Video: President Bush's Surprise Photo Op In Iraq
The first video is in from Bush's surprise visit to a remote and heavily guarded air base in Iraq's western Anbar Province and it truly speaks volumes. It's clear that this was nothing more than a chance for the president to use the troops as props (note the big thumbs up! from Gen. Petraeus) to spin his failing surge as U.S. troop levels surge as well. MSNBC's Contessa Brewer brought in Republican strategist Joe Watkins and former Senior Advisor to John Kerry, James Boyce, to talk about the presidential visit.
Boyce is on the money, calling this what it was -- a staged photo op. Watkins tries to spin this as a positive move by the president, and that he wants to get in touch with the troops to find out what's going on on the ground, but Boyce fires back, reminding him that if Bush really wanted to get things done in Iraq he'd stay for more than six hours, he'd visit more than three times in four years and he wouldn't have ignored the Iraq Study Group's recommendations.
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The White House says the decision to have the president fly into Anbar was to show the successes of the surge in that region and touting this as "a symbolic expression of impatience with political paralysis in the nation's capital." The truth of the matter is that the president is nowhere near an Iraqi city, he's tucked away in a remote area and safe -- surrounded by soldiers. I guess this is the best spin they could put on this seeing as how after four years of U.S. occupation, it still isn't safe enough for him to fly into Baghdad.
"so THIS is what war's like!"
Smiling apologist Watkins. 'Nuff said.
Mike @ 1:
"Looks like hard work, you guys know I work hard too. The Bush brush don't clear it selfs."
I would rather Bush not be in Iraq any longer than he has to be. Six hours is enough. Any longer and everyone will know where he is at which would only endanger US forces.
Of course he is going to try and give an impression to the public that his failed policies are working.
Spin.
I feel sorry for him and wish he would have not gone to war with any country for any reason. America and Americans need the trillions that will be spent in Iraq.
Impeach.
He forgot to bring a styrofoam turkey this time.
If not for the photo op, just what exactly was the purpose of this visit? To give moral support to one unit in some god fosaken base in the middle of nowhere?
I'll repeat: Bush should be arrested for violations of Article 2 of the Constitution, violations of the 3rd and 4th Geneva Conventions, and violations of the 1st, 4th and 8th amendments to the Constitution (just for starters), the moment he lands on US soil.
Step right up and get your photograph with the poster child for war crimes.
Ozymandias @ 5:
He is the turkey.
Oops. Sorry turkeys.
Note Bush holding his arms at his sides about 6 inches away from his waist in pic #2.
This is a pose created by image consultants in 2003 to make it appear Bush is a "gunslinger." I wish I was making this up. He holds his arms like he's ready to pull imaginary guns from his holsters, old-West style.
He's been making this pose for years.
best thing the Democratic Party could be doing now is building alliances with disaffected erstwhile allies... the U.S. cannot resolve the Iraq issue... too many Iraqis see the U.S. occupation as THE issue...
the U.S. is going to need a transitional force to backfill and provide security while American troops are being shuttled out... and there is likely going to be a long term security force which members of the original 'coaltion of the duped' cannot participate in... Canada may be called upon to police Iraq as it was not a member of the invading and occupying bloc...
Bush is just wanking... he has no real purpose there... his presence, as noted before, is just heightened danger for the troops... I imagine he was flitting over to hold hands with some Saudi princes and thought he'd work in a photo-shoot with the troops into his itinerary... jackass.
Where's the president's codpiece on this photo op? Oh, right, he left it in Norm Coleman's mouth!
Ozymandias @ 5:
He should have brought styrofoam ribs instead, complete with fake barbeque sauce...
Soooooo, the British handed over Basra to the Iraqis and hey guess what, it's spiraling out of control! I'M SHOCKED! Christ, we are so screwed. We'll be sending troops there any day.
talk to the troops? when the hell did he talk to them?
and now he's eisenhower. how many deceased honorable americans do we have spinning in their graves now? he's been compared to so many of them that i've lost count.
Did he pack his "mission accomplished....this time we mean it" banner?
The more I watch Bush the more I'm convinced that he understands leadership purely as manipulation of public opinion. He has no executive skills whatsoever, but he is a pretty good propagandist.
what idiot wears a black shirt in 120 degree heat?
The WH is denying that this is a photo op. So far all I have seen is picture taking being done. What is their definition of photo op? Logan hit every nail on the head. Photo op, middle of nowhere, 3 visits in 4 years, no where near Baghdad etc. I turned the tv off. I couldn't watch any more.
Are you sure he's really in Iraq? Maybe he's really in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, or at Ft Irwin in the Mojave Desert.
bush-lite and his traveling troupe are a propoganda machine...It is, in my opinion, the
ONLY thing he is good at....and of course the MSM is eating this up because they too
are as incompetent and stupid(well, almost) as he. What an asshole he is.
