Why Did Rumsfeld Made a Surprise Christmas Eve Visit to Iraq?

[Placebo]

MOSUL, Iraq -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived for an unannounced Christmas Eve visit early Friday with U.S. troops at a base in northern Iraq where 22 people died in a suicide bombing earlier in the week.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/23/iraq.main/index.html

[tedzbear]

1. Because Al Franken is already there entertaining the troops...

Franken's on a USO tour of Iraq.

[Goldeneye]

2. pr and photo ops

and a whole lot of damage control

[radar]

5. Annnddd....

...When it's a suprise - anyone wising him harm can't make plans ahead of time.

Oh yeah, it's safer in Iraq since Saddam was removed....

[Zensea]

3. To show just how sensitive a guy he is

Didn't you read the headline today abouut how Rumsfeld was "subdued" because of all the criticism and remember Bush said the other day that he knew he had a good heart.
Speaking of Bush, he's probably at his ranch, right?

[elperromagico]

4. To deliver the long-awaited Presentation Turkey ®.

You know, the same kind Bush delivered the Thanksgiving before last.

[Career Prole]

7. LOL! I hope they dusted it off

and touched up the paint! :D

[radar]

8. Oh Yeah...

...That's right - the prez got an action figure out of that.

I reckon Rummy might be jealous - "I'm the defense expert - where's my GI Joe sized action figure?"

[TwentyFive]

10. Not the plastic turkey again? Probably the same old prop as * used

[elperromagico]

15. Yes, plastic.

The Acme Presentation Turkey ® is guaranteed not to break, even in the most extreme temperatures.

[cidliz2004]

6. Cover Your Ass!

That is why!

[Stinky The Clown]

9. He went to confession and now he's doing his pennance

6 Our Fathers, 6 Hail Marys, and 2 trips to Iraq.

[stopbush]

11. Rummy quotes from today...

"Even with the biggest, brightest Xtian holiday of the year, you can still get blownd up."

"Even with the best Halliburton-issue mess tent, you can still get blownd up."

"Even with a personal Xmas visit from the SecDef, you can still get blownd up by New Years."

"Is there gonna be a Xmas holiday this year? You bet! Are YOU gonna get what you want most? Can't say."

"See, during my last visit, that reporter planted a bomb of a question with that soldier. Seems to me that gave the insurgents the idea to plant a bomb in the mess tent."

"Do I care? Sure do! By my own admission, I'm about the most caring SecDef we've got. Will that keep ya from gettin' blownd up? Can't say."

"Anyone here seen a guy with funny clothes and a long beard? Do I mean Osama? Maybe. Do I mean Santa Claus? Probably."

[elperromagico]

16. LOL! Those are great.

:thumbsup:

[LynnTheDem]

18. LOL!!!

:D

[proudbluestater]

12. To deliver the plastic turkey just like Bush?

[Newsjock]

13. Because they thought Kerry would be in the news

And they were desperate to steal the news cycle from Kerry's filing in Ohio that didn't happen because of the weather.

[quaoar]

14. Rumsfeld went to Iraq to personally take command of the troops

He's going to hop into one of those Humvees with no armor and lead the charge into the streets of Fallujah to secure the city for the forces of democracy. The terrorists will be desperate to stop him. They'll fire dozens of RPGs at his Humvee but they will all miss.

Rumsfeld's Humvee will hit one of those cowardly IEDs in the road, but somehow he'll survive. He'll emerge from the wreckage of his vehicle -- wounded and bloody -- with a 50-caliber machine gun in each hand and blast the living shit out of dozens and dozens of freedom-hating terrorists.

When he has run out of ammo, Rummy will mount the pile of dead Iraqis and proclaim, "I love the smell of flesh in the morning. It smells like victory."

And then the director will say, "Cut."

[radar]

17. Loved it!!!

I have a visual of him standing up in an open(topless) humvee leading a charge against the enemy bunkers. Hair blowing in the wind.

Only thing missing is the hand to hand combat - he uses his hands so well when explaining how great things are....

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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[IHeart1993]

20. So Faux will talk about something besides

"Christmas under Siege"