President Obama Makes Surprise Visit To Iraq And Troops

President Obama Makes Surprise Visit
to Iraq and Troops
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
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Photo by Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante - Multi-National Corps Iraq Public Affairs
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President Obama made a surprise visit to Iraq Tuesday at the tail end of a marathon week of meetings in Europe and Turkey… The president landed in Baghdad late Tuesday afternoon local time and plans to visit troops at Camp Victory. He was greeted upon arrival by his top commander in the country, Gen. Ray Odierno. This is Obama's first trip to Iraq as president -- it comes as he begins to execute plans to shift U.S. troops from Iraq, a war he opposed as a candidate, to Afghanistan…
Read the full report at link below…
Obama Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq, Plans to Meet With U.S. Troops
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Obama Praises Troops for Performing ‘Brilliantly’ in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Tuesday, April 7, 2009

In an unannounced visit here today, President Barack Obama praised servicemembers and government employees for their professionalism and sacrifice.
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"You have performed brilliantly in every mission that has been given to you," Obama told about 1,500 U.S. servicemembers, government civilians and contractors at Al Faw Palace in Baghdad, the headquarters of Multinational Corps Iraq.
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The president thanked the assembled servicemembers for their steadfast focus on the task at hand. "Through controversy and difficulty and politics, you kept your eyes focused on just doing your job."
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Obama acknowledged that work remains to be done in Iraq, but told the servicemembers that through their service, they have been critical in ensuring that Iraq no longer remains a haven for terrorists.
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"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement, and for that you have the thanks of the American people," he said.
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In closing, the president assured the audience that "we have not forgotten what you have already done; we are grateful for what you will do; and as long as I'm in the White House, you're going to get the support you need and the thanks that you deserve from a grateful nation."

From a DoD’s Multinational Corps Iraq news release

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Stopping by Baghdad

The President addresses the troops at the Al Faw Palace in Baghdad in a surprise visit before coming home from Europe.
Video posted on YouTube by the whitehouse

* Transcript and lots of photos HERE
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AubreyJ………