The Anbar province has nothing to do with the surge. Enlisting the tribal chieftains to fight Al Qaeda was an effective move, but totally unrelated to the surge.
However, what did we offer the Sunni chieftains to gain their loyalty? The imagination runs wild.
Molly Ivins would have warned those troops to watch out, G-Dub's favorite trick is a photo op follwed by a stab in the back. Like getting his picture taken with poor kids just before he cuts funding to help them.
RIP Molly
I'm sorry, but could you be more specific? Which nation's capital?
So what is Bush doing the Labor Day to honor the working man in the United States?
Plug @ 23:
Taking a vacation, duh!
I'm guessing he wore black because it won't show the gigantic sweat stains that are sure to be there. That film earlier with everyone standing in the dark was eerie. Does he really think we believe a word out of his damned mouth at this point? If he does, he's a bigger idiot than we thought.
The really dumb, asshole dumbya is doing nothing but using and having our troops needlessly murdered for the profit.
Plug @ 23:
Well, at least he's not back here vetoing legislation that could actually help the little guy.
wmholt @ 20:
Excellent point....the 30K troops involved in the Surge were 95 percent sent to Bagdhad
to quell the BIG city violance, so if bush-lite wants me and others to believe that the
Surge is working, I want to see him fly into Bagdhad and spend a couple of hours walking
the streets...NOT hiding in the U.S. Embassy within the Green Zone. Get some balls you
bitch.
The comment is constantly repeated that "of course it makes sense to listen to the commanders on the ground". No one ever bothers to mention that any commanders who disagree with the nonsensical strategy currently employed have all been replaced by the crime family currently in control of our country.
Read the Rolling Stone article to appreciate how much money they are stealing from us and you will know why bushco wants the war to continue.
Sadly there is little chance that anything will be done as we don't have an opposition party but rather 1 party with 2 right wings. This is made clear by the fact that it another 50 billion dollars is ready to be authorized for this debacle.
They are stealing our money people, and the country is falling to ruin around us!
To paraphrase Stephen Colbert: The surge may be failing, but pResident Bush can still overwhelm the opposition with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.
I'm sure the Democrats are quaking in their boots. Not so much so the Iraqi insurgents.
incunabulum @ 22:
In case I wasnt clear:
Is the impatience with the political paralysis of the Iraqi legislative body? Because I think we could back George up on that sentiment.
Or is it impatience with his own party's blocking of important legislation that would help us get the hell out of there?
The reporter asks "When do we leave a quagmire?" Is she then implying that once a country gets stuck in a quagmire, that those troops can then never leave? How many troops does she want sacrificed for Bush's noble cause-58,000? She mentioned quagmire but strangely, did not associate the word that is most connected to a quagmire-Vietnam. One wonders if the people today who pass for journalists and reporters have any recollection or knowledge of historical events.
No coincidence the soldiers are without their weapons. SS required all weapons removed for fear of fragging.
Boyce was much to polite to the talking points loon Watkins. Boyce was interupted and he shouldd have told Watkins to STFU please I let you have your republican spin moment now if you would please allow me to infuse this conversation with some facts please. Boyce was not a good choice to put up against this Wattkins guy he is a fast talker and needs to be shot down when he starts getting on a role ....Compairing Bush to Eisenhouser should have elictted a large guffaw out of Boyce or at least a "PLEEEASE" out of Boyce.
Bush is around what he never was a real live SOLDER, he and the rest of his CROME FAMILY ARE nothing but Chickenhawks,yellow belly cowards. That is how I feel.
Well, where the hell is Chimpy already? I've got my barf bag and the Xanax has kicked in.
Once his term is up and he flees the country to avoid facing trial for crimes against humanity, Bush may end up in Iraq permanently. Did he go there to scout out a place to escape justice?
Of course, W could actually strengthen his own easily-debunked rhetoric if he decided to speak before the Iraq parliament, or hold a long press conference with Iraqi reporters only
But that would take qualities President Rat Bastard obviously lacks, courage and testicular fortitude
By overthrowing Saddam Hussein instead of achieving any real kind of justice for those victimized on Sept 11, W has meekly surrendered to Usama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the Taliban
W can be the biggest coward in the world if he wants, but he does NOT have the right to surrender to theological thugs like bin Laden in my name
There's not a level of Hell deep, permanent or miserable enough for W or those still backing this lowlife
incunabulum @ 30:
Most likely the former(political paralysis with Iraqi Leg. body); but HOW, pray tell, is a visit
to the Anbar Provience to have a photo op going to solve the problem within Baghdad where
the leg. bodies are centeralized and supposedly meeting to reslove their differences?
