George Bush, Secret Squirrel...What The Press Aren't Asking

The biggest news story today is probably Bush's surprise trip to Iraq. There are a few things I wish the mainstream media would ask about or point out, but know they won't.

According to the White House spinners, Bush gleefully played Secret Squirrel even to his own cabinet, who all expected him to still be at Camp David when they awoke this morning. I can't decide whether this shows he doesn't trust even his own loyal appointees or whether it shows he is an immature delinquent who got handed toys like Air Force One and the Presidency to play with. Could someone in the much-vaunted ranks of the professional journalistic corps please ask?

According to the spin, even the Iraqi PM didn't know he was coming:

Nuri al-Maliki was not told that Mr Bush was in the country until five minutes before they met. The Iraqi prime minister was invited to the US embassy on the premise that he would be taking part in a video conference with Mr Bush at the presidential retreat of Camp David.

Tee hee, look what a great secret agent our POTUS would make...but don't for a second think about the absolute contempt for any notion of Iraqi sovereignty that a foreign Head of State just landing unannounced shows. Especially if you're a journalist.

If the Iraqis didn't know Bush was coming then the timing of their letter today to the UN formally notifying the Security Council that it wants the U.S.-led multinational force to remain in place for now is just a huge concidence. Right? Or does a certain neocon ambassador with the initials KZ actually orchestrate what the Iraqi government does and when?

Oh, and talking of coincidences...the Iraqis didn't know Bush was coming so the arrival of between 40,000 and 75,000 coalition and Iraqi troops on the streets of Baghdad for a security "crackdown" beginning the day after, on a day when security for the U.S. President had to be ironclad even though few knew he was coming, was just another coincidence, yeah? Or do we see those initials KZ written large again?

Oh, and exactly where will that crackdown leave the rest of Iraq as regards troop availability? Never mind....I can just ask a great blogger by the name of Fester. I'm sure he can figure it out even if you don't want to, presscritters.

While we're on the subject of security - could someone please ask why the new leader of al Qaida in Iraq seems to be totally unknown to the security forces? What this suggests to me is that this guy is not only good enough to beat those we thought were the main candidates for the job but also good enough to impress the hells out of his terrorist and insurgent pals while staying below US intelligence' radar. That kinda worries me. It suggests we may have swapped a Haig for a Rommel. Could someone ask, maybe? Pretty please?