The Interocitor

Reaction to Bush in Iraq

At NRO, a couple items are posted about Bush's trip and its effects. First about Hillary

Sen. Hillary Clinton also is in Iraq. So far, at least, she’s not criticizing Bush. She’s not saying the war was unjustified or a plot hatched in Texas. She’s not dropping hints about how the U.S. could cut-and-run and make it look like an endorsement of the U.N. or of principled multilateralism.

Instead, she’s praising the troops. She’s praising the humanitarian effort. She’s praising Coalition efforts to assist an Iraqi “transition toward democracy.”

Then this from a GI:

I just wanted to drop you guys a note from here in downtown Baghdad where I interact with the local population on a daily basis. The President's visit was even more of a morale boost to the Iraqis than it was to the troops. When the President of the U.S.A. visits a place like this, it's like the most popular kid in school coming to a party hosted by the A.V. club. The Iraqis feel validated and Al Jazeera looked foolish in the eyes of the Iraqis trying to find a negative spin to the story.

And similar at the HealingIraq blog:

I watched it all on Al-Jazeera later, and as usual, they described it as a cheap attempt by Bush & Co. to boost American public opinion in his favour for the upcoming election campaign. You could easily detect the anguish in their anaylsis to the fact that Bush didn't go down to the streets or meet everyday Iraqis, or that Air Force 1 wasn't hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by Iraqi militants. They were really frustrated. Their news have become so predictable. My father was peculiarly furious with one of these 'analysts', he almost kicked the tv. The guy was saying that this visit would practically achieve nothing, or to be more accurate "would trick nobody". He also said that it would have no effect whatsoever on morals of American troops...etc.

Well that's pretty clear. So what does the mainstream US press have to say? The AP reports

President Bush's surprise visit to Iraq was the talk of Baghdad's teahouses, kebab shops and mosques Friday, with many Iraqis asking why he didn't take advantage of his trip to see firsthand how his rule has treated them.

Hmmm ... yup, that's AP, not Al-Jazeera. What you want to bet the reporter never actually went to a teahouse, mosque or kebab shop?

Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was killed when four mortar shells pounded a 101st Airborne Division base in the northern city of Mosul.

So, what does this have to do with Bush's trip? A cop was shot in Burbank last week, too.

Also Friday, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jack Reed arrived in Baghdad a day after Bush's visit, saying it isn't too late to bring the United Nations back to Iraq.

Clinton and Reed said the expense and political burden in administering Iraq would be made easier with the U.N.'s stamp of legitimacy and help in transferring power to Iraqis.

"I'm a big believer that we ought to internationalize this, but it will take a big change in our administration's thinking," the former first lady said. "I don't see that it's forthcoming."

But wait, I thought this is exactly what these patriots weren't saying. Is the NRO shilling for Clinton? Or is the AP putting words in her mouth? Or does she tell different things to different reporters? Or was this simply something else the AP cribbed from al-Jazeera?

At the same time, many Baghdad residents on Friday complained that Bush met with few Iraqis during his secret, two-hour stay Thursday evening and never left the grounds of a heavily fortified U.S. base. Several called the trip an electoral stunt, and took offense that he would use their country as his stage.

"He visited Iraq for the sake of the Americans, not the Iraqis. He didn't come to see how we are doing," Muzher Abd Hanush, 54, said in his barbershop. "To come, say hello and leave - what good does that do?"

Hmmm ... just what al-JaQaeda reports. Another coincidence.

But among Iraqis generally disappointed in the U.S.-led occupation [e.g. Saddam -ed], the trip swayed few opinions.

Some people applauded what they called a bold move and expressed vague hopes that it would help bring security, political stability and jobs to their war-shattered country. But they stressed it was results - not a photo opportunity - that would boost Bush's popularity here....

"He came for the sake of the elections," Kheiri said. "He never thought of the Iraqi people. He doesn't care about us. It was a personal visit for his own sake."

Never mind the tiring slant on all of this... the Iraqis had better care about the elections in the US. Because if Bush loses it will because the US gave up on Iraq.
(some links via Instapundit)

Posted by Kevin Murphy at November 28, 2003 03:48 PM | TrackBack