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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.In a first, Trump makes surprise visit to U.S. troops in Iraq; Iraqi leaders upset
By Steve Holland AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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Blacklabel
Another promise kept. Another thing liberals can mark off their list of things to be outraged about. “But but he never visited the troops in the war zone”. Now he has. Next!
CrazyJoe
I prefer Presidents who don't have to be told to visit their troops.
Laguna
Trump sure sounded frightened by flying in, but he undoubtedly enjoyed the attention, plus it distracts from his myriad problems.
Bintaro
Remember he was supposed to go to Mar-A-Lago if not for the government shut down. Needed a distraction, that's all.
lincolnman
Hi - I'm your President, Donald "I hate the military" Trump...
I am a draft dodger who didn't have the courage to serve our country like you do...
I insult Gold Star families like the parents of Capt Kahn...
I ridicule heroes like John McCain...
Your respected Sec Of Defense Jim Mattis quit because he thought I had the understanding of a fifth grader...
I want to "cut and run" in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, so all the blood and treasure we spent there is for nothing - your blood and treasure...
I'm under six separate criminal investigations...
This is my wife, Storm, er.., I mean Melania...
Happy Holidays....
Strangerland
After dissing Mattis, I bet a significant portion of those troops were entirely disgusted with Chump.
CrazyJoe
Haven't our troops suffered enough already?
Pure PR to distract from the issues in this country.
bass4funk
Love this guy, go Mr. President!
They were, but by the standing ovation it seems like they’re not anymore. Great Christmas present, great morale booster.
So now you can peer into his heart? At least he likes and appreciates our troops unlike someone else didn’t.
Strangerland
Questions how someone can 'peer into ones heart':
Then makes claims that would require peering into ones heart:
So now you can peer into his heart?
The hypocrisy continues.
jcapan
Fighting Trump does not mean adopting horrible conservative framing that's been used against us for a half century. Unless you're a neoconservative who loves war and is prepared to say the same thing the next time a Democrat takes up residence in the White House. Or if you're hoping another hawk like Hillary wins the nomination.
Goodlucktoyou
The soldiers I know would probably put laxatives in his cheeseburger.
lincolnman
"Love this guy" - let's see, Kim Jong Un, The Ayatollah - yep seems right...
You know, just like throwing paper towels to the Hurricane victims....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/it-totally-belittled-the-moment-many-look-back-in-anger-at-trumps-tossing-of-paper-towels-in-puerto-rico/2018/09/13/8a3647d2-b77e-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html
Trump doesn't have a heart - ask Stormy....
What a load of BS...
bass4funk
The way he’s been fighting in raising the military budget and taking care of the veterans
Many people died and he wouldn’t be the only president
Sorry, but being a Gold Star does not give a license or right to insult him or anyone else.
But he’s not the president, that’s a big difference.
It’s not withdrawing troops from Iraq from the looks of it.
He wasn’t President at the time, did that now, it would have been a major problem.
Toasted Heretic
Aw, ye poor wee flower. Afraid of the dark.
I wonder if he visited those who had live through months of darkness and destruction, after what the Great Satan did to Iraq?
As PR stunts go, it's pretty lame. Nobody has forgotten that this man's policies murder children.
Texas A&M Aggie
Anyone watching/believing everything the dem-controlled U.S. MSM "expert opinions" that if our President is sooo hated by the military, all the troops PDJT visited would have either boycotted his visit (as one cable "news" channel reported) or turned their backs on their CinC. The photo accompanying this article tells a different story. Another colossal fail by the HateTrump media cabal.
Laguna
The NYT just published an interview with the two adult children of the doctor who "diagnosed" Trump's bonespurs saying he only did so to obtain more favorable terms on the rent for his clinic, housed in a building owned by Trump's father, Fred. There is a difference between a conscientious objector and a draft dodger. Trump was clearly the latter.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/us/politics/trump-vietnam-draft-exemption.html
Toasted Heretic
Staged.
Trump tweeted: “@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to visit our incredible troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!”
In Iraq? After what the US did to it? Pretty dumb and insensitive comment, like MAGA - it's overuse at any occasion has rendered it empty and meaningless.
“We’re no longer the suckers, folks,” he told the troops. “We’re respected again as a nation.”
Bwaaa haaaa haaa.
Strangerland
No, that’s not correct.
Strangerland
The only group that respects the actions of current day America are the Trumpets. No other group respects them.
gaijinpapa
“The NYT just published an interview with the two adult children of the doctor who "diagnosed" Trump's bonespurs...”
