George W. Bush makes surprise visit to U.S. troops

Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, made a surprise visit to U.S. troops this afternoon.

They showed up at the USO in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. There they mingled with the returning soldiers, thanked them, chatted and posed for photos as proof of the unexpected encounter for folks back home.

The USO just posted an assortment of the photos on its Facebook page, which quickly drew a growing list of appreciative comments.

"What an AWESOME moment," Robert Rowe wrote. "If anyone can't see the President and First Lady's love for our nations troops, they must be dead or blind. May God Bless them ALL !" Richard Cruz wrote: "The look on that kid's face says it all...."

And Shirley Lovely Fry added: "A President and First Lady who love their country and their country's military."

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photos: USO

Comments

[tank]

I LOVE THAT MAN.

[AL gal]

Funny how the left forgets who has been in charge for the last four years when they blame Bush for the economy...Nancy and friends, you know what you did (and are still doing).
Funny how the media fails to drive home the fact that Bush attempted to act on Freddie and Fannie and the looming real estate debacle, yet Barney and Chris and Maxine said "nothing to see here, everything is beautiful."

When calling out war criminals, make sure you include every Democrat who voted for war based on the same intel available to all of the decision makers. This was not Bush's war, it was America's war, and God Bless those in uniform who have made the sacrifices necessary to fight it.

Obama is the media's president, nothing more.

[Jody from NYC]

I LOVE THAT MAN!

[Joseph L Cooke]

GWB, we miss you.

[smokehouse]

It's people like the brain dead liberals that post here that are the real problem with America. Will some liberal on this board please tell me what it's like to be a useless liberal. Lazy? Killing unborn children? How about hating the military? How about having no God and religion in your life? Like to spend other peoples money? You like to hate guns and are afraid of them? How about disliking the founding fathers? You hate Jews and Israel? You like black people as democratic pets? You think more and more government is the answer because you get more free stuff from the labor of others? How about you don't have to hold a job and working taxpayers will look after you? Your need government run health care because a nice car, plasma TV and a cell phone are more important than health insurance payments, so let working people pay for your health care? Paying your fair share of taxes are for other people, not you? Or is it that you think the American flag is just a piece of colored cloth? You like to think that 12-15 trillion dollar debt are just fine, no problem? Liberalism is a true disease and you need help.

[Jill]

To Jackiea - go to you yube and watch Different President, Different Corp and then read what you posted.

[jef]

These troops actually like Bush - and Bush obviously likes them. He could have stayed home and did whatever presidents do when they're out of office, but instead he showed up to help raise moral, and its clear that he and Laura were successful.

Bush made his mistakes, all presidents do, but at least he loved his country, wasn't ashamed of it, and didn't want to fundamentally transform it. Obama loves Cuba and Venezuela so much that he wants the USA to be just like them.

And contrary to marginally popular belief, Bush didn't destroy the economy: liberal policies did. Both parties can take a huge helping of that crap sandwich, including Bush for not doing more to stop it.

[phyllis wheeler]

GOD I MISS THAT MAN ....AS THE COUNTRY NOW KNOWS WHAT A MISTAKE THEY MADE BY PUTTING OBAMA IN THE PEOPLES HOUSE. GOD BLESS GEORGE AND LAURA BUSH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SERVICE TO AMERICA.

[Kevin]

Jackieca wrote - "Now that Obama is returning our troops home and Bush is taking the credit."

Are you serious? The Bush Administration cut and signed the deal to bring the troops home from Iraq and Obama is now trying to take the credit for the surge that Bush implemented, Obama, Biden and Clinton voted against and are now crediting the surge as one their administrations biggest accomplishments. Talk about hubris.

[Military Man]

Jackieca:

You clearly have not served in the military AND/OR are an idiot. Please don't speak for us who do serve b/c you are dead wrong!!! The troops love GW, not the current CINC. Obama is not bringing our troops home - we are more engaged in Afghan than ever. He hemmed and hawed on adding troups, and then did not send the numbers he said he was going to. Ahh, I hope your Obama koolaid tastes great.

