Leaders visit; front-line (Iraq) troops say 'Yeah, so?'

[brooklynite]

BALAD, Iraq (CNN) -- As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld made their surprise visits to Baghdad on Wednesday, many of the troops stationed north of Baghdad, in Balad and Dujail, say either they didn't know about it or didn't care.

"I'd ask him for a plane ticket home to see my wife. I have barely seen her in the last two years," said a young sergeant, who did not want to be identified. Like many of the soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division, he is on his second deployment to Iraq.

Some joked that whenever VIP's come to visit they just go to the main bases and meet the "fobbits," the nickname given to troops who do not go outside the barbed wire.

"They have to get out to see the people that are doing the jobs they are making them do. If they didn't they would not be very good leaders," said Maj. Michael Humphreys, one of the few soldiers here willing to tell journalists some of his opinions on senior leadership.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/04/27/damon.baladtroops/index.html

[napi21]

1. That doesn't surprise me at all!

I suspected all along, when you see those smiling faces and welcoming hand shakes on TV, it was a carefully handpicked crowd just for the photo opp!

All the BS about how great morale is in Iraq is all BS!

[cyberpj]

2. "fobbits" - I knew there would be a name for them. nt

[Bob3]

6. I think REMF was the phase during the war in Viet Nam.

It stood for Rear Echelon Mother F-ker's.

Fobbit is new I guess.

[saigon68]

8. REMFs Yes indeed

The people who stayed

IN THE REAR WITH THE GEAR.

[Texifornia]

7. Here you go

http://www.intel-dump.com/posts/1139566139.shtml

Forward Operating Base....FOBbits

[cyberpj]

9. Thanks Texifornia - Good article and a good FOBbit source! nt

[BeHereNow]

14. Do a search on "Fobbits"

INTERESTING...
BHN

[wtmusic]

3. Like Rice or Rummy will set foot outside the barbed wire

:eyes:

[maxrandb]

11. We had a priest that had recently returned from duty in Iraq

He told us at our church men's meeting (yes, I'm liberal and I go to church), that it was great to be able to administer to our troops and troops from around the world (he's Greek Orthodox) so he met a lot of troops from different countries.

He said he was disappointed because it was too dangerous to go out and meet with the Iraqi people.

I asked him if he had a chance to meet any Iraqi Christians, because at one time there was a pretty sizeable Christian community in Iraq. I think Tariq Aziz was an Orthodox Christian. He said no, and that the Christians in Iraq don't have it as good as they used too.

Amazing, isn't it? The Fundy Christian's pretzledent goes to war to "liberate" a country, and the result is that the Christians there are more persecuted than ever before.

Of course everything "peachy" in the Green Zone.

Everything **** touches turn to crap.

[ewagner]

12. That particular irony

needs to be publicized more.....

also that BEFORE THE INVASION there was a well-attended, old, function Synagogue in DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD that ISN'T THERE NOW!!!!

[tabasco]

4. I really admire those soldiers who speak out.

Even a Major speaking out. Maybe some poor slob that got called up from the IRR (almost happened to me!).

[cliss]

5. Their desperation

is really becoming obvious. "R & R" are starting to hit the skids. They're running out of Photo-Ops because they're so unpopular.

For them to stand there and shake hands with Bush's enemy (Al-Sadr) convinced me that they are absolutely desperate, over their heads, wringing their hands in panic. Not sure what to do next.

And the way that they proclaim, "Iraq's FIRST permanent government, I'm encouraged beyond belief, this time it's for real, and I'm heartened by the progress, now it's working, bla bla etc etc blab"

When this leader is very similar to the last one who was ousted by Washington.

I think Rumsfailed is running out of options.

[TexasLawyer]

10. Could this be CNN?

Yes, but CNN International.

Section PageVideoCNN.com International Edition
• Olmert nearing Israeli political coalition
• Al-Zarqawi video 'act of desperation'
• Iran vows to keep nuke program

These are the "World" offerings posted on the domestic CNN homepage. A reader must hit "World News" before he/she gets to the link to this article.

But hey, I'll take what I can get.

[stanwyck]

13. My son said when he was in Iraq

there were effigies of Bush, Rummy, and Condi which the Marines would talk to every day. "So, Rummy. How did it feel being greeted as a "liberator" today? I'm confused...are "liberators" supposed to have IEDs thrown at them?" And more.
This was beyond the Green Zone.
Way beyond.