IF BAGHDAD IS SO SECURE, WHY ALL THIS SECURITY FOR CHENEY'S VISIT?

Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Baghdad under extremely tight security that had him flying by helicopter to the Green Zone because the streets are too dangerous to drive on. The Vice President's plane arrived at the Baghdad airport with all but the landing lights turned off because mortar fire from insurgents could easily bring it down if they could see it.

Cheney wore a flak-jacket during his ride on the chopper from the airport to the Green Zone.

Despite all these security precautions, Cheney claims Baghdad is a city enjoying peace and quiet due to the success of "the surge."

Naturally, FOX NEWS will ONLY report how successful the Cheney visit was to Baghdad and how pleased Cheney is with "the surge."


Explaining Dick's Trip to Iraq

Posted: 17 Mar 2008 12:40 PM CDT

By Brandon Friedman

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=783

Vice President Dick Cheney has been in Iraq to highlight just how safe and secure the country actually is. In fact, according to the AP, he
said there was no question but there had been a dramatic improvement in security.

So let's take a look at that:

To prove his point, Cheney landed at Baghdad International Airport, then flew by helicopter into the dusty, heavily secured Green Zone for talks with U.S. military and diplomatic officials and the Iraqi prime minister.

He flew by helicopter because the roads are too dangerous for him to drive. The Green Zone is "heavily secured" because, if it weren't, it would either be overrun or it would be the scene of intense sectarian fighting.

For security reasons, Cheney officials divulged few details about the vice president's schedule and asked reporters not to report on his location until he had moved on to another.

Cheney officials declined to divulge details on his whereabouts because if people knew where he was, the location would likely be attacked. And not only would the Vice President be a target, but these "Cheney officials" have no faith in the Iraqi security forces or the American military to stop such an attack, otherwise there would be no reason to keep his visits secret.

Cheney's motorcade zigzagged through Baghdad to meetings as helicopter gunships circled overhead. Explosions were heard in parts of the city, but none were near the vice president.
Cheney's motorcade "zigzagged through Baghdad" because stopping--or even slowing down--can, and often does, mean that you'll be hit.

Helicopter gunships "circled overhead" because there was no other way to guarantee the Vice President's safety. To be clear, this was not an issue that could be handled safely by a Secret Service detail or a light infantry company. This was a situation that called for 30mm chain guns, Hellfire rockets, and Sidewinder missiles.

Explosions were "heard in parts of the city" because there's always somebody in contact in Baghdad.

Despite what Vice President Cheney would have you believe, Iraq is a country locked in a cyclical, bloody sectarian conflict. In fact, while he was there, two American soldiers were killed just north of Baghdad and a female suicide bomber killed 39 in an attack near a mosque in Karbala.