[scot]

Jackieca,

No have no clue what your talking about do you? Obama is following Bush's war plan to the 'T'! The draw down dates Obama is following in Iraq was signed on by Bush with Iraqi officials before he left office and the surge in Afganistan, while Obamas decision models the Iraq surge that was a successful Bush strategy. Your blind liberalism is insufferable. Educate yourself before you make a fool of yourself on the web.

Thanks

[scot]

Ron J,

You are working under the assumption that the economy is Bush's fault. Even though under Bush unemployment averaged around 5%. Obama has been president for under two years and has quadrupled bushes eight year deficit. so lets put things into perspective a bit ok. Bush also got us out of the recession caused by 911. All recessions since WWII have lasted no longer than 13 months. But under Obama we are over 18 months with no end in sight and a possible double dip. It is time for the left to admit that there ideology that is being fully implemented is a utter failure.

[WhatABlip]

Doesn't Jackieca sound like a psychotic parrot? "Bush-squawk! Bush-squawk!" So out of touch with reality...sad and hilarious at the same time.

Anywho, gotta love W and Laura with the troops! Just as they immediately went to Ft. Hood after the massacre, this shows real caring and real class.

Oddly, the same two characteristics sorely missing from the posers in the White House now.

[Leonard Gump]

George W. Bush to Barck Hussein Obama, "How you like being president now, genius?"

[BillyC]

@Jackieca. I feel sorry for you. Perhaps you should cut down on the Kool-Aid? Pres Bush is a great man and patriot--regardless of what you think. The troops are coming home because of Bush signing the SOFA in Nov 08...he deserves the credit--not the empty suit in the WH now.

[CorvetteFever]

Sure wish GWB and Laura were on the job still instead of Louis Oblabla and Michelle Antoinette.

[Gil]

Jackieca, the mission WAS accomplished! The carrier had been deployed for AGES and they were finally coming home...

Know where that carrier had been before they went to the Iraqi theater of operations? You know, that place we are "only going to be there for 6 months." I'll give you a clue... Its no longer called Yugoslavia.

[Susan S]

Posted by Ron J....
The reactions to the former president found here graphically illustrate just why our Nation is doomed. This man wrecked this country to the point where we are mired in the greatest economic disaster since the great depression, and a full financial recovery is still a very real and open question. Yet, most the posters here don't seem to understand the harm that was done, even now. It calls to mind a faithful family pet that is beaten repeatedly yet still showers affection upon it's abuser. Those who cannot learn from the past are doomed to replay it's tragedies. It's too bad those of us who are sane may be dragged through this hell with you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron J & Those who forget WHY you have the freedoms you do!!!

Sometimes are conceptions are all in our own mind. Problem is, we all think we are right. This is WHY we must look at facts and not feelings. Firstly the economic disaster we find ourselves in to be "doomed" as you say, comes from far more than the war. The bank and housing market bubble came from both sides!! It came from allowing people to buy homes they couldn't afford...then the banks collaspsed under the unpaid loans!! The money Obama spent in the last 18 months has far surpassed all the monies spent in every war in our history combined. Check your facts!! The war was brought to us on September 11, 2001, we did not bring it to them. Their plan was to wipe us off the face of the map, our plan was to protect ourselves from more of the same we got on 911. You forget that congress and the country was behind president Bush at the time. You fail to recognize( and others on here), that because you are able to have your freedoms, say the things you do, choose your life, make your own choices, is because there were men and women whom served their country for YOU!!! It is because of men and women whom served their country with integrity because they believed in the thing they were fighting for! Why? Because it was them that fought, not you, therefore you will never understand that concept, until you walk iin their shoes and serve as they served. They died for YOU, so that you could in turn "thank" them for your lack of understanding and allegience to the fact you live in a country that affords you more freedoms than any country on this earth. So while you talk about how sane you are and how insane we are for appreciating our country...you are welcomed to go live somewhere else for a while, then let us know how great you have it!

[J Baustian]

Thank you, President Bush.

[NJK]

God Bless President Bush. The obvious affection the soldiers feel for him is heart warming. Faces don't lie. Did you ever notice how stoic everyone looks around Soetoro?

