Biden makes surprise visit to Iraq

Posted: Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:31 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Security, Joe Biden

From NBC's Mark Murray
The vice president's office just announced that Joe Biden has arrived in Iraq. The visit comes just days after the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country's largest cities. Here's the release:

Vice President Biden has arrived in Iraq to visit U.S. troops and to meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Speaker of the Council of Representatives Ayad al-Samarrai. The Vice President will reiterate the United States’ commitment to fully implement the Security Agreement and the Strategic Framework Agreement and to carry out President Obama’s plan to draw down U.S. forces. He will discuss with Iraq’s leaders the importance of achieving the political progress that is necessary to ensure the nation’s long-term stability. This is Vice President Biden’s second trip to Iraq this year and his first as Vice President.

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Comments

MSNBC, What is up with not promoting Carlos Watson?

MSNBC, What is up with not promoting Carlos Watson? I have not seen any mention on what MSNBC is doing or not doing, so I am going to put them on blast. Basically for dissin' Carlos Watson and his show.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/2/749224/-MSNBC,-What-is-up-with-not-promoting-Carlos-Watson

justwaitandsee (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:39 PM)

Good to see Joe Biden touring Iraq to talk with the Iraqis regarding our withdrawal mandated by War Criminal Bush. I'm getting sick and tired of hearing War Criminal Cheney whine about the withdrawal being Obama's idea. It's also sickening to hear him talk about Osama bin Laden striking here in the USA like it will vindicate his pack of lies. Let's never forget or forgive these two War Criminals who let Osama bin Laden escape justice while invading Iraq because of a pack of lies about WMD and cooperation between Saddam and Osama.

Do we really need to keep so many combat brigades in Iraq now that they're not patrolling the cities? I don't think so. Isn't it sad that the repugnant ones think it's great to waste trillions on their unneccessary war in Iraq while whining about spending the same to provide our country with a good health care system that takes care of all of our citizens?

In Joe Biden We Trust!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:40 PM)

Did anyone come out to see Joe? He couldn't attract flys in Erie PA yesterday.

Joe's Army (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:41 PM)

Too bad no one told JB that we left Iraq a couple of days ago.

Sally Ridder (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:42 PM)

-Thoughts From Another Post-
If FR were to require registration in order to post, it would probably use the typical unique e-mail address verification. It is a simple matter to register an unlimited number of e-mail accounts, free of charge, from a number of e-mail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc) which would easily bypass that level of scrutiny and allow continued “bombing” of the site with whatever drivel you are invested in. FR could use a script to check the IP address of the sent message (unique to each computer), but that would involve another layer of complexity and I doubt that FR is willing to invest that energy (although even spoofed IP addresses are possible) and after all, it is a blog site not a double-secret NSA encrypted data center; More thoughts on hijacked names later.

Independence Day is coming. I am proud that soldiers are now getting the respect for their service that they deserve. There was a time when we didn’t say anything at all about it (except in small groups of brothers) because of the perceived stigma.
I am proud that we live in a place where we can post pretty much anything we want onto a public forum and not worry that the “secret police” can track us down and “disappear” us. (I suspect if that were the case, the boards would be considerably thinner than they are :-)

Happy Fourth of July, and celebrate your freedom!

Sam - NE TN (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:43 PM)

Joe must be getting on Obama's nerves again.

HMI - MI (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:44 PM)

Maybe they keep him there if we pay them off.

Feisty Brownhair (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:44 PM)

The important statement is that: "The Vice President will reiterate the United States’ commitment to fully implement the Security Agreement and the Strategic Framework Agreement and to carry out President Obama’s plan to draw down U.S. forces."

Keep working to bring the troops home! That is one of the many reasons why Barack and you were elected. Next year more troops will be home for the 4th.

Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:50 PM)

Remember when the Republicans told us that Obama's stimulus plan was half-baked, unread, and probably wouldn't work? Who's crying now, other then the remaining employed people that will now have to pay for that mess?

Billie Jean (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:51 PM)

One hopes that he has a script to read from, and does not diverge from it. Biden has a tendancy to say things that need to be 'clarified' or retracted by the White House; in foreign affairs, this is dangerous.

It is fine for him to provide 'comic relief' on domestic issues; quite another on foreign soil, particularly in Iraq. There's no place for one of his Yogi Berra moments on this trip.

no joe, no bo, nj (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:55 PM)

Well since this Administration has accomplished nothing since taking office, might as well have Joe go to Iraq. I guess Obama wants to give the appearance he is actually doing something. Sorry, Obama, I'm not buying you BS.

Obama is useless (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:01 PM)

This just in: Biden praised the advanced field communication used by today's military because, he said "Robert E. Lee and Gen. Grant only had those lame 2-way radios".

Chuck (stand up and let em' see ya) (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:02 PM)

Full story: Ninjas knocked Biden out and took him to Iraq.

