The President at Bagram
Stars & Stripes reports that President Obama made a surprise trip to visit the troops in Afghanistan today. Good on him;
Air Force One landed at Bagram Air Field, the main U.S. base in Afghanistan, after an overnight flight from Washington. Obama was scheduled to spend just a few hours on the base and had no plans to travel to Kabul, the capital, to meet with Hamid Karzai, the mercurial president who has had a tumultuous relationship with the White House.
Obama’s surprise trip came as the U.S. and NATO withdraw most of their forces ahead of a year-end deadline.
If I’m not mistaken, it’s the first time he’s been there since he was running for president in 2008. I’m sure if I missed a trip, y’all will tell me about it.
Now fire Shinseki.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden
He commandeered the basketball court in the clamshell in 08 for a photo op. Fobbits were hot!
Airborne…that will teach me to read first. Thanks for the info.
WTF? He’s not wearing his reflective belt, that’s unsafe!
Incorrect, OP. This is President Obama’s fourth trip to Afghanistan since assuming office, though his last trip was back in May of 2012, from which when he made an address to the nation.
How presidential. That’s probably as far away as he could get from Shinseki.
Apparently before the crapolla hit the phan, Pres 0 only had one formal meeting at the WH w/ Shinseki. These guys don’t talk…ditto w/ rest of his Cabinet (w/ exception Holder maybe)and members on the Hill – both Dems & GOP. Don’t forget how often he’s been accused of skipping national security briefings. Guy is seriously isolated…sadly media jump through their A$$ to cover for him.
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s the first time he’s been there since he was running for president in 2008. I’m sure if I missed a trip, y’all will tell me about it.
Now fire Shinseki.”
Jonn, if I’m not mistaken you are correct, unless I missed something, so someone else correct me if I’m off.
Can’t fire Shinseki soon enough!!!
No, Jonn is incorrect. Obama has made four trips to Afghanistan, the most recent of which (other than this one, of course) was in May of 2012, one year to the day after Bin Laden was killed: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/01/remarks-president-address-nation-afghanistan
Got a reliable source, Chris?
Other than the one already cited, which is the transcript of his speech from Bagram? Just google “President Obama trip to Afghanistan.” It’s not hard. I’ll do the legwork for you though:
March 28, 2010: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/28/obama-makes-surprise-visit-afghanistan/
December 3: 2010: http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/12/03/us-afghanistan-usa-obama-idUSN0314170320101203
May 1-2, 2012: http://www.cfr.org/afghanistan/obamas-remarks-troops-afghanistan-may-2012/p28136
And of course this trip makes four. I’m not here to either defend or bash the guy. I just want to make sure we’ve all got the facts straight.
That is to say four trips as President. I seem to recall a trip or two as a candidate as well.
Don’t think it’ll make a lick of difference. An interim secretary w/ very little power will just fill in for the remainder of Obama’s lame duck time in office. The can will get kicked to the next administration to nominate a warm body for VA secy and figure out what the hell to do. Basically – good luck to you…better you than me.
Calm down, everyone. The troops were secondary, even incidental. He was there to kick-off the Afghanistan Spring. It worked so well elsewhere. And, for the love of Mike, I hope he doesn’try to throw a baseball again, the Mom-jeans wearing sissy mary.
Other trips: May 1-2, 2012-Bagram, March 28, 2010-Bagram, December 3, 2010-Bagram, April 7, 2009-Baghdad.
To clarify, I know Baghdad isn’t AFG, but thise were trips to OEF/OIF as president.
According to an on-line report attributed to the Associated Press, Karzai refused to meet Obama at Bagram Air Base, says US official.
Talk about an ungrateful son of a bitch.
Here is what was reported:
Bagram (Afghanistan) (AFP) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai was offered a meeting with President Barack Obama at Bagram Air Base outside Kabul but declined, a US official said Sunday. The official said that Washington was not surprised that the meeting did not work out at short notice, after Obama…
AFP
Gratitude not withstanding, would you want to meet with him?