[tractah]

.....and in the meantime, the zero in the white house is trying to think of a new way to screw "joe average" while shooting hoops with geraldine ferraro.....what a miserable scumbag he is.....

[Marion]

A kind man , great president and leader . We miss him and his leadership dearly.

[James Hill]

Bush is an idiot. Plain and simple. The economy is in the toilet because of him and the wars he started under false pretenses. You can bitch and moan and draw party lines all you want, he was a bad president and history will regard him as such. Oh wow, he took times out of his billionaire schedule to visit some troops. Football stars do that. Only difference is they don't start the wars to begin with. Have fun sleeping at night GW. You've cost the lives of millions.

[steve miller]

Can't it be true that Bush is doing a classy thing here AND that Obama is trying to do the honorable thing as President as well? It's not an either-or thing here.

I appreciate that George and Laura did what they did. I think it was an honest & heartfelt activity to welcome the troops home.

It does not mean that somehow Obama is this "bad president" because Bush was at the airport.

I know - it's always "yay for my team - boo for the other team."

I don't agree with most of Obama's fiscal and national security policies, but I don't think he's Satan incarnate and I don't think he's doing it because he's a bad man. In my opinion he's wrong on many issues, but being wrong doesn't mean he's "bad" or that I need to hate him.

A lot of people who claim to be of the party of Lincoln would do well to remember his words: "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?" Just because someone is your political opponent doesn't mean that automatically you need to hate them.

Geeze, people. Get a life.

[Repub]

Jacieca that is a Black American not African American get it right.

[Robert P.]

My god, people actually believe he's sincere? A satanist that sent you to the battlefield on false premises actually *cares* about the soldiers? What is wrong with you people??

[Anon]

A funny thing I see in the comments by those that claim 'Booosh murdered our people by sending them off to war'.

They make no mention whether they are or have been active in the military for these wars. This doesn't mean they weren't, but it's an assumption they are not; they never mentioned they were in any branch.

However, the people in the photographs are military. And they are visibly delighted to see Bush and Laura. Now, if it's the military that was being consigned to die in the middle east, wouldn't they be the only ones to really have a valid gripe against Bush? They're the ones directly affected by it. And yet, in these photographs and in previous ones, they genuinely appear to like him as Commander In Chief.

Maybe they know something we don't.

[marge]

Memories of when the White House had some class!

[fubar]

This is great for the troops. G.W. always seemed like a caring down to earth guy it is unfortunate he is not very bright. I think he will go down in history as being the most real and down to earth President in a long time regardless of his leadership ability.

[Joy D. Brower]

There are a few loopy Libtards out there who continue to believe that black is white and up is down - Jackieca definitely being one of them!! I, too, have spoken with active military who conveyed - in confidence, because to speak aloud would endanger their careers - that Ozero has earned ZERO respect from the military. Bush will always have his detractors, but not as much among the military - even though it was he who OK'd the invasion of Iraq. As for "worse" President? Bush was unpopular by many in his time - as was Truman and Carter. But Carter has remained in the bottom percentile, while Truman has emerged far more popular. And now Obowow is threatening to replace Carter at the bottom of the heap! Depending on who writes the history books, too. Nixon has been somewhat "rehabilitated;" but if the Left, which dominates our society today, has its way, they would NEVER let Nixon's good points come to the fore - they've hated him ever since he beat their Communist idol, Helen Gahagen Douglas in the mid- or late 40s for a Congressional seat.

[Jane]

President Bush has more class in his little finger than Obama has in his whole body. Obama has yet to visit the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as Commander-in-Chief. Shame on him.

[Terika]

" Well, here's to you George and Laura Bush

Your nation loves you more than you would know

whoa - oh oh...

Where have you gone, George and Laura Bush

Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you ~

Boo hoo hoo...

God Bless you, please, George and Laura Bush

Heaven holds a place for those who pray

yay - ay -ay... "

(from Mrs Robinson - "The Graduate")

[Rose]

And This is Love.

This is so lovely, so beautiful.

Clean, classy, heartwarming - just so lovely.

Makes ya feel good.

Thank you President Bush - for just being YOU! Thank you Mrs. Bush, too!

