is because they are the "FEEL GOOD" party:

They are POLL DRIVEN. "Finger-in-the-air populism" thats what they are now. How sad.

I grew up a Democrat. My father was an Democratic Alderman. My Grandmother was a Democratic party organizer.

That was when they actually had an ETHOS. Now they have...well...themselves. How sad is that?


8 posted on 06/13/2006 4:19:37 PM PDT by Mikey_1962 (If you build it, they won't come...)
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To: SandRat

"Maskirovka" [derivation from "maskirovat' ="to mask": masking, camouflage] pertains to any deception, offensive or not. I would go to a much older quote from Sun Tzu instead: "when near, appear to be far away; when far away, appear to be near..."


9 posted on 06/13/2006 4:26:54 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: SandRat; CMS; The Sailor; txradioguy; Jet Jaguar; Defender2; OneLoyalAmerican; bkwells; ...

"Enjoying that this made RAT Heads explode."

And somewhere, on the other side of the world,
Internet "detectives" are trying to solve the
"puzzle" of what flight number and exact flight route
did President Bush take on Thanksgiving, 2004,
when he went to Iraq the 1st time.

You see these "detectives" just can't believe
President Bush since they didn't
get a copy of his flight plan and route 1st.

Guess these "detectives" never heard of
Loose Lips Sink Ships
when they "demand" that
US government and military transport information
be posted on the internet.










10 posted on 06/13/2006 4:27:13 PM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Support the troops by exposing the threats to them like hanoi kerry, cut and run murtha, MSM)
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To: SandRat
Doncha feel a tad sorry for them? Nah.
11 posted on 06/13/2006 4:28:45 PM PDT by MamaB (mom to an Angel)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

Bush did a great job as usual!

Go Bush!

:-D


12 posted on 06/13/2006 4:30:29 PM PDT by fanfan (I wouldn't be so angry with them if they didn't want to kill me!)
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To: SandRat
Yep..the big trifecta...
Bush flies secretly to Iraq
MSM are sent to Camp David
Rove not going to take the perp walk

Ahhhh....life is good. The lib heads are exploding.

13 posted on 06/13/2006 4:36:54 PM PDT by Conservative4Ever (Buy Danish!)
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To: Conservative4Ever

We forgot that a Republican was sworn into Conmgress to represent the 50th Dist in CA to replace Duke Cunningham too.


14 posted on 06/13/2006 4:42:26 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat; DAVEY CROCKETT; Rushmore Rocks; LucyT

If you can catch Rush Limbaugh on replay, do so.

His first hour, he told how the White House reporters were put on a bus this morning and told they were on the way to Camp David........

Half way there, they told them that the President was in Iraq...

I am still laughing at Rush, he loved telling the story.

I missed the second hour, but the third hour was fantastic, his report on the Hollywood stars, sitting in a tree....

I laughed until I cried.

And I am not even a big Rush fan.

I was very pleased to hear that Rush had made another trip to Iraq. Brave man.

If you find the reporters who went with him, their stories were good last time and I would like to read the new ones, please ping me.

I love watching the left have fits and try to find a way to spin these stories.........LOL.

Rove and a trip to Iraq, priceless day's news.


15 posted on 06/13/2006 4:50:42 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny (You can't depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus...Mark Twain)
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To: GSlob
everyone thought he'd be in Camp David....... If only he could enforce the same discipline on the intelligence and military

The MI folks knew, and didn't talk.

16 posted on 06/13/2006 4:56:34 PM PDT by ASA Vet (Those who know don't talk. Those who talk don't know.)
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To: SandRat
How many journalists report on Iraq from the comfort of America? Our president goes into the thick of things, as does Condi and Rummy.
17 posted on 06/13/2006 4:59:18 PM PDT by Ruth A. (we might as well fight in the first ditch as the last)
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To: SandRat

Wow...I forgot that. Yep...a good day. :)


18 posted on 06/13/2006 5:04:01 PM PDT by Conservative4Ever (Buy Danish!)
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To: ASA Vet
"On the intelligence and military apparatuses". One is not talking about those immediately involved, but about the staffers with the agendas - middle and upper-middle levels. On this occasion he obviously kept out of the loop as many of them as possible.
19 posted on 06/13/2006 5:06:46 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: SandRat

What a surprise that must have been for the troops

Bump


20 posted on 06/13/2006 5:17:34 PM PDT by vigilante2 (Thank You Veterans)
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