Mr. Engel,

This is so important and may be the so called "turning point" everybody was laughing about, ...but waiting for.

Iraqis (not only Americans) are tired of the turmoil and they now have some means to stop it. Having at least a form of contract, their constitution, stating a minimum of guidelines to articulate the relations between ethnic groups, this motivation to live a better life will be canalized and used. The different militias may get tired also... even big ones as Al-Sadr's, seeing that there is a hunger in the population for construction instead of terror.

President Bush action will support this tendency; it is not creating it nevertheless. But he took a sensible decision, …that will pay back for sure.

I know the answer, but how safe can we be making Iraq if 4 years later our President still has to sneak in.

What is so strange about that? Their are many places in US that police are afraid to go. The only thing unique about Iraq is that they have access to bombs, where as say LA they have knives and guns. Anytime you have lawlessness for so long along with corruption, like in Mexico, I would be afraid to go too. Why do people try to oversimplify things.

Mr Engel,
This surprise visit by our President will I give the new Iraqi government additional legitimacy in the eyes of it's neighbours and also give our troops a boost.
Surely the Democrats wil find something negative to say about this trip.

Comments like Mr. Johnson's are all-too-typical in our got-to-have-gratification-today mentality: a focus on the negative. No one, most particularly in recent months, has said it's "safe" in Iraq. What recent events indicate is--dare we utter the words-- a turn for the better.

Thanks to President Bush for his courage and perseverence. Thanks to Mr. Engel and Media members of all stripes for doing their best to keep us informed.

His visit was only another photo op to push up his poll numbers, I totally disagree with his view that this invasion is worth the high price. He and his advisors only react to poll numbers, he just isn't competent enough to be President, he has o international policy.

So I wonder, what is a day-in-the-life of a new government employee of Iraq like?, on a city level, and region level? What jobs do they do? How do they spend their time? What are they paid?

The president's visit can only be helpful. Perhaps he is at long last taking some advice from his dad rather than his vp and defense secretary.

Yes it's been a great last few days. I was absolutely surprised and delighted that President Bush went into Iraq. So much has turned for the better in the last few days. A huge weight seems to be lifting. Thank you to Al-Maliki for taking on responsibility for his country, thank you to our wonderful brave troops and the Iraqi Troops and the coalition forces and thank you to our President for sticking it out through thick and thin. This war must be fought.

As my wise old grand daddy used to say "One bird does not a apringtime make".

A good move by the president. Now watch how some of the democratic bed-wetters will suggest he wasted a lot of tax-payer money by not taking a commercial flight

It's interesting that you are communicating what the Iraqi's want, which is seldom addressed in the media (amazingly enough, given this is about "democracy").

However, it would be nice if you could substantiate your claims in some way (polls, statistics etc), or if they are based on adecdotes from conversations, convey that.

Otherwise, it sure sounds like you're putting words into "Iraqi's" mouths. I put that in quotes, because it is unclear to me that many people there identify themselves as "Iraqi's" rather than as Sunnis, Shia, or Kurds.

Regardless, keep trying to convey the Iraqi viewpoint as best you can. It's the only viewpoint that matters when discussing the future of the country.

Who cares - I don't give a damn about Iraq. Iraq is not relevant to the "war on terror." Iraq is still a mess, and will take generations before Iraqi people embrace freedom as defined by the western world. The invasions wiped out at least twenty years of modernization toward western thinking. Sadam was to blame for the first invasion, George for the second.

Bush and the Neocons blew it going in but all of us, as human beings, have to hope that the Iraqis can soon get a stable environment to raise their families and pursue some sense of normalcy. They deserve it. I do not like our policies but if this visit brings improvement or hope to the Iraqis, I will be thankful for that.

.....Another disapointment for the left wingers in our own country, but a positive step nevertheless. If our President went to a graveyard and raised the dead, he would still have a loyal posse of detractors. Its the American way, ...nowadays.

Nobody still gets the message. The mind frame and the actions of the insurgents are not limited or dependent upon the U.S politics or the survival and the come back of Mr Bush. The insurgents are fighting a "war of independence". The only way that we can get pass this episode of destruction and death is when the soldiers leave Iraq. Sure, there might be a civil war, but atleast we'll not be watching or reading about it on the headlines, which is what matters most these days.

At this point, comments looking to see motive/intent for the visit such as conspiracy, photo ops, posing obvious questions... are typical of people who are describing themselves. I would bet that they can't see far enough out in front to figure out their own world let alone our world. It's hard to debate the facts with such bias. I think the visit and recent accomplishments of the government are just that - accomplishments by a government that is more inclusive than anywhere in the mideast. You want to see a culture shift... you are seeing it first hand.

Did Bush leave the Green Zone while visiting Iraq?

He says the results in Iraq are worth the price. Exactly which "price" does he mean? The dead and wounded or the bottomless pit of debt he has acquired on our behalf? Meanwhile his daughters plus his nieces and nephews are not serving in the military.

I fully believe Bush will be named to the Board of Directors at Haliburton when he leaves office. God knows he has made enough money for them.

With the President going to Iraq, it should show the Iraqi people and their neighbors that, they do live in a real country, ran by a democratically elected government that includes all major factions, working hard to create a new, safer country. This is a country that has earned being let back in to the world community and other nations should be supporting and helping to further the stability. The Iraqi people seem to want what people everywhere want, security and stability. With the sacrifices given by all of the militaries involved, and the apparant growing strength of the government, hopefully, the day will soon come that everyone involved in the rebuilding of the ancient and proud nation of Iraq can be told well done

President Bush going to Iraq is a good thing, it shows the people of Iraq this is moving along. We as Americans have suffered from this war, along with them. We all want this to be over. I am not a republican, but this is not always about democrats and republicans, It's about people.My family and yours. I have had close family members serve in Afganistan and Iraq. Two of them injured and scared for life. It bothers me when some American people are so consumed with what party you belong to and not the real issues like, when can my loved ones come home and will they ever? Try to look at the positives about what this trip from the president may mean for ending this war......

I think it was appropriate that the President make a trip to Iraq and visit with the new Prime Minister and their cabinet. If someone cannot see that we are making progress in Iraq then are blind to the facts. Quit taking out personal vendettas against the President and lets get behind our country and get this war against terrorism over once and for all.

lemme see if i got this straight ...
1) Bush promised New Orleans the levees would be ready by hurricane season.
2) The first named hurricane of the season hits the country.
3) Bush decides this is a good time to visit Bagdad.

i think i got it right

I guess this trip was planned for weeks, but as usual, he has to sneak in. If Iraq is doing so well, why does he always sneak in unanounced? When Rumsfeld visits, he does the same, and rides in a 7 million dollar armoured vehicle, the "rhino runner" from the airport to bagdad. Real brave heros, those guys. Bet the troops that serve there don't get to ride in that much....

Geese so much hope for improvement in the life of the Iraqi's expressed. So much of it expressed so nicely. Unfortunately many contiunue to focus on the negative which is something that never works. Iraq needs and deserves a democracy. What they do not need is the form of capitalism that we will will undoubtedly attempt to establish there.

Thank You Richard for the story and thank you to all the positive comments people have regarding this visit. I too think it is a positive step and I think for the most part from what I have heard most of our troops have great respect for their Commander and Chief as well they should... Building or Re-building a country is no simple task and takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears and that is what we are seeing in Iraq. If our fore fathers hadn't done the same type of thing where would we be now? I doubt we would be the powerful nation we see today...