Bush Stuns U.S. Troops With Baghdad Visit
Iraq Trip A First For An American President; Security High
POSTED: 8:22 am CST November 27, 2003
UPDATED: 2:09 pm CST November 27, 2003
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- President George W. Bush made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to American troops in Baghdad on Thursday, flying secretly to Iraq to thank U.S. forces for serving there.
"You are defending the American people from danger and we are grateful," Bush told about 600 stunned soldiers who cheered his every statement. The president took a moment to collect himself after his introduction, and tears welled in his eyes.After his remarks to the troops, Bush stood in a chow line and dished out sweet potatoes and corn for dinner, while also posing with a platter of turkey.It was the first trip ever by an American president to Iraq. U.S. officials said the tense mission to Iraq would have been called off if word got out. On the way there, a White House spokesman told reporters that if word of the trip was leaked, Air Force One would turn around and go home. First lady Laura Bush only found out about the trip earlier this week. The president's parents weren't told -- even though they were invited to the Texas ranch for the family dinner. Many of the Secret Service agents guarding Bush at the Crawford ranch didn't know the president was leaving.L. Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. administrator in Iraq, began speaking to the soldiers before they knew their commander-in-chief was there. Bremer said he was supposed to give the presidential proclamation, but then looked around and said he thought the proclamation was supposed to be given to the most senior official on the premises."Let's see if we can find anyone a little more senior," Bremer said, introducing Bush as the troops cheered.The White House didn't announce the brief trip until after Bush was already back in the air heading home. The president limited his time on the ground to two hours, including dinner with U.S. forces at the airport.The president's plane -- its lights darkened and windows closed to minimzie chances of making it a target -- landed under a crescent moon.The White House had said Bush would be spending the holiday with his family at their Crawford, Texas, ranch. Instead, Bush secretly left Crawford in an unmarked vehicle Wednesday night and flew to Washington to collect aides and some reporters who had been sworn to secrecy in an extraordinary operation. Even the president's parents -- who were invited to the ranch -- were not told of the visit.Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush, visited U.S. troops at a desert outpost in Saudi Arabia on Thanksgiving Day 1990, in the runup to the Persian Gulf War. The former president also shared lunch with the soldiers. They were 65 miles from Kuwait, which was occupied at the time by Saddam Hussein's forces.The senior Bush had been the first American president to visit a front-line area since President Richard Nixon went to Vietnam in 1969.
"You are defending the American people from danger and we are grateful," Bush told about 600 stunned soldiers who cheered his every statement. The president took a moment to collect himself after his introduction, and tears welled in his eyes.After his remarks to the troops, Bush stood in a chow line and dished out sweet potatoes and corn for dinner, while also posing with a platter of turkey.It was the first trip ever by an American president to Iraq. U.S. officials said the tense mission to Iraq would have been called off if word got out. On the way there, a White House spokesman told reporters that if word of the trip was leaked, Air Force One would turn around and go home. First lady Laura Bush only found out about the trip earlier this week. The president's parents weren't told -- even though they were invited to the Texas ranch for the family dinner. Many of the Secret Service agents guarding Bush at the Crawford ranch didn't know the president was leaving.L. Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. administrator in Iraq, began speaking to the soldiers before they knew their commander-in-chief was there. Bremer said he was supposed to give the presidential proclamation, but then looked around and said he thought the proclamation was supposed to be given to the most senior official on the premises."Let's see if we can find anyone a little more senior," Bremer said, introducing Bush as the troops cheered.The White House didn't announce the brief trip until after Bush was already back in the air heading home. The president limited his time on the ground to two hours, including dinner with U.S. forces at the airport.The president's plane -- its lights darkened and windows closed to minimzie chances of making it a target -- landed under a crescent moon.The White House had said Bush would be spending the holiday with his family at their Crawford, Texas, ranch. Instead, Bush secretly left Crawford in an unmarked vehicle Wednesday night and flew to Washington to collect aides and some reporters who had been sworn to secrecy in an extraordinary operation. Even the president's parents -- who were invited to the ranch -- were not told of the visit.Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush, visited U.S. troops at a desert outpost in Saudi Arabia on Thanksgiving Day 1990, in the runup to the Persian Gulf War. The former president also shared lunch with the soldiers. They were 65 miles from Kuwait, which was occupied at the time by Saddam Hussein's forces.The senior Bush had been the first American president to visit a front-line area since President Richard Nixon went to Vietnam in 1969.
Troops Jolted By Visit
One soldier says it was enough to get his morale back up for a couple more months.The hundreds of troops who were in a Baghdad lunch hall when Bush unexpectedly showed up were stunned that the commander-in-chief came to see them.Some had been getting ornery because they had been stuck in lockdown in the hall for more than an hour, without being told why.One soldier admitted he was getting mad. But that changed pretty quickly.Troops Take Time For Thanksgiving
About 100 runners kicked off Thanksgiving celebrations in Iraq with an early morning "camel trot" through Saddam Hussein's palace complex in downtown Baghdad, past bombed-out mansions and concrete blast walls topped with razor wire.In Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, thousands of American soldiers celebrated Thanksgiving with imported turkey, cranberry sauce, a rock concert and a jog across a sandbagged camp dotted with bombed-out palaces. Mess halls are serving special turkey dinners. Troops have organized races, football games and even concerts.The "camel trot," a makeshift name for the better known "turkey trot," participants got trophies and medals retrieved from the building that used to house the Iraqi Olympic Committee.Army nurse Beverly Corbett says she misses her family and friends today but was looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with her colleagues.In the kitchen in Tikrit, Army Pfc. Tracei Och of Pensacola, Fla., could hardly stay awake after slicing roast turkey all night. Och, in a white chef hat, was one of 18 Army soldiers preparing turkey with help from a few dozen Indian cooks.Och said she'd rather be cooking back home for a smaller crowd. About 5,000 soldiers were expected for lunch and a similar number for dinner.In the military compound next to Baghdad's Mother of All Battles Mosque, tents and dormitories were decorated with papier-mache turkeys and orange streamers. Most of the 1,500 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division on base got a day off, taking part in volleyball, basketball and football matches.But not all was happy in Iraq on the uniquely American holiday.Insurgents fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the Italian mission in Baghdad overnight, damaging the building but causing no injuries.On Thursday, a witness reported an American military convoy came under attack on the main highway west of Baghdad. An Associated Press TV cameraman filmed two military trucks on fire and townspeople looting tires and other parts.In Mosul, a general said unidentified gunmen shot an Iraqi police sergeant dead.On the political front, two top Shiite Muslim leaders delivered a setback for U.S. diplomats in Iraq, criticizing the U.S. plan to transfer power to Iraqis.Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