Can’t be bothered reading this - but, if a doctor examined someone, and told their children about it, then those children told a newspaper about it - there are a host of legal and ethical problems right there.
bass4funk
I doubt it, I do believe there are a lot more people, but supporting tromp going out and talking about it can get you a beat down. Noah wants to go through that so you’re going to have a Lotta silent Trump supporters out there or if not at least people that do agree with him on many of his policies either way it’s not just only the Trump supporters Or a monolithic groupYou have some of the liver awesome that I can service and the Republicans and the Democrats, but we never really going to know for sure, what we can say is that the Trump supporters are definitely unapologetic and rightfully so.
Dango bong
If Obama pulled troop from the middle east Dems would call him a peacemaking hero.
Wakarimasen
Fact is that "Western" intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq and Syria and Libya have all been unmitigated disasters. Created nothing but misery and refugees and been a colossal waste of US and NATO money. And lives.
Given that the current "plan" isn't working, why not change course. Trump campaigned as an isolationist and he is keeping some of the promise.
I bet this plays well at home, at least in the short term.
Next reduce troops in Korea and Okinawa and Germany.
And build the wall.
Slickdrifter
Hi - I'm your President, Donald "I hate the military" Trump...
This goes way too far.
Hate the President. Fine. But Trump has shown he has a deep passion for our military. All those know I havebeen critical of the President. But he went to the Middle East. It boosted moral I am sure. I am happy he made an appearance.
Falih Khazali, a former militia leader turned politician allied with Bina, accused the United States of wanting to increase its presence in Iraq. "The American leadership was defeated in Iraq and wants to return again under any pretext, and this is what we will never allow," he said.
How these leaders in Iraq forget. Maybe we should have left Saddam Hussein in the hole we found him in and left him there to regain control of the country again. Very ungrateful.
"Trump's visit is a flagrant and clear violation of diplomatic norms and shows his disdain and hostility in his dealings with the Iraqi government," said a statement from Bina.
Want to talk about staging? This is hogwash. Bina needs to put a sock in it.
The Bina bloc, Islah's rival in parliament and led by Iran-backed militia leader Hadi al-Amiri, also objected to Trump's trip to Iraq.
Iran-backed militia leader Hadi al-Amiri, Oh yes, I remeber him. The enemy. Not long ago Amiri threatened the US envoy that any Iraqi government formed by Washington would be considered a traitor,”
This man is nothing but a terrorist in politics.
"We want peace and the best way to have peace is through strength," Trump told troops wearing camouflage fatigues in a hangar as he concluded his visit. He said some troops "can now return home to their families."
All well and good. I am sure the families will be over the moon to have their family member serving back at home and back on U.S. soil. Welcome back. Time to go back to work on an American base. But word of caution Mr. President. Do not leave assets of war and weaponry behind. Pull us out of conflicts in stages. Hand over intelligence to the best choices. Do not leave our allies in a bad way if possible. Let's do our best to leave responsibly. Get it done right. And never go back to the region. They seem ungrateful anyways.
The soldiers I know would probably put laxatives in his cheeseburger.
Really? That would end your career in a micro second. B.S.
yamada1043
Another photo opportunity for Narcissus J. Trump .... to internal problems, distract the masses.
Chip Star
That only took two years.
Chip Star
It's called loss aversion. Ignorant fools never admit when they are incorrect or own a mistake, so the have no choice but to continue riding I. The flaming clown care careeining into dumpsters that is the Trump presidency.
Attilathehungry
I don't blame Trump for doing everything he could to get out of going to Vietnam. Same for Clinton. That horrid misbegotten conflict was a travesty from the beginning. Yet another war started and enanced by Democrats, and ended by Republicans.
There is no need for US troops to be in Syria or Afghanistan. Let them die for their own countries. The US should have learned by now that there is no way to be 'the good guy' in the Middle East. It's like trying to be a cop who gets called to a domestic abuse situation. The cop arrives, sees the woman with a black eye and arrests the husband. Instead of being grateful, the woman then attacks THE COP. No win situation.
Chip Star
Or, we could have simply left Hussein in power and avoided all this terrorism, death, and destruction.
That is not possible if you don't want to leave our allies high and dry.
These people seem ungrateful that we destroyed their country and made it a safe-haven for terrorists. Damn them! Damn them all to hell for not appreciating us bombing them.