The Donkeys' Elephant In The Room
The Norman Hsu scandal is growing bigger and bigger. Even Bill Clinton has chimed in on it, saying he was "shocked" (in a Captain Renault sense, I suspect) to hear...
sstephen Says:
"Boyce was much to polite to the talking points loon Watkins. Boyce was interupted and he shouldd have told Watkins to STFU please I let you have your republican spin moment now if you would please allow me to infuse this conversation with some facts please. Boyce was not a good choice to put up against this Wattkins guy he is a fast talker and needs to be shot down when he starts getting on a role ….Compairing Bush to Eisenhouser should have elictted a large guffaw out of Boyce or at least a “PLEEEASE” out of Boyce."
I totally agree! When are those who are outspoken against this war going to stand up and not allow the right wingers to interrupt them and get away with it. This really pisses me off that they do this. And it is clearly done on purpose by the other side. Very infuriating.
Watkins has no credibility what-so-ever! Whenever they trot him out, which is too often, he doesn't vary one degree from the Repub daily [eternal] line. It doesn't matter if it's spinning torture into a "needed" war technique or the kindness of Cheney to his dog. His grinning, off-eyed garbage is way too predictable.
I for one am sending a letter to Iraq's US ambassador to erect a gigantic fence around the nation to keep these damn illegals out!!! I mean, you let in one of "those" people and before you know it, he's brought his whole damn family in, Laura, Barney, Condi and Dick!!!! Let him get a job in his own damn nation!! His people will bring Iraq's booming economy to a stand still and impoverish Iraqis by taking their jobs!!
The big question is....how does a man who has has no combat experience, no combat training, no training in tactics, logistics or anything other than initial flight training, assess whats going on in Iraq. Even Bush's flight training was no triumph. His instructor rated him as marginal.
This entire administration is a photo op.
Not a Photo Op?!?! Who are they kidding?!?!
"Stand there, when the President comes by, he will shake your hand, stand between the two of you and a picture will be taken"
Notice none of the troops having a photo taken with Bush are carrying guns.
Jesus, Chimpy is such a dick, it's about 9PM there and he's making those troops wait. Selfish little prick.
I thought the escalation- excuse me- the "Surge" was only applied to Baghdad. What's this about Anbar? Just another lie?
BlueMD @ 44:
Actually, they were supposed to have weapons, but the guns and ammunition to be issued
to them is a part of the 190,000 weapons missing/lost/unaccounted for...but with the
new, yet to be approved, $50BILLION dollars allocated to bush's war, they will soon have
weapons issued.
So what is Bush doing the Labor Day to honor the working man in the United States?
Firedoglake has an interesting article up about the history behind Labor Day.
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/08/30/labor-day-for-millions-loyalty-day...
“May Day” was founded by U.S. workers—and taken away from them as a day to celebrate by a federal government fearful of the wave of large demonstrations for the eight-hour day and massive strikes for justice on the railroads, in the mines and factories that had begun in 1877.
Such an action may seem quaint now. But the symbolism of May Day—working people challenging corporate power—still causes fear among the top elite.
Just ask George W. Bush and the Republican extremists in Congress.
In 2003, Bush proclaimed May 1 as “Loyalty Day” when U.S. citizens should
express allegiance to our nation and its founding ideals, we resolve to ensure that the blessings of liberty endure and extend for generations to come.
That same year, Congress, designated May 1 of each year as “Loyalty Day.”
Military folk can't boo or hiss; so bush always wins politically when he hangs around them. But that hard core 20% in America actually see images like that and think the military supports him.
The LeftEdge: http://theleftedge.blogspot.com/
Looks like they're billing the surge as a success. So successful that security is so improved that, if things stay this good, troops can start coming home.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/03/bush.iraq/index.html
Well, shoot. It looks like I was wrong about GWB all along. Looks like he knew exactly what he was doing. Misison Accomplished, indeed.
See? All we had to do was trust him.
just another bush co. fall lies sale promotional ad filled with all the same old spin and bullshit bush co. is so famous for.
note the new fall look the boy king is sporting this season. dark blue shirt , no personal body armour and dark slacks, this look says it all and wil surely turn heads (mostly the heads of the numorous soldiers guarding the perimiter) when georgie boy takes his successful stroll (less than 50 yards no doubt) on the ground in iraq. the utter look of success is exuded in the faces of our stylish leaders. and this look can be yours for 50 billion dollars and prolonging the stay of the troops.
oh BlueMD is correct! none of the reg. troops are armed! hmm. i was just thinking that not too many of them were all smiles either. it led me on a train of thought that was like 'if i was one of those really frustrated, worn out, angy and don't forget overloaded and just plain hot troops what might i get an impulse to do if i was to have a bad thought just as the decider came into view' but i was just day dreaming. seems i'm not the only person who thought of it though, some commander was concerned that a tired soldier might have a dream.
