The Pop-Up President
posted by Jason Mazzone
President Bush has made a surprise visit to Iraq this week. Even Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, had no idea he was coming. During the past few years the President and other members of his administration have with some frequency popped up in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places unannounced. Is this normal behavior for a President? Anybody know whether prior Presidents regularly surprised us and their hosts with unannounced trips abroad?
June 13, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Posted in: Current Events
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Responses (3)
Humble Law Student - June 13, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Isn’t the natural conclusion that he is because of security reasons? He is “popping-up” in countries containing many individuals who would love to kill him given the opportunity. He might make unnannouced visits to other, more friendly countries but I suspect that is rare. As far as I know, every visit by him and high ranking cabinent members to Iraq or Afghanistan is unannounced.
Or, were you hoping for an explanation that put Bush in a bad light?
Chris - June 13, 2006 at 3:20 pm
The rest of that question is how many Presidents and high ranking officials have routinely visited war zones?
Bruce - June 13, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I suspect Roosevelt’s big war huddles were unannounced; e.g. the mid-Atlantic meeting with Churchill, Casablanca, Tehran, and Yalta.
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