Why did McCain feel the need to make an "unannounced" trip to Iraq?

[NNN0LHI]

He like surprises or something?

Don

[crikkett]

1. is this an april fools' riddle?

McCain would be the joke.

[Hubert Flottz]

2. He needed a free oil change and lube job?

So he went there to steal one!

[youngdem]

3. Yeah, I was wondering too.

Seems like if things are so safe over there, an ANNOUNCED visit really would be the right way to show it.

Plus, isn't it impolite just to show up?

[CarbonDate]

4. Perhaps impolite, but prudent....

...if someone in a leadership position wants to get an unvarnished view of what's actually going on. From my experience, whenever we find out that a commander is coming to visit, we make sure to clean up around the shop. The higher ranking the commander, the more thoroughly we clean. And if a U.S. senator was coming? Our leadership would flip out.

Generals are exactly the same way. They work to present the rosiest possible scenario for politicians who come to check things out. McCain, as a veteran himself, knows that.

Not necessarily saying that that's what McCain was going for, but if it was, it makes sense.

[youngdem]

9. I doubt this is the reason

The generals and those who are to meet with McCain or any other 'unannounced' visitor are certainly aware the visit is coming. They have to arrange for his security.

The 'unannounced' part is not telling the puppet government and press, who could then filter word back to the insurgents who then would blow your ass up.

Plus, McCain isn't interested in true performance. He is a Pollyanna running for President with his head up his ass. He wants to come back as uninformed as he is now, and maybe brag about the cafe he and Petraeus ate at in Baghdad (cough-inside the Green Zone-cough).

[onenote]

5. It makes him seem more presidential, since isn't that how chimpy usually does it?

[global1]

6. Come On - They Had To Know He Was Coming - He Needed Clearance & Security....

you just can't go to Irag and land a plane. The government knew he was coming. The trip was unannounced to the news media and the insurgents.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

7. I can only hope

that he went to stroll the lovely, safe streets of Baghdad he was so fond of.

[Jacobin]

8. Trying to undo the smackdown Michael Ware put on him

I guess he'll make up some new lies with some fake photo ops

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. his advisors told him he needs to change on Iraq - this gives him an excuse

by seeing it again, he can say, "I wuz wrong, I was given bad intel, and seeing what I saw tells me we need an exit strategy now."

a perfect opportunity to change a policy stance that has served him badly.

[thecrow]

11. He wants to stroll the streets of Baghdad

ducking the candy and flowers thrown at him by loving Iraqis.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. candygram for mungo, candygram for mungo.

mungo like candy.