Chip Star
Like Afghanistan and Iraq. And?
Almost a good analogy. but who appointed the US the world's police?
bass4funk
Wow!! Then Democrats have a lot to learn. I’ll be praying for Pelosi and bunch.
Now if he could get out the last holdovers from the last administration then the clown car becomes less of a clown car
Slickdrifter
@Chipstar.
Almost a good analogy. but who appointed the US the world's police?
Ever heard of NATO? And are we really the worlds police?
https://www.newsy.com/stories/nato-depends-on-the-us-for-a-lot-more-than-funding/
That is not possible if you don't want to leave our allies high and dry-
Rather negative way of looking at things. Nothing is impossible.
These people seem ungrateful that we destroyed their country and made it a safe-haven for terrorists.
Ah yes the same Ole tune. Should have left Saddam in power and well enough alone. Please see below.
A look back to 1991. And yes more NATO wanted it very badly.
ONN, APRIL 5th 1991 -- NATO today denounced Iraq's "brutal repression" of its Kurdish population and urged the international community to pressure Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's government to stop it, as a German politician branded Washington's position on the issue as "pure cynicism."
Meanwhile, exiled Kurds throughout Europe sought to draw attention to the plight of their compatriots in Iraq by staging sit-ins, marches and vigils. In London, 14 Kurds occupied a building of the Iraqi Embassy for three hours, tossing files out of windows and burning Iraqi flags and photos of Saddam, while here in Bonn, Kurds mounted a 24-hour vigil outside the U.S. Embassy.
The NATO statement, issued after a meeting of member nations, said "every pressure must be brought to bear to bring Iraqi authorities to stop the repression" and accused Baghdad of "massive violations of human rights." It said members "strongly condemn the brutal repression . . . and hold the Iraqi government responsible for these massive violations of human rights."
Thats just for starters. We all know the rest. Were mistakes made in Iraq. Yes. Did we destroy Iraq? No.
A short list of the former leader Saddam Hussein.
974 -- Dawa Killings
Five leaders of the Shiite Islamic Dawa Party were sentenced to death and killed as Saddam consolidated his power. In 2004, those murders were among many charges announced against Saddam. The U.S. State Department estimates thousands of Saddam's political rivals were killed.
1980 -- Fayli Deportations and Killings
Thousands of Kurds of the Fayli sect were persecuted. Some were expelled to Iran, others killed. Saddam thought of them as Iranian, and therefore as enemies. Fayli women were often imprisoned or put into camps.
1983 -- Barzani Abductions
After the Iraqi-based Kurdistan Democratic Party allied with Iran during the Iran-Iraq War, Saddam sought to punish the clan and its leader, Massoud Barzani. More than 5,000 males, some as young as 10, disappeared. Decades later the remains of 512 Barzani men were discovered in a mass grave. They were reinterred in 2005. A letter that shows Saddam's direct involvement in the crimes was discovered in Baghdad.
1988 -- Al-Anfal Campaign
From February to September 1988, Saddam conducted what has been called a genocidal campaign against the Kurdish population. Gen. Ali Hassan al-Majid, or "Chemical Ali," Saddam's cousin, carried out the Al-Anfal operation using chemical weapons. Human Rights Watch estimates between 50,000 and 100,000 died. Kurdish officials and some international human rights groups put the number killed as high as 182,000. Saddam was on trial for the Anfal campaign at the time of his execution. Six defendants remain in the Al-Anfal case, including "Chemical Ali," who is facing charges of genocide.
1988 -- Halabja Gassing
During the Anfal campaign, "Chemical Ali" ordered an attack against civilians in the town of Halabja. Iraqi forces dropped bombs containing mustard and nerve gases. An estimated 5,000 men, women and children died in a single day. Many more died from long-term medical problems, and birth defects are still common in the area.
1990s -- Marsh Arabs Devastated
Saddam attacked the Shiite "Marsh Arabs" by destroying their land. Once a significant wetland, the marshes in southern Iraq were devastated by a government drainage plan that left behind a wasteland. In 1991, 250,000 Marsh Arabs lived in the region. Now 90 percent of the area is in ruins and only an estimated 20,000 people remain. Tens of thousands live in refugee camps in Iran. Efforts are now underway to restore the marshes. Human Rights Watch calls the campaign against the Marsh Arabs a crime against humanity and other rights activists call it genocide. There are claims chemical weapons also were used.