Well, it is September after all. Time to start advertising since we all know you don't release a new product line in August...
That would be the ultimate fragging!
the sharp shooter that was directing the decider whose hand to shake was armed.
It's a shame to inflict President Preening PR Pimp on the troops, but anytime you can get his sorry little ass out of the U.S. the better.
I want to know if he brought his rubber turkey.
Gotta love this spin from President Bush - "If the kind of success we're now seeing continues, it will be possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces,"
That is one way to get out without looking like you are cutting and running.
sulphurdunn @ 56:
True, and remember what PR "used" to represent; and not "Propoganda Regime" !!
Ricky Bones @ 58:
The American public are way beyond buying that this was a serious visit on Bush's part. Watkins comparing this to Eisenhower visiting the troops before D-Day made me fall off my chair laughing. They must think we are idiots to spew this nonsense.
These poor marines are still waiting there! What the heck is he doing. They want to know how many more deployments they are going to have. All he's going to say is "I PRE-SHE-ATE" wach yer doin.
Doggiebobo @ 60:
Pace is an idiot. An uparmored Hummer is not an Couger or Buffalo. Dickwad.
Why did Bush cause the reins of power to be thrust into the hands of men from al-Dawa which has always been pro-Iranian?
See:
Baath Socialist Party officers in Iraq and Iraqi Embassies abroad have been targets of bombings, all of them the work of the Daawa party, the religious-political organization of the Shiite opposition in Iraq.
It is financed and helped by the clerical ruling establishment of Iran.
The Daawa, which means The Call, is a bigger threat to Iraq's Baath party than the Kurds, the Communists or the Arab nationalists, all of
whom have been in the opposition for years.
Its potent appeal, enhanced by fiery broadcasts from Tehran, touched religious sentiments of Iraqi Shiites, paricularly in the south, where they are concentrated.
The outlawed Iraqi Al-Daawa Party, which professes allegiance to Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, was blamed for bomb attacks on the U.S. and French Embassies and on four economic targets in Kuwait in December, 1983. Five people were killed and 86 injured.
State Department officials indicated yesterday they were perplexed by Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North's assertion that 17 men convicted in Kuwait of bomb attacks on the U.S. and French embassies will eventually "walk free." .... The 17 are mainly Iraqi Shiites identified as members of the underground Al-Daawa Party, which is pro-Iranian.
Three pro-Iranian Shia Muslim organizations in Lebanon warned Tunisia against executing seven fundamentalists convicted earlier this week of trying to overthrow the government of President Habib Bourguiba.
The groups-Hezbollah (Party of God), the umbrella organization for those
holding Western hostages in Lebanon; the Daawa Party, a Hezbollah ally, and the Islamic Coalition-warned of a confrontation and a "sweeping storm" if the "unjust death sentences" are carried out.
When Iraq's Shiites showed signs of restiveness at the beginning of the war with the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's revolutionary Shia state,
President Hussein moved quickly and brutally to deal with them. He responded to an assassination attempt on Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz by executing Mohammad Bakr al-Sadr, one of the nation's most prominent Shiite clerics and the leader of the pro-Khomeini Al Daawa Party, and his sister Amina bint al-Huda.
"Membership of the Shiite-based Al Daawa Party was made retroactively
punishable by death," wrote two experts on the region, Shahram Chubin and Charles Tripp, in their recent book, Iran and Iraq at War (Westview). "Thousands of Shia in Najaf, Karbala and Al-Thawra township in Baghdad were arrested; and a campaign was initiated to expel from Iraq any Iraqi who had even the remotest connection with Iran, by birth, marriage or name."
As with bush-lite's public appearances here in State, with "only" selected persons
permitted to attend, am wondering if Pentagon/Military Dept/CIA did interviews of
the troops and hand-picked only those soldiers who were considered supporters
and/or safe to be with bush during his photo op? I have a strong hunch that this
is/was the case...ie, predeterming precisely and exactly which military personnel
would be permitted in close contact with that asshole.
If Bush wasn't visiting Iraq today, the only other Iraq story would have been the British pullout from Basra. (OOOP's, kinda hard to ask Congress for another $50 Billion to stay in Iraq when our main ally is pulling out- ouch!)
This on the heels of two senior British military officials, Maj. Gen. Tim Cross and General Sir Mike Jackson having very recently described Americas Iraq policy as "fataly flawed" and "intelectually bankrupt" respectively.
Other than that there was the the two car bombs that expoloded in the Anbar capitol or Ramadi, killing 4 and wounding 10, shortly before Bush's arrival with enough security to invade a small country (not in Bhagdad- too dangerous, but in Anbar- supposedly safer now, as long as we keep paying off the Sunni insurgents.)
