Bush's Third Trip to Iraq (UPDATED)

On his way to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney, Australia, President Bush dropped by to visit friends.

President Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq Monday, saying fewer U.S. forces may be able to maintain security there.

"Gen. [David] Petraeus and Ambassador [Ryan] Crocker tell me if the kind of success we're now seeing continues, it will be possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces," Bush said during remarks at Al Asad Air Base in Anbar province. [SNIP]

Advisers said the trip was so Bush could have face-to-face meetings with al-Maliki and local Sunni leaders in an effort to move them closer toward political reconciliation.

Some U.S. lawmakers have criticized al-Maliki's Shiite-led government for not reconciling with Sunni groups, but Bush has stood by the Iraqi leader and fended off calls for his resignation. [SNIP]

Bush is accompanied on the Iraq visit by Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, the newly appointed White House official responsible for coordinating Iraq issues.

Also joining Bush on the Iraq visit are U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser Stephen Hadley, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace.

The president was spirited out of the White House late Sunday and driven to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.

Instead of the usual presidential motorcade, only one other car accompanied Bush's limousine from the executive mansion to Andrews in an effort to maintain the subterfuge.

Sixteen hours before he was scheduled to leave for the Asia summit, Bush boarded Air Force One as it sat in a hanger and the aircraft departed after dark.

White House press secretary Tony Snow said a false schedule released for the news media on Monday was part of the security plan for the trip.

This is actually the third time that the president has been to Iraq since the beginning of OIF. We all remember the first time, of course--when militarily- and militantly- ignorant critics conjured the so-called plastic turkey incident to sully the visit.

On the timing of this trip, McQ at Q and O says it best:

This, of course, is part of the September PR war that will be waged concerning Iraq. As you know the circus returns to town (that would be Congress and DC) tomorrow and so this is an attempt to steal a little air from that as well as the GAO report, while setting a positive air for Gen Petraeus and Amb. Crocker's [Iraq Progress Report] testimony [starting September 10, 2007].

(Photo credit: Jason Reed/Reuters)

UPDATE: "America will not abandon the Iraqi people."

Troop address---->>

(Thanks to Hot Air)

UPDATE: The Left is taking the visit personally. Some things never change.