1990 -- Invasion of Kuwait
In August of 1990, Saddam ordered the Iraqi military, the fourth largest military in the world at the time, to invade Kuwait, leading to the 1991 Gulf War. Iraqi soldiers are accused of torturing and executing hundreds of Kuwaitis, as well as taking hostages and looting. More than 700 oil wells were set on fire and pipelines opened, spilling oil into the Gulf.
1991 -- Kurdish and Shiite Rebellions
After heeding President George H.W. Bush's call to rebel against Saddam, Shiites and Kurds were crushed by immense Iraqi military force. Saddam turned his military against the people as part of his widespread crackdown after the war. The rebels thought they would have the backing of the U.S. military. Thousands have been discovered in mass graves.
1999 -- Al-Sadr Assassination
Ayatollah Muhammed al-Sadr, father of prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and two of his sons were assassinated in 1999. Al-Sadr was a well-liked Shiite leader, and his death spawned Shiite uprisings in Baghdad. As he had previously, Saddam cracked down on the rebellion and hundreds were killed.
In a statement responding to the execution, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said, "Let the families of Iraqi martyrs killed in mass graves, Anfal, Halabja or those executed in the cells of the dead regime be happy. The mothers, orphans and widows should celebrate the death of the buried dictator."
Goodlucktoyou
At least he is not playing golf in Florida while the Mideast is burning.
Wakarimasen
Nope Team America are the world's police. and we know how well they managed that one.
Fact is the less the "West" interferes in other countries, the better off both those countries and the entire world are.
SuperLib
Did he make fun of any POWs? Trump fans love that stuff.
Texas A&M Aggie
Heh, President Trump trolled the entire MSM with his tweets about being lonely at the White House. All I heard yesterday was how our President sitting alone in the Oval Office talking to the Andrew Jackson portrait when in fact he and the First Lady had already departed for Iraq. Classic.
Slickdrifter
@lincolnman
They hate his guts - they can't stand a draft dodging coward, whether Trump or Clinton. His insults to a Gold Star family and John McCain cemented that hate. Then Mattis quits. Talk to the troops - they'll tell you - I see them every day.
Trump was the clear favorite among military voters at 40.5% Not to hated at the time I would say.
Comments about John McCain cemented that hate. Then Mattis quits.
When Mattis left. I made it no secret that was it for me personally with what marginal support for the President I had since he announced his campaign.
He was not my choice. Ted Cruz was. However, I am not going to tear him down for visiting troops.
Talk to the troops - they'll tell you - I see them every day.
I will take your word for it. Naval Fleet Activities Sasebo is closest to my current location. Do not get to the base that much these days.
Semper fi.
bass4funk
No, just the ones that act like jerks.
Laguna
Obama was only three months in office when he first visited Iraq on April 7–8, 2009 - and that was when it was a war zone. Obama also made eight visits to Afghanistan. I don't remember him tweeting about how scary it was.
Strangerland
Just what America needs right now as it is tearing itself apart - a leader who is a troll.
You guys picked a real winner there.
Facepalm.
Slickdrifter
@Wakarimasen
The problems with the world are extensive and vast.
Many countries are involved globally. Not just the U.S.A.
Both Sanders and Trump were on the same line of thinking.
“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world,” Trump said in September. In a different interview, Trump said, “Let Syria and ISIS fight. Why do we care? Let ISIS and Syria fight. And let Russia, they’re in Syria already, let them fight ISIS.”
The similarity in language is not just about opposing dumb wars. It’s that they both suggest there’s a simple solution—let Rusia figure it out! spend the soccer money on counter-terrorism!—and that someone else will fix the problem.
Policing the world. It was dumb then and it is a dumb thing to say now.
Pulling back from being NATO's go to country is better.
wtfjapan
No, just the ones that act like jerks.
why cant an American war hero tell the POTUS hes a jerk when hes clearly acting like a jerk by insulting his patriotism, McCain had more patriotism in his big toe than Trump has overall.
Deadforgood
Doesn't anyone find it weird that, had he got his wall and avoided a government shutdown, he would be in Florida right now practicing his swing?
He must be pretty frustrated right now being forced to play the part in order to maintain face.
runner3
He's so stupid! First he was shamed in going, second he made his visit political, what a fool!
