Bush Arrives In Baghdad For Surprise Visit

Bush Arrives In Baghdad For Surprise Visit

PRAGUE, June 13, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. President George W. Bush has arrived on a surprise visit to Baghdad today, flying in amid absolute secrecy, taking observers completely by surprise.

Touching down at Baghdad's airport, he immediately transferred to a helicopter to fly to the heavily fortified Green Zone. There, he went to the U.S. Embassy to greet Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the newly completed Iraqi cabinet.

Al-Maliki is reported to have welcomed the U.S. leader by saying, "Good to see you." Bush replied, "Thanks for having me."

Working Closely With Iraqi Government

Bush's visit underscores several recent developments in Iraq that Washington clearly sees as important benchmarks in efforts to stabilize the country.

One is the naming of the final members of the Iraqi cabinet on June 8. They include the defense and interior ministers, the two most important security posts, after months of wrangling among Iraq's political parties.

Prior to Bush's surprise visit, Washington had scheduled a video teleconference today between the U.S. president and key security members of the U.S. cabinet with their Iraqi counterparts. Instead, Bush led that meeting from Baghdad.

Sitting among the Iraq leaders, he told them: "I'm impressed by the cabinet that you've assembled. You've assembled people from all parts of your country, representing different religions and different histories."

Bush also assured the Iraqi side of Washington's continuing commitment. "I've also come to tell you that when America gives its word, it will keep its word, that it is in our interest that Iraq succeed," he said. "It is not only in the interest of the Iraqi people, it is in the interest of the American people and for people who love freedom."

Ending Sectarian Violence

The president's change of location could serve to emphasize his government's determination to work with the new Iraqi administration as it seeks to quell tit-for-tat violence between Sunni and Shi'ite militant groups. Many of those groups are tied to Iraq's ruling parties themselves, complicating the effort.

"White House officials told us on the flight over, the secret overnight flight by Air Force One to Baghdad, that the president has wanted to do this for some time, but wanted to wait until the Iraqi cabinet was full and complete, all the security posts completed and filled in recent days," said John King, the U.S. pool reporter traveling with Bush.

"They say he wanted to meet the prime minister face-to-face because of the enormity of the decisions they face over the next couple of months, including, most significantly for President Bush, of course, how many U.S. troops here," King added.

The other recent event Bush may be seeking to underscore by his sudden visit is the killing of Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi in a U.S. air strike on June 7.

Waiting For Good News

Observers say that Bush in recent months has often expressed the wish to visit Iraq but has awaited a moment when he could underline progress both to the Iraqi and U.S. publics.

One recent poll by "The Washington Post"-ABC News found only 33 percent of U.S. respondents approve of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq.

Bush's last visit to Iraq was in November 2003 to celebrate Thanksgiving with U.S. troops. That visit took place at the heavily protected Baghdad airport and the soldiers were assembled beforehand in a hanger without knowledge the president was coming.

Today, Bush's fly-in to the Green Zone takes the U.S. president into the center of the Iraqi capital to meet Iraqi leaders on their home ground.

It is not yet clear how many hours Bush will spend in Iraq. The departure time is as closely guarded a security secret as was his arrival.

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Bush Arrives In Baghdad For Surprise Visit