To: Dayuhan who wrote (18122 ) 11/30/2003 6:10:24 AM From: Sam Read Replies (2) | Respond to Of course the visit was a political stunt, but what’s wrong with that? That’s the nature of politics, you couldn’t expect any politician to do otherwise. the president wanted to send a message," said Rice. Some critics, including the presidential campaign of retired general Wesley Clark (news - web sites), said the brevity and cloak-and-dagger nature of the visit -- which the White House sold as a morale-booster -- actually showed how little Washington has accomplished in Iraq since taking control in April. domestic political considerations overshadow every other consideration in this White House. They totally ignored the fact that this visit highlights just how insecure Iraq is, and how that is how the White House really sees the situation despite assertions to the contrary, or at least "hints" that the situation is under control, that this is just a few "bitterenders" or Al Qaeda people (take your pick, depends on whom you are talking to and what they want to prove to you as to which group they choose as dominant) fighting the inevitable swing to "democracy" in Iraq. His manner of sneaking in and out like he did is bound to make the opposition in Iraq even bolder, IMO, and is a kind of parody of what they say Saddam is doing, moving around daily or even hourly to avoid capture and/or assassination.
