Obama Lands in Afghanistan for Visit with U.S. Troops

Reuters ^ | Sunday, May 25, 2014 | Steve Holland

[kristinn]

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, May 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama traveled to Afghanistan on Sunday for a surprise Memorial Day weekend visit to meet with U.S. troops who are preparing to withdraw after nearly 13 years of war.

Spirited out of Washington aboard Air Force One, Obama flew for more than 13 hours for the brief visit to Bagram Air Base, the main U.S. base in the country.

The trip comes as Obama is buffeted by criticism at home that his handling of U.S. foreign policy has been too passive in dealing with crises from Syria to Ukraine and Russia.

He is to respond to the criticism in a speech on Wednesday at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. His Afghan visit is bound to be seen by some critics as an attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of military veterans who are alarmed at allegations that government-run medical facilities in the United States have not provided timely care for veterans.

Obama, making his fourth trip to Afghanistan, was to be briefed by Army General Joseph Dunford, who heads U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham, as he nears a decision on how many U.S. troops to leave behind after most are gone by year's end.

During a visit scheduled to last just a few hours, Obama was also set to speak to the troops and go to the base hospital to see wounded soldiers.

Obama had no plans to visit the Afghan capital Kabul nor would he meet Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai or other government officials. This allows him to avoid getting immersed in the country's presidential election campaign to choose a successor.

[kristinn]

Obama brought Brad Paisley to perform for the troops.

Also, senior advisor John Podesta, who reportedly has a son serving in Afghanistan, joined Obama on the trip.

Reuters reporter Steve Holland is one of three pool reporters accompanying Obama. The others being Julie Pace of the AP and Margaret Talev of Bloomberg

[deport]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3159975/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3159980/posts

[Uncle Chip]

I’m sure they are all as thrilled as can be —

[castlegreyskull]

While I question his motives, at least he is doing it. Probably just damage control for the VA and it’s possible impact for the 2014 midterms.

[digger48]

Reuters, AP, and Bloomberg are the only ones accompanying Obama?

Nothing like brining your own fluffers

[shadeaud]

Harry Reid came along also. His morale building speech was historical. Someone ran to the podium and told him he was talking to a group of Islamic terrorists. Harry, realized he was at the wrong venue, quickly raised the peace sign and proceeded to where a green screen was set up so he could look like he was actually speaking to some of our brave men and women. He clasped his hands and spoke gently.............The war is lost he told his faux audience and then went back to the tent to party with Nancy Pelosi and Hillary

[rktman]

An abundance of volunteers for fwd patrol duty?

[FlingWingFlyer]

Brad Paisley? I wonder why he didn’t take a hip hopper like Dawg Eat Dawg Drinking Ice T?

[DanielRedfoot]

What idiot can’t see right through this?

This is so obviously to help defuse the VA fiasco, otherwise why do we know about it?

I can see our guys being told “ you WILL attend!! I know its BS but thats the order!!”

[mylife]

Photo op time!

[Sacajaweau]

Karzai is still the President of Afghanistan. To not meet with him is incomprehensible.

He's looking for "leverage".

I also believe he is totally paranoid and can only talk to his generals after searching them for bugs and changing the original location of their encounter.

[bayliving]

Does Obama have to come back? Can’t we just leave him there to be with his terrorist brothers?

[tumblindice]

Time to Boycott Brad Paisley & Tim McGraw
OneVike ^ | 11/1/09 | OneVike

Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 5:18:23 AM by OneVike

Paisely? I’d rather listen to a fat girl fat. At least it’s an honest sound.

George Strait!

[dontreadthis]

[Rennes Templar]

“been too passive in dealing with crises from Syria to Ukraine and Russia. “

All this passivity is pandering to his base. With his domestic policy in tatters, he knows any significant miltary action would offend the code pinkers, and further erode his numbers.

[tumblindice]

fart girl fat
fart girl fart
garth fat fat
nevermind

fat girl fart (whew)

[surrey]

Holy Moley, Podesta’s son/ If so, the apple fell far from the tree.

[Sacajaweau]

Considering he's stopping at the hospital in Germany, I'd say that visit is two-fold.

1. To pretend he cares.

2. To get inside info on the VA paperwork which this place must produce.

So think it through...and No. 2 is the ONLY reason for this trip. I'm betting there's a mass destruction of records going on.