Cheney Flies to Baghdad

Yochi J. Dreazen reports on the vice president’s trip to Baghdad.

Vice President Dick Cheney’s surprise trip to Baghdad today was meant to deliver a tough message to the Iraqi government – put off your vacation plans and get back to work.

U.S. officials have been livid since discovering that Iraq’s fledgling parliament – hardly a hive of activity in the first place – was planning to take a two-month summer recess, postponing work on a bill spelling out how oil money would be shared among Iraq’s ethnic and sectarian groups or a law authorizing new regional elections.

The new American ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, told reporters flying with Cheney that the vice president would convey American displeasure over the planned vacation. “The reality is, with the major effort we’re making, the major effort the Iraqi security forces and military are making themselves, for the Iraqi parliament to take a two-month vacation in the middle of summer is impossible to understand,” Crocker said.

Once safely ensconced in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, however, Cheney appeared to reserve his toughest language for his normal target – the press. Cheney held a lot of photo ops with key Iraqi leaders like Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, but was adamant about not taking questions. At one point, Cheney emphasized to the assembled journalists that “this is just a photo spray.” Later in the day, as reporters filed into an embassy conference room for another photo of Cheney they overheard him tell his staff “then we kick the press out.”

Now Cheney is in the business of canceling people’s vacations. He could start with his own boss.

Dick Cheney is moving from malevolence to ridiculousness.

5 Comments

boran2 on May 9, 2007 at 3:05 pm

NYT link

“The vice president is somebody who has long relations with many of the key leaders in the region, and therefore, is able to deal with them on a basis of personal trust and confidence,” said the White House press secretary, Tony Snow.

Yes, Dick Cheney the great conciliator. Embrace Dick Cheney.

dada on May 9, 2007 at 3:17 pm

malevolent ridiculousness…only scratches the surface.

after the photo spray…not dissimilar to a buckshot spray…the dark lord returned to his aluminum coffin inside The Spirit of Strom Thurmond.

control+clik to enlarge

lTMF’sA

[

billjpa on May 9, 2007 at 3:34 pm

the reasoning behing the dark ones’ trip to the Bag is simple. He and his spawn are paralyzed with fear at the prospect of the “Summer Vacation”. I sincerely hope that they (Iraqi Gov) decides to take the vacation that they planned. I bet anyone that the sounds of screaming and ranting coming from the WH will be heard across this once great country. What a effing joke.

MikeInOhio on May 9, 2007 at 3:39 pm

From Think Progress

Today was Vice President Cheney’s second trip to Baghdad. Dan Froomkin reminds us of his first, in December 2005, when a Marine corporal told Cheney during a Q&A session: “From our perspective, we don’t see much as far as gains. I was wondering what it looks like from the big side of the mountain — how Iraq’s looking.”

“`Well, Iraq’s looking good,’ Cheney responded. `It’s hard sometimes, if you look at just the news, to have the good stories burn through. Part of it is that what we’re doing here, obviously, takes time. From our perspective, looking back, as I say, to a year and a half ago, I think it’s remarkable progress. I think we’ve turned the corner, if you will. I think when we look back from 10 years hence, we’ll see that the year `05 was in fact a watershed year here in Iraq.`

“Cheney…also discussed the possibility of American forces eventually withdrawing `to a few locations’ in Iraq, which would `reduce the total number of personnel we need here.’

“`I think you will see changes in our deployment patterns probably within this next year,’ he said.”

Yes, we have definitely seen “changes in our deployment pattern”. One thing hasn’t changed. Blood is still red and it is still flowing in waves. And yes, Dick, it is hard if you look at, you know, just the news. It’s better if you only look at your “created reality”.

And it all takes time, you know. That dreaded time factor. There’s always a need for just a “little more time”. Just don’t look at the clock, Dick would advise. Timekeeping has a such well known liberal bias, you know. So don’t look at the news. And don’t look at the clock. If you don’t do those two things then “Well, Iraq’s looking good”, he says.

Remarkable progress, indeed.

WORST PRESIDENT EVER

hens teeth on May 9, 2007 at 4:31 pm

At one point, Cheney emphasized to the assembled journalists that “this is just a photo spray.” Later in the day, as reporters filed into an embassy conference room for another photo of Cheney they overheard him tell his staff “then we kick the press out.”

All the way to Iraq to get his picture taken.

boran2 on May 9, 2007 at 3:05 pm

NYT link

“The vice president is somebody who has long relations with many of the key leaders in the region, and therefore, is able to deal with them on a basis of personal trust and confidence,” said the White House press secretary, Tony Snow.

Yes, Dick Cheney the great conciliator. Embrace Dick Cheney.
dada on May 9, 2007 at 3:17 pm

malevolent ridiculousness…only scratches the surface.

after the photo spray…not dissimilar to a buckshot spray…the dark lord returned to his aluminum coffin inside The Spirit of Strom Thurmond.

control+clik to enlarge

lTMF’sA

[
billjpa on May 9, 2007 at 3:34 pm

the reasoning behing the dark ones’ trip to the Bag is simple. He and his spawn are paralyzed with fear at the prospect of the “Summer Vacation”. I sincerely hope that they (Iraqi Gov) decides to take the vacation that they planned. I bet anyone that the sounds of screaming and ranting coming from the WH will be heard across this once great country. What a effing joke.
MikeInOhio on May 9, 2007 at 3:39 pm

From Think Progress

Today was Vice President Cheney’s second trip to Baghdad. Dan Froomkin reminds us of his first, in December 2005, when a Marine corporal told Cheney during a Q&A session: “From our perspective, we don’t see much as far as gains. I was wondering what it looks like from the big side of the mountain — how Iraq’s looking.”

“`Well, Iraq’s looking good,’ Cheney responded. `It’s hard sometimes, if you look at just the news, to have the good stories burn through. Part of it is that what we’re doing here, obviously, takes time. From our perspective, looking back, as I say, to a year and a half ago, I think it’s remarkable progress. I think we’ve turned the corner, if you will. I think when we look back from 10 years hence, we’ll see that the year `05 was in fact a watershed year here in Iraq.`

“Cheney…also discussed the possibility of American forces eventually withdrawing `to a few locations’ in Iraq, which would `reduce the total number of personnel we need here.’

“`I think you will see changes in our deployment patterns probably within this next year,’ he said.”

Yes, we have definitely seen “changes in our deployment pattern”. One thing hasn’t changed. Blood is still red and it is still flowing in waves. And yes, Dick, it is hard if you look at, you know, just the news. It’s better if you only look at your “created reality”.

And it all takes time, you know. That dreaded time factor. There’s always a need for just a “little more time”. Just don’t look at the clock, Dick would advise. Timekeeping has a such well known liberal bias, you know. So don’t look at the news. And don’t look at the clock. If you don’t do those two things then “Well, Iraq’s looking good”, he says.

Remarkable progress, indeed.

WORST PRESIDENT EVER
hens teeth on May 9, 2007 at 4:31 pm

At one point, Cheney emphasized to the assembled journalists that “this is just a photo spray.” Later in the day, as reporters filed into an embassy conference room for another photo of Cheney they overheard him tell his staff “then we kick the press out.”

All the way to Iraq to get his picture taken.

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