Hey Douchebag where is your flight suit..I guess he didn't want to play soldier today.
I wonder if Michael Ware is in the audience...ok, here we go, I guess they finally sobered up Chimpy, this should be good.
Strawberry @ 69:
No M. Ware remains in Bagdah where he is covering the actual and true events of
goings on in Iraq...
Who's cheering? I hear cheering, I don't see cheering . No mouths moving.
The announcer blathering obout our"guys" ... visiting the "guys" ... aw shucks.
Bush 'put himself in harm's way'?!? Is she kidding?!?!
No way in hell this sociopathic narcissist is going to be anywhere NEAR harm's way!!
What's with this handshaking bullshit? Isn't he supposed to be the "Commander In Chief"? How aout some salutes?
What, no flight suit? The motherfucker looks like he just stepped off a golf course.
Plot and plan. Ugh.
I bet the sissy chimp was absolutely terrified to be standing there in Iraq without armor on. We can be sure the entire scene was orchestrated from who could be there to what they would all be wearing. And the Fauxnews watching sheeple will fall for all the spin.
Oh God, the man is a walking cliche'.
Chervilant @ 73:
Just more MSM spin...the only harms way he put himself in was walking down the
Airforce One steps to ground level...you know, being a stumbling/bumbling drunk.
More of the same.. No turkey this time.
Hocus pocus... more of the same old "looks-good-un-reality" photo op crap PrezPoopyPants loves to engage in
At this stage in his presidency, most people recognize it for what it is - a strategically timed public relations campaign just before the return of congress. To those that see thru the "PR", this looks like a pathetic desperate stunt.
I wuz just thinkn' that maybe Dubya could stay in Iraq 'til it's all over when someone reminded me that Dubya's presence might put the troops in danger. Right you are. Well maybe the Albanians still want Dubya and Vice President Halo Burnton?
The Devil's Messenger Visits Iraq.
You have to wonder what kept Mr Prompt, the bushinator, from getting to his speech on time. Did he take time out for dinner first? Was he scared shitless and then he wasn't? Those guys had to wait in that hot room or tent or whatever the hell it was over an hour for him to appear, read his speech and then pose for the, it happens every time, photo opportunity. Why was Condi and Gates there? They didn't say a word on camera. Was Condi along to keep her husband, oops sorry, her president safe?
I got an idea. Let's help Bush. Let's spread the message that not only is the surge working, but Iraq is not a safe, soverign country. Now, lets bring the troops home.
There's a quote over at Kos where Dana Perino says that some may say this is a photo op for bush, but she strongly disagrees.
I bet she does. Denial is so much easier than the truth.
"How do we handle Iraq without hurting our interests in the region"
The proof is in the pudding!
It's been said time and time again
of our much needed withdrawal.
"How do we do it without hurting
our interests in the region!
I mean, son of a bitch!
How many different ways
does it need to be flipped
before we wake the hell up?
It's squat to do with helping the Iraqi,
it's squat to do with W, M and D
or the push for liberty-
it is simply and plainly hegemony!
It has everything to do with the oil
and empire’s path to Iran!
Period. No grey area. Nothing else.
Not for God, or the good of man!
Zilch- nada- zip!
O. I. L. and that is it.
No hint of democracy!
No inkling of liberty for the Middle East.
It is corporatism’s tentacle's
reaching into the gut of the middle east!
"How do we handle Iraq without hurting our interests in the region"
I understand that, as being President and therefore a high-value target, that it isn't really feasible for him to walk the streets of Iraq. The people of Iraq and our troops only do so because they haven't got a choice. That, in and of itself, points to how ridiculous it was comparing a market in Iraq to one in Indiana made by a pro-Bush congressman. My biggest problem with Bush's latest move is in the motive. I can't help but to doubt the validity of any questions or points made by this trip. We have witnessed staged events by this administration either in the form of a town hall setting, a video conference with the troops and the President, or by the press itself. Much like the fable of the boy who cried wolf, this administration has gone to the well too many times for me to judge this as an honest brokerage of ideas on how to end our involvement in not only Iraq but in the Middle East. To think that the average Joe in uniform can speak with any candor that could be conceived as criticism to Bush's policy is laughable. There have been too many instances where individuals' careers have been ended by having the courage to speak out against this administration and that goes beyond the military to include all aspects of public service.
Clearly, the media elites are expected to marvel at the savvy of this visit to Iraq. It was staged very carefully to be the opposite of his "Mission Accomplished" spectacle. Bush is dressed in black casual clothes. No salutes, no firearms, just a friendly visit from the humble chief executive, who obviously sees no danger here. The visit has a bigger purpose. Bush can now say that he has seen the progress in Iraq for himself, even if he only popped in for a few minutes. The press corps loves smart propaganda.
