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Baghdad +President Bush In Iraq+ President Bush has made a surprise trip to Baghdad to consult with new Iraqi prime minister al-Maliki .
Bush met with al-Maliki in the heavily fortified green zone at a palace once used by Saddam Hussein but which now serves temporarily as the U.S. Embassy.
The prime minister had been invited to the embassy on the pretense of taking part in a video conference with Bush, supposedly at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains. The videoconference was going on as scheduled, but with Bush to appear alongside al-Maliki.
Most of Bush’s aides had expected the president to be at the table with them for the videoconference. Instead, they were seeing him from Baghdad. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Vice President Dick Cheney were in on the secret. Accompanying Bush on the trip were National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, Deputy Chief of staff Joe Hagin, press secretary Tony Snow, and a few others.
Air Force One landed in hazy daylight at Baghdad Airport, where the temperature was above 100 degrees. Bush transferred to a helicopter for the six-minute ride to the green zone.
Hey, you know what? Bush comes up with some good ideas. Gotta give him credit. Everyone is talking about his going to Iraq, which builds up the importance of having an important American politician jet back and forth.
And you know what? Remember how smart Bush was to appoint Bill Clinton, a former major adversary, as a partner with Bush’s father to oversee the Hurricane Releif Fund. Mr. Bush, perhaps you can be so kind as to find room for Hillary to get some VIP position in Iraq?
Please Mr. President!
We really need her there. She’ll teach them well.
I guarantee you’ll double your numbers!
This trip probably cost a million dollars or more, from your tax money. and who will benifit from this?
oh, the PEAPLE of Iraq? they don’t deserve or even want to run a normal country. They hate us and want us out!
What’s the point?
It is so awesome when he does this. No lib could pull this off.
Bush met with al-Maliki in heavily fortified green zone at a palace once used by Saddam Hussein. It now serves temporarily as the U.S. Embassy.
“Good to see you,” exclaimed al-Maliki, who didn’t know Bush was in Baghdad until five minutes before they met.
“Thanks for having me,” Bush responded. They smiled broadly and gave each other a two-handed handshake in the high-domed marble room.
The trip was known only to a handful of aides and a small number of reporters sworn to secrecy because of obvious security threats for Bush and members of his entourage