This is from the Open Roads Forum;
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU. IT IS AN ACTUAL E-MAIL FROM A CAPT STATIONED IN IRAQ. IT CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES HOW ONE MILITARY FELT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO THE WAR ZONE.

We knew there was a dinner planned with ambassador Bremer and LTG Sanchez. There were 600 seats available and all the units in the division were tasked with filling a few tables. Naturally, the 501st MI battalion got our table. Soldiers were grumbling about having to sit through another dog-and-pony show, so we had to pick soldiers to attend. I chose not to go. But, about 1500 the G2, LTC Devan, came up to me and with a smile, asked me to come to dinner with him, to meet him in his office at 1600 and bring a camera.

I didn't really care about getting a picture with Sanchez or Bremer, but when the division's senior intelligence officer asks you to go, you go. We were seated in the chow hall, fully decorated for thanksgiving when aaaaallllll kinds of secret service guys showed up. That was my first clue, because Bremer's been here before and his personal security detachment is not that big. Then BG Dempsey got up to speak, and he welcomed ambassador Bremer and LTG Sanchez. Bremer thanked us all and pulled out a piece of paper as if to give a speech. He mentioned that the President had given him this thanksgiving speech to give to the troops. He then paused and said that the senior man present should be the one to give it. He then looked at Sanchez, who just smiled.

Bremer then said that we should probably get someone more senior to read the speech. Then, from behind the camouflage netting, the President of the United States came around. The mess hall actually erupted with hollering. Troops bounded to their feet with shocked smiles and just began cheering with all their hearts. The building actually shook. It was just unreal. I was absolutely stunned. Not only for the obvious, but also because I was only two tables away from the podium.

There he stood, less than thirty feet away from me! The cheering went on and on and on. Soldiers were hollering, cheering, and a lot of them were crying. There was not a dry eye at my table. When he stepped up to the cheering, I could clearly see tears running down his cheeks. It was the most surreal moment I've had in years. Not since my wedding and Aaron being born. Here was this man, our President, came all the way around the world, spending 17 hours on an airplane and landing in the most dangerous airport in the world, where a plane was shot out of the sky not six days before. Just to spend two hours with his troops. Only to get on a plane and spend another 17 hours flying back. It was a great moment, and I will never forget it.

He delivered his speech, which we all loved, when he looked right at me and held his eyes on me. Then he stepped down and was just mobbed by the soldiers. He slowly worked his way all the way around the chow hall and shook every last hand extended. Every soldier who wanted a photo with the President got one. I made my way through the line, got dinner, then wolfed it down as he was still working the room. You could tell he was really enjoying himself. It wasn't just a photo opportunity.

This man was actually enjoying himself! He worked his way over the course of about 90 minutes towards my side of the room. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to shake a few hands. I got a picture with Ambassador Bremer, Talabani (acting Iraqi president) and Achmed Chalabi (another member of the ruling council) and Condaleeza Rice, who was there with him. I felt like I was drunk. He was getting closer to my table so I went back over to my seat. As he passed and posed for photos, he looked me in the eye and "How you doin', captain." I smiled and said "God bless you, sir."

To which he responded "I'm proud of what you do, captain." Then moved on.

Excursion/V-10/Limited/4x4

 

Good story. Just shows that whether everyone likes a certain president, that this one did spend more than a day of time flying to spend a few hours with the Soldiers
God Bless America!

 

unfortunatly, some of our fellow Americans that have never served in a combat zone or anywhere for an extended period of time will not be able to visualize the sincerity of it and will simply dismiss it as pure politics.

I hate how political prejudices can infulence one's perception of reality.

 

Yea me 2
I haven't been in the armed services, and I think politics does run alot of things.
But that is not one of them.

 

I wish the Commander in Chief had come visit me, anywhere, when I was serving in hostile territory. The difference that will have made to the troops is unimaginable to anyone who has not served.

Theo

 

I served in the Navy, most of the people on my ship couldn't even tell me who the president even was. Kinda depressing when you think about it. Cool letter though

 

I agree with Thoe
Instead of thinking "That sorry son of a gun sent me here to fite when he should be here"
They think "hey he atleast came over here on hostile ground"

 

I agree with ALL the good things said about the visit and I do not dismiss it as pure politics (I think I have a handle on reality), but to say there was no political component at all is not realistic. His visit, great as it truely was, made Hillary's visit to the area a non-event and cut her off at the knees and caused the President's numbers to go up 5 points.
Dono

 

I had posted this in another forum but it is how I feel about his visit.

Putting aside the politics of whether we should be there or not I think the gesture of the President putting himself over there in harms way was a great event. It was definately a moral booster for the troops. It showed those Iraqi folks we have a flexible President who is not afraid to be with his troops. It showed the media they do not know everything the president is going to do and cannot keep tabs on him if he wishes it to be so. By going over in hostile territory it can be said the President has a set of *****. And for all the good verses the bad over this historic trip it made me proud to be an American.

So Chalk one up to the President No matter what your politics are.

 

:beers:

 

Dono

Even soldiers' political prejudices affect thier view of the trip. I feel it's a safe bet to say Hillary is not the most popular politician among military personnel. I think her visit would have been viewed as less than sincere because of her and her husband's past lack of support for the U.S. military.

I'm sure Bush will benefit politicaly from citizens who care about the troops, but then that was never a problem anyway. The point is he took the time to visit them on a holiday, at the end of the most costly month yet in terms of lives, and was sincere about it. It wasn't a photo op.

I guess my underlying point is that those people who don't want Bush to be re-elected will view this visit as they did the landing on the aircraft carrier. Perhaps it's because they can't identify with the soldiers' emotions and dismiss them as trival.

 

Was there some politics involved? Probably.

Do I think his gesture was sincere? Absolutely. I'm no fan of Bush, but that was a great thing to do for the troops. I can only imagine what my reaction would have been if I had been there.
I think the critics MUST give Bush the benefit of the doubt on this one. Thumbs up, Georgie.

 

G.W. goin over there not only boosted the morale of the troops, but he was the FIRST US president in history to actually visit iraq. That helps his number back here. I think he's doin a great job with the country.

 

Please recall that I agreed with everything good said about the visit. I continue to believe that every action taken by any politician has a political component to it, that's all I said.
To suggest that all citizens who do not support the President's reelection, many who are veterans, "cannot identify with the soldiers' emotions and dismiss them as trivial" is untrue and unfair. I served in the Army and the Marines and I believe that I can support the troops and still have honest disagreement with the actions that placed them in that mess or with domestic polices that I consider ruinous.

 

I agree with you there Dono.
Good point.