Was it my imagination, or did it seem that Ol' Bushie was looking around quite nervously, perhaps for snipers? He's such a dolt...
I see many soldiers wearing their flak jackets.
The President is not. So is the President being unsafe not just with his own life but with the public position he holds, because he doesn't want to give the impression that Iraq is unsafe? That wearing the Flak vest would bean omission of the President of poor progress?
Is that it? I know he likes to fantasize he is the macho cowboy. But he had his chance to act out his macho cowboy fantasy During Vietnam and cowardly ran away from those pretending urges that he finds inspiring to his cause. Although none of us out here in reality even consider buying into this Bush projected illusion.
He really said nothing we haven't heard about a zillion times before. He did manage to get the attacks of 9-11 into the speech one more time. He did manage to tell the troops they were there so we didn't "hear the enemy's footsteps here". That was a line I hadn't heard before. Spooky! Get scared America! Listen for enemy footsteps too! :roll:
Attention Media: You should show video clips of Bush's comments when he stood before the "Mission Accomplished" sign with today's photo op. The unbiased media must take a stand against organizations with political agendas such as Fox and this administration. I'm sure the two speeches are eerily similar, "we're making progress," "we're fighting for freedom" "you're doing a good job," "better to fight them over here than over there." If the public could see what a dangerous manipulator Bush is, they would not allow him to cause the deaths of any more of our troops. Today's photo op is no different than Bush's disastrous mission accomplished photo op.
pissed off patricia @ 91:
Patricia, if you've got tivo back up Bush's speech, watch very carefully, when the cheers went up, I saw very few mouths moving, and watch how more than a few Marines looked around to see where the commotion was coming from. It was surreal.
Potemkin village is always on the march
pissed off patricia @ 91:
Yeah, I have been deligently digging a basement under my slab foundation; but it is
taking oh sooooo long since I loaned out my pick and shovel to another, so I am having
to dig using only a small hand spade. However, I do have my duct tape and plastic, but have
found that it's more useful for S&M. I try and try and try to be scared/frightened of
them-there "terrest", but am much more fearful of that lame-brain who is sitting on his
throne in the W/H. HE is the one to be scared of.
I was just banned from Redstate.com for pointing out that reality doesn't have much to do with these staged photo ops. Afterall, Bush jumped on an aircraft carrier in May of 2003 and announced that the mission was accomplished.
I am just exhausted and stunned by the fact that some people just have not learned anything in the last four years (let alone four thousand).
Somebody say something to restore my faith, please. Conservatives are a nightmare.
If bush was really "in harm's way", why was he not wearing the best body armour that money can buy? Every other political hack that has gone to Iraq for photo ops, from mccain to lieberfuhrer were dressed to the nines, and had hundreds of military people guarding them, both on the ground, and in the air.
This is so obviously a phony photo opportunity, and should be treated as such by the MSM. Any bets on how the MSM will do with this?
Impeach the bastards!
Anbar Province has become our new model community for showing success in Iraq. A Sunni Province with almost no Shiites, so there's no sectarian violence. No Shiite militias so there's no messy body count on the streets every morning. As a bonus, Katie Couric is already in place to file a glowing report of Bushes visit. Wanna bet she has a one on one interview ready for tonight's broadcast.
This is why w did not fly into Baghdad:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20546328/site/newsweek/
Bull.... by any other name is still Bull....! It makes no difference who spouts it. And a photo op is still a photo op no matter what the Press secretary chooses to call it. Only Rethuglicans are stupid enough to think it is other wise. If you doubt my word check Limpballs, Slanthead Hannity and O'Lielly.
"I'm going to reassure them that America does not abandon our friends (the Iraqis)", he said.
Of course it's OK to abandon America (except for the 1% elite).
And besides, he has never kept his word about anything anyway. Every single promise from New Orleans, to protecting the troops, to treating the health of vets with respect, to post 9/11 New York City has never ever ever been kept. Hot air. Subzero credibility. His pathetic desperate lurch is now towards Iran. Notice how silent the Israelis are.
gilesjharding @ 96:
Banned from Redstate? Consider it a badge of honour. You are intelligent and you have critical thinking skills. Something sorely lacking in conservatives.
Ex-Canuck @ 97:
Why isn't the fuck walking down the streets of Baghdad so
the grateful people of Iraq can throw flowers at his feet?
Pissed Canuck @ 104:
Yeah, still waiting for the 'greeted as liberators' moment....
Did anyone else notice the first group of soldiers he shook hands with were in full battle dress, except they were missing one thing.......they're weapons. I didn't see one weapon except for the guy who was escorting the WarPig around.