Sorry, I’m booked.;-)
AW1Ed Yep, Karzai’s aide said, “Obama’s on the horn, says he wants to meet with you or something?” Karzai, “Give it here”. “Yea Barack, you want to meet eh? Well I would except I’m right in the middle of taking a wicked dump, so maybe next time you’re in town. Say hey to the Mrs. Allahu Akbar to you too.” Hangs up and says, “Dipshit! Hey you…hand me another roll of that good American Charmin will ya. Man I’m gonna miss this stuff when it’s gone!”
Karzai’s bilked enough Billions off us being there that 10 generations of his family, at least, will be able to live comfortably in Dubai. Once the next president steps up, all you’ll see is the dust from his sprinting to his private jet to fly out of Afghanistan.
Kind of similar to what Obama will be doing I imagine.
“Talk about an ungrateful son of a bitch.” Who, the skinny sonofabitch or the other one?
You will be pleased to know that this wasn’t a PR gimmick to sidestep the shitstorm at home over the VA. No, Susan (Video) Rice was with him, so you know he was serious. Plus, according to the WP, he was to be there a couple of hours. How serious is that!
If my Top or CO asked me if I wanted the chance to see and/or maybe meet Obama, I’d reply, “is there any chance of extra duty to clean latrines?”
I was in Bosnia in Christmas 97 when he brought the family to Sarajevo to meet with the government there. I even got tagged for security detail making Air Force 1 look more presidential.
Our S-1 was walking from office to office asking people to volunteer to be hand-shakers and it took them going thru the entire unit to find enough people. I’m glad I was on detail for that.
I will say that he at the least brought some ATT calling cards with him for every Soldier, so that was something. More than Obama’s done for the military in his entire presidency.
Politics aside, I am glad he is getting a glimpse of what goes on and showing some respect.
Yeah, Old Dog, yours is the mature attitude. I’m taking the other one. The SOB has done nothing of positive substance for our military, has hurt Veterans, and has run roughshod over the Constitution and absolutely, fundamentally abused the powers of his office directly and through his appointees. But we are supposed to clap for the bastard because, among dozens of vacations and Lord knows how many fundraisers, he takes a few precious hours to visit a few hundred troops for a photo op? F that.
Veterans are dying because of the fuckups at the VA? Look, over there!! Squirrel, A trip to Bagram.
This may go down in history as one of those few efforts at transparency from this Regime. Transparent as hell.
And the uproar from the left about him wearing a leather flight jacket begins when?
This administration has been a disaster for veterans, active duty, the Afghanistan war, and the global war on terror.
What an insult.
When he flew over in 2012 a shit ton of mil air flights were cancelled. Guys going out on leave and/or returning were simply fu#ked…military as well as contractors. PAX terminal backed up for a week or so, just because Obama jetted in for a few hours. First to serve, last to eat…yeah, I don’t think so. That’s the only thing I have against these type of trips, they screw over the little guys big time…all for a photo op. Well, the expense pisses me off as well.
when I read this:
Obama told the troops, “For many of you, this will be your last tour in Afghanistan,” a comment was met with an eruption of applause. “America’s war in Afghanistan will come to a responsible end.” –
coffee shot through my nose….
Love how he lines up the Soldiers behind him as a backdrop for a speech.
Bush just walked in and started serving them Thanksgiving dinner.
You do know that was a fake plastic turkey Pres Bush served up doncha? 😉
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/27/media-still-feasting-on-bush-fake-turkey-claim/
It was not fake, it was a cooked turkey meant for display. That’s what the article you linked to says—
“The photo resulting from the visit was iconic — possibly history’s most famous picture of a cooked turkey. It’s certainly the most misunderstood. Despite being a real turkey, meant as a decoration for the chow line, Mr. Bush’s political opponents seized on it, erroneously claiming it was plastic.”
I think Devtun was being sarcastic.
Now I see that! I wasn’t offended…
No offense meant…have a good’un and be safe.
It didn’t taste fake.
And it was nice having a server that gave out decent sized portions, for once.