Dick Cheney in Iraq

Revolt · Dec 19, 2005

Facing tough questions from battle-weary troops, Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday cited signs of progress in Iraq and signaled that force changes could come in 2006.
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A little comedy gold:

U.S. forces guarded Cheney with weapons at the ready while Iraqi soldiers, who had no weapons, held their arms out as if they were carrying imaginary guns.
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Shouts of "hooah!" from the audience interrupted Cheney a few times, but mostly the service members listened intently. When he delivered the applause line, "We're in this fight to win. These colors don't run," the only sound was a lone whistle.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/12/18/international/i121811S43.DTL&feed=rss.news

''From our perspective, we don't see much as far as gains," said Marine Corporal Bradley Warren, the first to question Cheney in a round-table discussion with about 30 military members. ''We're looking at small-picture stuff, not many gains. I was wondering what it looks like from the big side of the mountain -- how Iraq's looking."
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Cheney then lied. Well, I assume he lied, because he's a well-known liar.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/12/19/hard_questions_greet_cheney_in_iraq/?page=2

Revolt · Dec 19, 2005

Jonathan Finer and Naseer Nouri write in The Washington Post: "Violence and civil unrest surged across Iraq on Sunday as Vice President Cheney made his first visit here in more than a decade, praising what he called the 'remarkable' turnout by voters in nationwide elections Thursday and telling U.S. troops that the country had 'turned the corner.'

"Shrouded in fortified compounds and shuttled between venues by squadrons of helicopters, Cheney came on a day that underscored the deep economic and security challenges the country faces."
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

Revolt · Dec 19, 2005

This is nice. Here's hoping that Cheney himself was subject to body cavity search:

[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Cheney in Afghanistan
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Cheney then flew to Kabul, where he watched from the front row as Afghanistan's national assembly took its first oath of office.

Nedra Pickler of the Associated Press describes Cheney's chaotic arrival in Afghanistan.

"The Cheneys' seven-hour visit to Afghanistan began when their unmarked C-17 cargo plane landed at Bagram Air Base. They then flew by helicopter to a spot outside the parliament building. The chopper stirred up a massive dust storm, but the Cheneys were shielded when they ducked into a black sport-utility vehicle.

"Security forces surrounded the Cheneys' vehicle and walked along as it moved with their hands on the side of the vehicle. A gun-toting Afghan soldier dressed in fatigues pushed the rest of Cheney's entourage against an outside wall until the gates to the parliament building closed behind them.

"Afghan security forces insisted on searching all the bags carried by members of Cheney's staff and the press who were left outside.

"Secret Service agents objected, saying they had already been checked. A White House advance staffer already on site came out and angrily demanded that the Afghans admit military aides carrying the briefcase that contains the U.S. government's nuclear weapon codes.

" 'I'm telling you to open the gates now,' the White House staffer said. 'These are the vice president's military aides.'

"The Afghans allowed Cheney's military aides through but insisted on doing complete body searches of the rest of his traveling party."
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

MattR · Dec 19, 2005

Cheney and his staff trust the new Iraqi government so much that they didn't tell them about the visit, wouldn't let them have firearms in his presense, and denied that any American troops would be leaving anytime soon.

Looks like Afghanistan wanted to show him who was boss.

WORST. VP. EVER.

Revolt · Dec 19, 2005

Nice pic of the vice liar:

Chris M. · Dec 19, 2005

Damn, I thought this thread was going to be about Cheney enlisting, and going out on patrol.