Bush’s Trip to Iraq: Morale Booster or Just a Photo Op?

Re President Bush’s Thanksgiving trip to Baghdad, Nov. 28: I got teary-eyed more than once watching the president addressing the troops. Obviously it was a great morale booster for everyone, including Americans here, but I wonder how much this trip will raise Arab ire toward us and whether this will raise the danger level.

Also, I wonder if this trip was motivated more for the photo op, reminiscent of Bush’s landing on the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on May 1.

Joshua Simon

Woodland Hills

In another burst of superpatriotism, Bush sneaked into Baghdad and served up some turkey PR. He spoke of terrorism. It appears his real purpose for going to Iraq in the first place was lost in a reelection appearance thousands of miles from home at taxpayers’ expense.

Dale A. Page

Granada Hills

Look at the faces of the soldiers around Bush in your front-page photo. They say “Why didn’t you stay home?” I couldn’t find one smile except for the female soldier the president has his arm around. One picture tells it all.

Mary Jacobs

Los Angeles

Bush’s unannounced visit to Baghdad is being touted as a very risky endeavor. It would be an act of courage were he to fly into the heart of Mosul in the light of day with full notice of his impending arrival. I perceive his visit as a pusillanimous act, not a resounding feat of bravery.

Lynne Savage

San Diego

Hail to the chief for his bravery in visiting the troops in Baghdad. And hail to The Times for its two-sided coverage of the war. While the big three TV networks paint a tragic picture of flailing U.S. servicemen being systematically assassinated, your paper has been uncompromising, honestly reporting coalition victories daily. I am pleasantly surprised.

Mitch Twersky

Culver City

I see Bush decided to sneak in and out of Baghdad in the dead of night. Isn’t that a sad commentary about his popularity among the 25 million people he recently “liberated”?

Al Kubera

Orange

No doubt there were all sorts of contingency plans to extricate the president from Baghdad if something had gone wrong during his Thanksgiving trip. Now, if Bush could just come up with an exit strategy for the troops he left behind in Iraq, where plenty has gone wrong.

Claudia E. Smith

Rancho Santa Fe