"Secrecy, surprise: Anatomy of Obama's Afghan trip"

[Clio the Leo]

Secrecy, surprise: Anatomy of Obama's Afghan trip
Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:18am GMT
By Jeff Mason

KABUL (Reuters) - Any trip by a U.S. president requires careful planning, but sneaking him into Afghanistan -- a country in the midst of an eight-year war with Islamic militants -- is a special case.

Under the cover of darkness, President Barack Obama made his first visit to Kabul on Sunday since taking office nearly 15 months ago, finally putting his foot in a nation that, at least in the foreign policy arena, has the potential to define his presidency.

For security reasons, the trip was cloaked in secrecy. He arrived at night and left while it was still dark.

Reporters were barred from telling anyone where they were going on Saturday evening as they made their way to Andrews Air Force Base, where the presidential aircraft is housed.

Upon arrival, staff and members of the media were bussed to the hangar where a gleaming Air Force One awaited.

Normally the aircraft is positioned outside for the president's arrival. But that night it stayed under cover, taxiing out in darkness once Obama was on board to avoid alerting uninvolved military members at the base of its departure.

Obama himself snuck into Andrews.

After leaving the White House on Friday afternoon with the "cover" of spending the weekend at Camp David, the presidential retreat, he flew from there by helicopter to the base on Saturday night to make the secret trip.

The president, a Democrat, had been expected to come to Kabul for some time since his inauguration in January 2009. White House officials said weather and logistical reasons thwarted previous attempts to make the trip.

Then, just over a week ago, they found a window.

Obama cancelled his visit to Indonesia and Australia so he could stay in Washington while the House of Representatives voted on, and ultimately approved, his signature domestic policy priority, healthcare reform.

That created time -- not to mention political space -- to visit the country that will, by the end of this year, host nearly 100,000 U.S. troops, a majority of whom will have come to Afghanistan under Obama's watch.

more...
http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE62S0JK20100329?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true

President Barack Obama aboard a helicopter flying from the Presidential Palace back to Bagram Air Field n Afghanistan, March 28, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

[grantcart]

1. interesting article but Jeff I think most people who know what Air Force One is knows that

the President is a Democrat, lol.