Starr Haven (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:11 PM)

If Obama had gone the righties would be whining that he should stay home and handle the budget crisis. He sends the Veep and they complaine about that too. What a bunch of crybaby losers. I think it is great that the military personnel in Iraq may have the opportunity to meet and speak with the Vice President. He can learn alot talking to the guys and gals over there. Talking to their leaders is also a way of gauging just how ready the Iraqis are to retake control of THEIR country from the invaders. The quicker that happens the better. Fewer reasons for recruiting Muslim extremists.

eagle1776 (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:12 PM)

Just more waste of the taxpayers money for a useless trip.

Joe Taxpayer (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:14 PM)

And I'm pretty darn sure that no Iraqis will be throwing shoes at VP Biden! (Even if he puts his foot in his mouth and says something silly. Nothing Biden could say would ever be as bad as what GWB/Cheney did in invading a sovereign country under false pretenses!)

Bethie in TX (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:20 PM)

Did he have to sneak in and out under cover of darkness like bushleague and chickenhawk cheney did?

Rick, NC (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:23 PM)

Too bad no one told JB that we left Iraq a couple of days ago.
Sally Ridder (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:42 PM)

_____________________________________________________

Sally,

We didn't leave Iraq. Just the larger cities. Please pay attention, it helps with the conversation!!!!

Anutkraker, TX (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:28 PM)

Hows that stimulus tracking going DeputyDawg Biden?
Got Jobs lmao
Get CBS's Chip reid in here to ank questions of Obama lmao

Obama Loves Inspector generals (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:28 PM)

Too bad no one told JB that we left Iraq a couple of days ago.

Sally Ridder (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:42 PM)
-----------------------------------------------------
There are still lots of troops in Iraq. They just pulled out of the cities earlier this week.

A visit by the VP is a great thing. Not much is being reported on Iraq any more so anything positive that gives them attention is a good thing.

Chris - IL (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:29 PM)

Feisty, enough already. Bring Biden home.

Chris, Wexford, PA (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:31 PM)

For those of you who are worried about non-regular posters and the paid posters, I would like to make a point. First read can post anyone post, but if the answer to all of the issues from some one is “the world is flat”, then obliviously the issue is not with first read, but with people who believe the world is flat. I have been posting here for over two years and most of the original people have gone or changed handles. I miss the wit of some of the old timers like Desmond, but we still have some people from that era. About a year before the presidential elections, we began to see the influence of the paid pundits. Then, people started to call each other names, now they just attack liberals or ultra conservatives. The issues are not solved in this chat room and rarely do people change their positions. The main reason I post is for the people with open minds, so that if I offer a different view, just may be it will stir thought. People who walk in lock step with a political party are like rats following the pied piper. No one is right all of the time and no one is wrong all of the time. If you still believe the earth is flat, then obviously, well draw your own conclusions.

TEC-Spring-TX (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:43 PM)

Obama sent Biden there to help look for roadside bombs!

St. Eleutherius of Nicomedia (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:45 PM)

Joe Biden strikes me as the kind of guy who is an excellent team player. He has done a great job of projecting the persona of the "talks too much" second banana;I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he is in a meeting with no press in attendance.

JC from IA (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:47 PM)

VP Biden actually has had a plan for a weak central government "confederation" that may still be the best way for the Iraqis to organize themselves.

Joe seems to understand the complexities of Irqaq's factions. I hope he has a safe trip.

Anyone who does not think the Iraqis are happy to have control of their cities back has been drinking Darth Cheney's koolade again, lol.

Ed, FW, TX (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:53 PM)

Good move, managing this situation is key to peace in the middle-east. Biden is level headed and qualified and has the status and the presidents confidence to give this transition a chance and the Iqrai people the opportunities and support they need and deserve.

Dutchboy53 (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:57 PM)

So Joe Biden does his job, goes to Iraq where our brave man and women are fighting and dying every day. What do Sally, Joe, HMI and Feisty say about it? Just crap, complete trash. Nonsensical personal attacks.

Joe Biden didn't start this stupid war, he and Obama are just trying to finish it. Personally, I respect their efforts. While some people can't find anything better to do than show off their own foolishness on this website, Joe is working for a better world. You should be ashamed.

Frank (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 3:03 PM)

Biden woke up on the plane and yelled
"Iraq! I thought you were taking me to Dairy Queen."

St. Eleutherius of Nicomedia (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 3:15 PM)

IRAQ.

Biden probably thought he was in Turkey and thought "there's no trouble here."

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 3:34 PM)

This 4th of July, I think everyone needs to take a moment and think about our soldiers, and their families who sacrifice continually on our behalf--regardless of your political motivations.

Everything else in life is small compared to the daily anguish our soldiers and veterans must endure.

Bless your all and thank you for your patriotism, valor, and stoic discipline: soldiers, potectors, and friends.

Andrew Caz (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 3:38 PM)

Obama sent Biden there to help look for roadside bombs!
St. Eleutherius of Nicomedia (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:45 PM)
_________

If they are looking for bombs, they can start with all the failed apologies and explanations Sanford has tried to foist on the public in the last week.

If they want to find deeper bombs, they can look in the vicinity of the GOP approval ratings.

Nothing saintly about you (Sent Thursday, July 02, 2009 3:46 PM)

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