[Julia]

What a joy to see President Bush welcome our troops! There is no one who does it better!

[3rd Infantry Grunt]

That's the difference between our former Commander in Chief and our current Coward in Chief. He loved us, and we loved him back. Obama loathes us and we most definitely loathe him back. These two are the difference between First Class and a First Class Scumbag

[Rick]

It's nice to visit the troops. But constantly fighting tooth and nail to limit their health coverage.

W. is a tool, people. come on. wake up

[C Shep]

sybilll - you are just another moronic piece of sheep.

[Darlene Ruchert]

That is the sign of two very caring people! Do I miss him as President? You bet I do!!! He will be remembered in due time as a very caring/compassionate President towards our troops and the Presidency itself.

[Bill]

Reading Jackica's post made me laugh. I was at Camp Falluja when Monica's boyfriend's wife and Terayza's boy toy made a visit (well after the smackdown of Fallujah II, i.e. Phantom Fury, i.e. Al Fajr) and the vast majority of my compatriots (senior and mid-level NCOs) did whatever was necessary to avoid any contact with these individuals. Especially feared was an order to go to a meal or photo op. To be a participant was to be ridiculed for the rest of your service life. I can assure Jackieca that the situation would have been the exact opposite if President Bush had visited.

[Gary]

At least with W, I knew that he loved America and he shows this in his commitment to the troops. I think he was, at times, a bonehead, and this was unfortunately often (not that BHO is smart - he's not). But I never doubted that W's guiding principle was love for his country.

[Dan H.]

I served in the US Army from 2003-2009, and even as a disabled veteran still greatly respect President George W. Bush and Laura's dedication and commitment to the troops of this great country. Just wish that someday the liberals of this country who are too naive to realize this war would've been fought by our children if not by us will give President George W. Bush the respect he deserves. Continually reminding of those brave brothers and sisters in arms that lost their lives in a cause that they believed in is disgusting. The majority of the individuals parading around claiming Obama is doing his job has not seen the final outcome of these irrational decisions he claims to be making. The troops coming home are finishing their normal rotations, this isn't the massive withdrawl that he promised the vast majority of the country with little to no military knowledge. Finally JackieA, please go back on your meds, and save us the time of listening to your left wing garble. No soldiers were given a bonus for speaking on behalf of the Commander in Chief that we all respected, unlike Obama where people are already refusing to deploy because he can't even produce legitimate birth documents

[Jones]

It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!! It's BUSH'S fault!!!

[Lee]

I didn't vote for him, but I do miss him. He has a sincere love for country.

[lvanderiet]

That's my President, not the Socialist in power now! This is a real President because he loves this country and the people, especially those that defend our Freedoms! The Socialist in the White House hates our country, wants to take it to it's knees. I will never allow my children to be sacrificed by the Socialist! President Bush, we so miss you! I cried when I looked at these pictures and I prayed that soon the Socialist in the White House that despises our country in his Marxist way would be gone so that we can again have another President that loves what we stand for, FREEDOM, not socialism!

[Jones]

Why hasn't obama ordered all US forces out of the mideast? Didn't he run on this promise??? Didn't he promise all you liberals that he waas going get the evil US miklitary out of Iraq and Afghanistan??? What happened, kids? The Dear Leader forget something? Perhaps this situation isn't so simple as you'd like to believe.

[Jones]

I DO NOT and WILL NEVER RESPECT BARRY BARRACK HUSSEIN SARTERO OBAMA.

[Mike]

A Christian Family with "class"!!!

[Pam]

They are TRUE Americans! Bravo George and Laura Bush!

[Bob]

Jackieca: Do you realize that Obama does nothing that is not just for a photo op when it comes to our troops? That we have had more troop deaths under Obama than all of the time under Bush because of his policies in dealing with enemy combatants?

Bush was CONSTANTLY visiting troops without media around. There are tons of pictures posted on individual websites that were never released to the paper.

Obama .. you would be hard pressed to even find any military people willing to have their face seen with him. Get a grip on reality ... drop the kool-aid and back away slow.

[Patti]

This is what a REAL President and First Lady look like. A class act! They love America and love and appreciate the troops.