Bush Baghdad Visit Draws Praise From Troops

President Bush's surprise visit to Baghdad
yesterday caught the troops here unawares. But most were thrilled their
commander in chief made the perilous trip.

Bush visited Baghdad to congratulate Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki on Iraq's new government and to thank the troops for their hard work
and dedication.

"Baghdad and Iraq is a front in the war on terror. It is a part of our
mission to help make sure that the world is a better place. I truly
believe the work that you're doing here is laying the foundation of peace
for generations to come, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart,"
Bush said in his address to the troops in a former Saddam Hussein
palace.

The surprise visit caught most troops off guard.

"Dangit! I bought into
it," said Indiana National Guard Spc. Laura Asher referring to the post
exchange and several other shops closing prior to the president's
arrival.

"My friend told me the president is here, and I said, 'No, it's a
teleconference,'" said Asher, a 798th Area Support Medical Company combat
medic.

Bush's publicized schedule had called for a videoteleconference from
Camp David, Md., with Iraq's prime minister.

"I was so excited," said Asher, a Valparaiso, Ind., native, who
immediately called her father following Bush's speech.

While many troops were surprised, they also said they admired the
president for coming to visit them and Maliki.

"This place is pretty 'hot' (because Iraq is a combat zone)," said Army
Capt. Christopher Swatty, a Civilian Police Assistance Training Team
technical liaison. "It's encouraging to see him come over and say hello."

"I think it shows he cares a lot about Iraq, what's going on here,"
said Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Virgilio, a 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine,
rifleman. "His visit shows he cares about us."

Many other troops agreed.

"Due to the dramatic shift in events -- the final three seats of the
new Iraqi government being filled and the death of (terrorist leader Abu
Musab) al-Zarqawi -- (Bush's visit) shows Iraq and its government that
Bush is standing behind his words," said Army Spc. Tashina Venters, a
Coalition Press Information Center coordinator.

Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are
doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and
abroad.