Bush Makes a 2 1/2 hour Surprise Thanksgiving Visit to Iraq

News, November 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

Bush Flies Into Baghdad in Thanksgiving Day Surprise Naseer Al-Nahr, Asharq Al-Awsat

BAGHDAD, 28 November 2003 — US President George W. Bush secretly traveled to Baghdad and paid a surprise Thanksgiving Day visit to US troops yesterday in what is seen as a morale-boosting mission amid mounting casualties.

In an elaborate plan to ensure his security, Bush slipped away from his Texas ranch on Wednesday night, arrived in Iraq yesterday and spent 2-1/2 hours with the troops.

“I bring a message on behalf of America: We thank you for your service, we are proud of you, and America stands solidly behind you,” Bush told about 600 soldiers, who were stunned to see the president emerge from a side door in a military mess hall at Baghdad International Airport.

Bush dropped plans to eat the traditional turkey dinner with his wife and family in order to visit US troops in the Iraqi capital, making him the first US president ever to visit Iraq.

The troops, mostly from the US Army’s 1st Armored Division and the 82nd Airborne, had no idea Bush would be there.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat last week, Bush appeared to rule out an imminent visit to Iraq. Saudis therefore reacted with surprise to news of Bush’s appearance in Baghdad, which also gave rise to speculation.

“Perhaps as commander in chief he feels it’s his duty to see the troops,” suggested a Jeddah businessman.

But Jeddah resident Abu Baker was more cynical. “It looks like a carefully planned publicity stunt to me,” he said.

The trip came as the head of Iraq’s Governing Council said yesterday a new US-backed plan to hand sovereignty back to Iraqis will be changed after objections from a senior Shiite leader.

The US-installed council’s head said the plan would be modified to ensure a central role for Islam and to take account of the cleric’s wish that a planned transitional assembly be elected directly.

There was no immediate comment from Washington, which said earlier it would send thousands more Marines to Iraq next year to fight the resistance it blames for attacks on US-led occupying forces.

“The agreement remains, but there’s to be an appendix, with other texts. The agreement is developing,” Governing Council President Jalal Talabani told reporters after meeting Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in Najaf.

Sistani’s approval is seen as crucial to getting Iraq’s 60 percent Shiite majority to back the political timetable. The elderly cleric rarely makes public pronouncements on politics but most Iraqi Shiites look to him for guidance. Under the US-backed plan, regional caucuses would select an interim assembly by the end of May, and this body would pick a transitional government the following month. The government would take over sovereignty from the US-led administration, formally ending the occupation, although US-led foreign troops were expected to remain.

“(Sistani) requested that the allies make good on the promises they made to Iraqis. He believes, correctly, that this is democracy,” Talabani said. “There’s an appendix that says Islam is the religion of the majority and it must be respected and considered a main source for the constitution.”

While planning for the transition, the United States said it would send thousands more Marines next year to fight the resistance it blames for violence against the occupying forces.

Guerrillas fired a rocket-propelled grenade at Italy’s Baghdad embassy overnight.

No one was hurt in the attack, which came two weeks after 19 Italians died in a suicide blast in southern Iraq, in Italy’s worst military death toll since World War II.

Two US soldiers and a Polish Army officer — the first victim from that country — were killed in separate attacks in Iraq, it was announced yesterday.

A US soldier was killed in the early hours when his truck drove over a mine near Husaiba, an Iraqi-Syrian border crossing, the US military command announced.

— Additional input from agencies

Bush makes surprise Iraq trip

Jordan Times,

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — US President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq on Thursday, on a morale boosting Thanksgiving Day visit to US troops in Baghdad before leaving on Air Force One to return to the United States. The unannounced trip came hours after a rocket attack on the Italian embassy in the capital and amid intense security countrywide following a series of increasingly audacious attacks on US troops and Washington's allies.

"I bring a message on behalf of America: We thank you for your service, we are proud of you and America stands solidly behind you," Bush told about 600 soldiers, who were stunned to see the president emerge from a side door inside a military mess hall at Baghdad International Airport.

Bush dropped plans to eat the traditional turkey dinner with his wife and family in order to spend 2-1/2 hours with US troops in the Iraqi capital, making him the first US president ever to visit Iraq.

The troops, mostly from the US army's 1st Armoured Division and the 82nd Airborne, had no idea Bush would be there.

The trip came as a new US-backed plan to hand sovereignty back to Iraqis looked set to be changed after objections from the country's most revered Shiite Muslim leader.

The current leader of the US-installed Governing Council in Iraq said the plan would be modified to ensure a central role for Islam and to take account of the cleric's wish that a planned transitional assembly be elected directly.

There was no immediate comment from Washington, which said earlier it would send thousands more Marines to Iraq next year to fight guerrillas it blames for attacks on US-led occupying forces.

Elaborations to agreement

"The agreement remains, but there's to be an appendix, with other texts. The agreement is developing," Governing Council President Jalal Talabani told reporters after meeting Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani in the holy city of Najaf.

Sistani's approval is seen as crucial to getting Iraq's 60 per cent Shiite majority to back the political timetable. The elderly cleric rarely makes public pronouncements on politics but most Iraqi Shiites look to him for guidance.

Under the US-backed plan, regional caucuses would select an interim assembly by the end of May and this body would pick a transitional government the following month.

The government would take over sovereignty from the US-led administration, formally ending the occupation, although US-led foreign troops were expected to remain.

"(Sistani) requested that the allies make good on the promises they made to Iraqis. He believes, correctly, that this is democracy," Talabani said.

"There's an appendix that says Islam is the religion of the majority and it must be respected and considered a main source for the constitution."