I had to stop the clip when the pandering sychophant tried to present the idea that Bush was putting himself in harm's way or that he was going to hear what was really on the minds of the troops. That was just to much bullshit to have to swallow from whoever was the toadying propagandist (Watkins?) whose turn it was at the microphone. If anybody told that dickhead what they really thought, they'd be court martialed. Boyce nailed it.
Did she actually ask "How do you a solve a quagmire by getting out"?? Did I actually hear that?? Jesus!
getalife @ 99:
Bush to generals:
StirFry @ 111:
Or Kurds, or Iranians, or Palistines, or Syrians, or Afghans, or...."Gee, they all look
alike to me", per bush-lite.
Jerry @ 108:
I've noticed something else about these "surprise" visits. They're in a war zone, right. Chimpy shows up unannounced, and yet there always seems to be a legion of troops on hand to gather around and gaze lovingly at their "Commander in Chief". I mean, you would think the the place would be somewhat short on props - uh - I mean troops -there being a war on and all. You know, shouldn't these guys be out on patrol or something? You would think there would be at least one time when Chimpy (or one of his minions) would show up and be told "Sorry there's nobody here to greet you Mr. President, all our guys are out fighting the war". Never seems to happen though. Always during these surprise visits there a big group of smiling, bright eyed troops in full battle dress (sans weapons, curiously enough), standing by to pay the requisite amount to tribute to Dear Leader.
Progress, progress progress. Surprise visit. progress progress progress surprise visit again.
Ever heard the phrase "actions speak louder than words" you war mongering piece of shit? Real nice to shake those soldiers hands, bet its a bit easier knowing you will be going homw tonight.
The thing is, what did he go over there for? just to visit u.s. troops? what about some fucking diplomacy???? real nice message you are sending. Come and go when you please, disregarding the sovereignty of a nation that needs all the reassurance it can get, only to further your propaganda to the poor bastards you are sending to die for halliburton and blackwater without even spending a couple of hours giving any reassurance at all to the people that actually live there, and whose support we are going to need if any part of his insane war plan were to work. What a piece of shit you are, you imposter.
And with that the charade finally comes to an end. Bush is of course going to play out the string and the Foxers will always support him but he made a catastrophic mistake (another one?) going to Anbar. And he wasn't even in Anbar!
You sneak into Iraq and still can't get anywhere near Baghdad after four years and countless slogans. Bush just proved his own failure.
More likely he's there to justify the rewriting of the upcoming report.
"I wanted to see with my own two eyes if the General was right so
I went there and I saw real progress so I think we must stay so please
give me that 50 billion and some more time."
Strawberry I don't have tivo, but I did notice times when sounds from the troops started and then stopped at a strange moment. It was like when someone turns up the radio too loud and then shuts it down fast.
Cabby @ 116:
my thoughts exactly, of course that would go against the last 9 months of "we have to listen to the generals" but, I am sure the foxies will not notice
I am sorry, did not read close enough, I think he will use the line, with his own 2 eyes, to support the report if it is good, and most certainly to DENY it if it is the truth.
I understand he asked General Patreus where he could attend "a meeting." He was jonesing for a cold beer.
Poor W. What a pathetic sot.
George Bush is trying to make the inevitable troop reductions next spring look like a plan. We'll run out of available troops in April of 2008 and he knows it, so when the Surge starts collapsing under it's own weight, he'll claim we're reducing troops because of the Surge's success.
Anbar Province has become the new model community for partitioning Iraq, but it won't work in other Provinces without a certain amount of ethnic cleansing. Anbar is a Sunni Province with almost no Shiites. There is no sectarian violence. There are no Shiite militias so there’s no messy body count on the streets every morning. If the idea is to partition Iraq between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds then the minority group in each Province will have to move. Clearly you can't arm Sunnis militias in Province where there are a lot of Shiites nor can you do the opposite. Anbar Province is the model for the partitioning of Iraq. It's not a model for resolving ethnic differences.
Dr. Matt @ 15:
Dr. Matt that was hilarious.
My question is who the hell wants to take a picture with the idiot that started this mess?
"Oh oh! Can I get in the picture with the guy that could care less about me as he bankrupts our nation back home? Pretty please??"
OK. Bush stopped over on his way to APEC, here in Sydney.
How much are we bid to detain him here in Australia? We have plenty of secure, remote locations.
I'm starting the bidding at $10 billion...
Oh, come on. That's peanuts. Six weeks worth of Iraq spending.
Thank you, $10 billion.
BTW, check out the cartoon on the cover of our local newspaper.
http://www.smh.com.au
No danger Bush will see it, of course.
Do I hear $15?
how we be even sure this video even originated in Iraq? We don't. Given the administration's divergence from truth this could be Arizona.
How do you solve a quagmire?"
By leaving!
and impeaching.
Glib levity brought to you Adobe PhotoOp.
