President Bush Visits Iraq Again

President Bush visits Iraq again today, Labor Day, September 3, 2007.

On another surprise visit to Iraq, President Bush delighted troops at Al Asad in Anbar Province today. Wouldn't you know that I missed it! I left Al Asad in May. At the time of the visit, I was in Kuwait on company business. Can you believe it?

The President, along with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, boosted the morale of every troop at Al Asad Airbase, hugging soldiers, listening to concerns, and letting the troops know how much their sacrifice is appreciated.

I e-mailed a buddy of mine and he told me how much the President's surprise visit meant to everyone there.

Bush visits Iraq surprisingly frequently compared to other presidents and their war zone visits. He is so supportive of his troops. General David Petraeus and U.S. ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker first spoke to the President. Then the President addressed the military personnel and civilians at Al Asad.

“General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker tell me 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,” he proclaimed.

Also, “I urge members of both parties in Congress to listen to what they have to say,” he said. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions until the general and the ambassador report.”

President Bush visits Iraq today on his way to Australia for an economic summit with Asia-Pacific leaders. The troops greeted him warmly as they always do in Iraq. Congress comes back to Washington tomorrow with troop withdrawal on their agenda and the President had this in mind on his visit to Al Asad. Al Asad used to be a hotbed for Al Qaeda and now they are gone. In essence, he is saying that the troop surge is working and we will not be sending troops home anytime soon. We have work to do. Let us get it done so we can bring troops home.

The President also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other Iraqi officials. He took the time to meet with Sunni tribal sheiks and members of Anbar’s governing body.

Bush took the time to personally talk with soldiers and pilots, asking about troop morale. President Bush was told by one pilot that morale on Al Asad Airbase is high.

The President listened to some personnel talk about problems that some had with leaving their families. He appeared to be very sympathetic and said that if Iraqi security continues to improve, we will begin to send some of our troops home.

Maybe I will be in the right place the next time President Bush visits Iraq.

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