While planning for the transition, the United States said it would send thousands more Marines next year to fight guerrillas it blames for violence against the occupying forces.

Guerrillas fired a rocket-propelled grenade at Italy's Baghdad embassy overnight.

No one was hurt in the attack, which came two weeks after 19 Italians died in a suicide blast in southern Iraq, in Italy's worst military death toll since World War II.

Persistent attacks

Guerrillas have mounted persistent attacks on foreign targets in Iraq in recent months, and have killed 184 US soldiers since Washington declared major combat over on May 1.

US officials blame the attacks on diehard Saddam Hussein supporters and foreign militants.

The US army said Major General Abed Hamed Mowhoush, an air defence officer during Saddam's rule, had died of natural causes on Thursday during questioning by American troops.

"Mowhoush said he didn't feel well and subsequently lost consciousness. The soldier questioning him found no pulse, then... called for medical authorities," a US statement said.

"A surgeon responded within five minutes to continue advanced cardiac life support techniques, but they were ineffective. According to the on-site surgeon it appeared Mowhoush died of natural causes."

The Pentagon said it would send thousands more US Marines to Iraq to bolster the next wave of American troops being deployed to counter insurgents.

Friday-Saturday, November 28-29, 2003

Bush 'Looking for Meal' Stuns U.S. Troops in Iraq

Thu November 27, 2003 04:39 PM ET

By Steve Holland and Joseph Logan BAGHDAD (Reuters) -

President Bush stunned U.S. troops in Iraq on Thursday by turning up at their Thanksgiving dinner after a risky flight into Baghdad Airport saying he was "just looking for a warm meal."

The top secret, morale-boosting visit took place as Washington and its allies come under intense pressure in Iraq.

Just hours earlier, the Italian embassy was hit by a rocket, the latest in a series of increasingly audacious attacks by guerrillas fighting the U.S.-led occupation. And five days before Bush flew in there, a missile struck a cargo aircraft taking off from Baghdad's former Saddam International Airport.

A new U.S.-backed plan to hand sovereignty back to Iraqis was set to be changed after objections from the most revered leader of the long-oppressed Shi'ite Muslim majority.

Bush slipped away from his Texas ranch late on Wednesday, dropping plans to eat the traditional turkey dinner with his family to be the first U.S. president officially to visit Iraq.

During two and half early evening hours in Baghdad, he joined about 600 troops in a mess hall at the airport and several members of the Iraqi Governing Council. Having not left the heavily fortified confines of the base, he flew out again on Air Force One to complete a 30-hour round-trip from Texas.

"I was just looking for a warm meal somewhere," Bush told the soldiers, whose prolonged standing ovation and cheers when he emerged unannounced onto a podium brought tears to his eyes.

"I bring a message on behalf of America: We thank you for your service, we are proud of you and America stands solidly behind you," Bush told the troops, mostly from the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division and the 82nd Airborne.

Almost 300 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led assault to oust Saddam Hussein began on March 20, 186 of them since May 1, when Bush declared major combat over.

"PERSONAL COURAGE"

The 57-year-old president, whose absence from active service in Vietnam was an issue during his election campaign, succeeded in impressing many of his troops and bolstering their morale.

"I think that shows real personal courage," said Sergeant Gilbert Nail from Oklahoma as he returned from a night patrol through Saddam Hussein's still dangerous home town of Tikrit. "It's a total morale booster," said Nail of the 4th Infantry Division when he learned of Bush's flying visit to Baghdad.

"I didn't get to see him but what matters is that he cares enough to come and visit."

The reaction to Bush's visit among Iraqis was mixed.

"As far as I'm concerned he's welcome to come and he's more than welcome to leave," said Abu Mohammed, 57, a cigarette and chewing gum vendor on the streets of the capital.

Abu Sara, a Baghdad restaurant owner, said: "We welcome Bush as we welcome any guest who comes peacefully. But we want to draw attention to the fact that there is no security, no jobs and no services well into the American occupation of Iraq."

Bush's close ally, Prime Minister Tony Blair, visited British troops in Iraq in May. This month some of the other leaders in the coalition have flown in, including Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller and Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas.

With violence mounting of late, Washington said it would send thousands more Marines to Iraq next year to fight guerrillas it blames for attacks on U.S.-led occupying forces.

It had no ready comment on the proposed changes to the sovereignty plan, which is crucial to any U.S. exit strategy, beyond what had been said earlier this week.

The current leader of the U.S.-installed Governing Council in Iraq said the plan would be modified to ensure a central role for Islam and to take account of the cleric's wish that a planned transitional assembly be elected directly.

ISLAM MUST BE RESPECTED

Sistani's approval is seen as vital if Iraq's 60 percent Shi'ite majority is to back the political timetable. The elderly cleric rarely makes public pronouncements on politics but most Iraqi Shi'ites look to him for guidance. Under the U.S.-backed plan, regional caucuses would select an interim assembly by the end of May and this body would pick a transitional government the following month.

The government would take over sovereignty from the U.S.-led administration, formally ending the occupation, although U.S.-led foreign troops were expected to remain.

"(Sistani) requested that the allies make good on the promises they made to Iraqis. He believes, correctly, that this is democracy," Talabani said. "There's an appendix that says Islam is the religion of the majority and it must be respected and considered a main source for the constitution."

No one was hurt in the overnight attack on the Italian embassy, two weeks after 19 Italians died in a suicide blast, Italy's worst military death toll since World War II.

The U.S. Army said Major General Abed Hamed Mowhoush, an air defense officer during Saddam's rule, had died of natural causes on Thursday during questioning by American troops

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python (Alquds, 1/25/03.

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