There is a reason why he took the opportunity to make this visit. Today IS Labor Day. What better way not to have to face the American worker on this particular day than to make an unscheduled visit to a country on the other side of the world? Why didn't he go to Detroit? Why didn't he go to Ohio? Why didn't he go to North Carolina? He can't face the music.
Make him stay there! Then ship his whole fucking family over there as well!
Cabby @ 116:
Of course, he won't mention that all his two eyes saw in his six hour visit was that same dog and pony show in Anbar Province that the military has showing everone else. Instead of applause lines, he used Hurah! lines. He even had his own Hurah! leader planted in the audience, probably a Marine Officer.
those images look doctored.
Security in Baghdad? Hell I would like to see Bush walk around in any city in the United States without a heavy security team to show how safe it is. Remember seeing Bill Clinton eating Hotdogs and Hamburger with the crowd? We have never seen Bush get close to any crowd in Mississippi or New York, its either on a tall platform or in the helicopter. I think he's safer there in remote Iraq than he is in his own country, (no not Paraguay or Dubai) United States of America.
What? It's not Thanksgiving and he's not holding a plastic Turkey...why on earth did Bush go to Iraq? (It should be noted the similarity between this question and the "Why did the chicken cross the road?" joke of old.)
Punchline: Oh, yeah, It's almost September.
"Where's my cod-piece?"
Ok, So it's more of the same crap we're used to. It was clearly another staged Photo-op. Why is there so little discussion about the fact that 51% of the "insurgents" captured are from Saudi Arabia? Why would that be the case? Hmm. Could it be that we are now fighting a proxy war with Saudi Arabia? Could it be that we don't want to get out because Saudi Arabia would get all that oil instead of US big oil? Meanwhile he goes on tring to provoke Iran. Why? It must all be about Big oil and the Military Industrial Complex. That and the prison industry will soon be the only ones left. Where are the protests? The pen is not always mightier unless it paints the signs! Why won't Pelosi listen? Why are the media so in his pocket? This is so unreal! Why am I saving for retirement?
Rober @ 41:
I agree, as well. Liberals, progressives and Democrats need to realize that sticking up for yourself is not being a blowhard. They also need to realize that Fox News, CNN and MSNBC are not PBS, and that they only have a very short amount of time to get their point across. Therefore, is does not help when people like Boyce let neocons talk over them and hog all the air time. I'm tired of liberal and Democratic pundents coming off like they're wimps!
This is not only a "photo crop" but it is also "PHOTO C R A P" :(
Bush going to Iraq used to give me hope. He always manages to ruin it by coming back [to the US]. I hate when he does that.
"The surge is working" talk about depending on what the meaning of "is" is.
I'm so tired of the propaganda! What would Phil Oaks think of all this? Maybe something like...
Thank You Rupert Murdoch
'Cause you took away our minds
You bought the Wall Street Journal
Now what's next? The NY Times
You're just like Burlusconi
As you play upon our fears
He drank the Oxycontin
Now there's implants in his ears
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest
Anybody, outside a small circle of friends.
Are those real US military or Blackwater?
Remember Cheney's Town Hall meeting on '04? That guy with the plastic-coated hair who asked why if the ecomomy is so bad his neighbors all had nice new cars? That's got freakin actor written all over it.
Expect lots more crap. When is it going to finally hit the fan? Probably never since we're asleep at the disconnected switch. Hopefully the've disconnected the one he has access to.
[deleted]
Doggiebobo @ 48:
i hope your only kidding thoes 190.000 rifels were ak 47s and i doubt they would issue aks to american troops!
That is the biggest of all of Sodamn Insanes airfields.....over 200 square miles .....and it is surrounded by nothing but desert....for miles......yeah....That took some Balls....He has so much courage that he didn't tell anyone he was going....to an airfield that is so secure.....even a dog couldn't get near it.......
jerry @ 17:
bush?
FreeDUMB @ 138:
Ans. The meaning of "is" is IS.
ISn't that easy?
Plug @ 24:
Absolutely nothing!
He's not wearing a military uniform. He's not wearing a flak jacket, so we can see his trim waist. He accepts he's to be dressed as a civilian.
Note the dark blue (but wisely not black) shirt and charcoal gray trousers make for sharp photos beside soldiers in military khakis. Also note how he holds his hands, as in the comment above.
He stands with such tremendous confidence, even though everything he manages fails. He has the capacity to play a President on TV nearly as well as President Reagan.
Ok....last time... why isn't the president....or any of our Senators honoring the working people (taxpayers) of this country?
Paula @ 147:
Because they don't care about you, never have cared about you, and never will care about you.
It seemed to me the volume of the welcoming hoots, whistles and cheers were WAY out of proportion to the number of soldiers in attendance.
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