Diplomatic Detour

I was showing some out-of-town relatives the Lincoln Memorial on Thanksgiving Day 2003 when I got the call that President Bush had shown up in Baghdad.

That ended my vacation day as lots of journalists gave up turkey to report on how the president had served (fake) turkey to the troops and pulled off a daring move in a war that was not yet as horribly unpopular as it would soon become.

But the "surprise" visit soon became a cliche, as the likes of Don Rumsfeld, Condi Rice and Dick Cheney would periodically show up in Iraq and the novelty wore off. The trips were unannounced for legitimate security reasons, but they lost their impact, especially as the public turned fervently against the seemingly endless war.

But who was expecting President Obama to show up in Baghdad yesterday? The White House showed it can keep a secret and seized an opportunity to showcase Obama as a hands-on commander-in-chief. Pictures of a president with whooping and hollering American soldiers, in a war zone, have always been a plus.

The irony, of course, is that Obama ran against the Iraq war. Indeed, his primary candidacy against Hillary Clinton was built on his 2002 speech opposing the invasion, and as president he has done what he promised to a set a timetable for withdrawal.

But many things could go wrong -- and in Afghanistan as well -- so it can't hurt a new president to be seen conducting an on-site inspection of the divisive war he inherited.

"President Obama made a surprise visit to Baghdad on Tuesday, declaring it time for U.S. troops to start leaving and Iraqis to take complete charge of their country. Events on the ground illustrated how difficult that may yet prove to be," says the L.A. Times.

"The number of violent incidents in Baghdad has been increasing: Six car bombs exploded in the capital the day before Obama's visit, killing 36 people. Another detonated Tuesday before he arrived, killing nine more. The attacks all targeted Shiite neighborhoods, hinting at rising sectarian tensions."

Boston Globe: "President Obama drew praise from troops and veterans groups for his surprise visit yesterday to Baghdad, another step in his concerted effort to win the support of the military despite having opposed the Iraq war and never having served in uniform . . .

"The unscheduled trip to Baghdad is Obama's latest gesture designed to win over the armed forces since he went on a 'listening tour' with top Pentagon brass seven weeks ago. Last month, speaking to Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Obama promised a pay increase and more help for wounded veterans -- his biggest applause line in a speech detailing his plan to end the Iraq war and bring troops home."

Any time you can get a New York Post headline like "Troops in Iraq Cheer 'GI' O," you've come out ahead:

"President Obama was welcomed like a returning war hero yesterday by hundreds of ecstatic US troops during a surprise visit to Iraq."