Deadforgood
@slickdrifter
I think you make a valid point. Stop policing the world and acting as NATO's go-to country. Getting out of war is fantastic, and a respectable, honorable move. However, many of the people opposing Trump's spontaneous actions have reasons that exist to maintain America's credibility as a reputable ally. An immediate pull out is probably the easiest way for Trump to say "look what I did" without consulting anybody first or deal with making any agreements that make all parties content. We will no longer be the world's police. We will also, in the eyes of some, be seen as untrustworthy (if we weren't already). We don't have to be the world's police to still be trusted. I just think there could have been a little more thought put into such a big move, rather than what seems to me to be a political stunt looking to stir up the pot and attract to his base.
bass4funk
Uh-huh, right. Lol
Well, maybe this is why....
James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director whose firing by Mr. Trump prompted the appointment of a special counsel to oversee the Justice Department’s Russia investigation, received a copy of the memos after Election Day from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona. Mr. McCain had dispatched David J. Kramer, a former top State Department official, to obtain the dossier directly from Mr. Steele. And before Election Day, the F.B.I. reached an agreement to pay Mr. Steele to continue his research, though that plan was scrapped after the dossier was published. During the presidential transition, senior American intelligence officials briefed Mr. Trump and President Barack Obama on the dossier
I’d be teed off as well, don’t blame Trump for what he did.
stormcrow
When you don't want to face the music at home, SKEDADDLE!
The only other country where Trump could've gone to receive such a warm welcome was Russia.
Strange days indeed.
bass4funk
Good on him, but overall, they thought he was weak and a phony.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2017/01/08/the-obama-era-is-over-here-s-how-the-military-rates-his-legacy/
Alex Einz
Arent they allowed to shoot down unannounced airplanes... ? But seriously ... americans.. go home, invade Canada or someone near you and leave world alone.
lincolnman
Classic, pure Trump - he gets them MSM folks every time. And they missed the best part - it was really Stormy Daniels and not the First Lady...
Gotcha again MSM...
lincolnman
These Trumper isolationist views are dangerous and provocative.
Look back at history and see what happened when America turned inward - dictators, authoritarians, religious zealots all saw an opportunity and took it. Look around today - which countries are encouraging America to turn inward and create a vacuum where they can step in - or worse...
Russia - applauds Trump's move to withdraw so it can enlarge it's influence in the Middle East with its partners Iran and Syria. Nothing to stop it from invading and occupying other former Soviet satellites just like it did in Georgia and Ukraine. Ferments trouble by criticizing the US Security Treaty with Japan while negotiating over the Northern islands.
China - welcomes a reduced US presence in Asia, so it can bully all its neighbors and carve out vast swaths of air and sea space, controlling vital trade routes.
Iran - see above.
North Korea - Tries to split the US-ROK-Japan trilateral relationship to further stabilize and prolong the regime.
Compare that with all of our allies and friends that support US engagement and leadership.
Trump's isolationist foreign policy is the surest way to another major war.
FizzBit
Says the guy spreading fear and lies...LOL
lincolnman
Trump comments to the troops;
"I know many of you here participated in Operation Desert Storm"....
"I missed that one but I did participate in Operation Dessert Stormy"....
lincolnman
You mean Trump and his partner and colluder Putin? Absolutely....
Maybe Trump is in cahoots with Kim too - he did say "they fell in love"....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/30/trump-north-koreas-kim-love-beautiful-letters/1478834002/
I guess the Ayatollah is next...
macv
@Lincolnman did he try to sell them a used Edsel?
Deadforgood
I'm not so sure a lot of the soldiers even want to go back home considering its turning into a 3rd world country and being overrun by minorities according to Bass4funk.
I'm joking of course, but I do wonder if the people directly involved are interested in staying because they see a purpose or they are excited to get home.
nandakandamanda
If they never met any Iraqis, how do we know they were really there?
Chico3
I sure hope he checked the weather report for rain this time. Maybe there's a golf course there that we don't know about.
bass4funk
Bingo! Spot on!
Attilathehungry
Chipstar; sorry to reply late. Here is the war count (at least major conflicts):
US Civil War: started by Democrats. Ended by a Republican
WW1 : entered by Democrat (Wilson)
WW2: entered by Democrat (FDR)
Korean War: entered by Democrat (Truman), ended by Republican (Eisenhower)
Vietnam: entered by Democrat (Kennedy), enhanced by Democrat (LBJ), ended by Republican (Nixon)
"War on Terror", everyone is to blame.
Serrano
"Meanwhile, Iraqi political and militia leaders condemned Trump's visit as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty"
Hey, they didn't throw their shoes at him did they? lol
That's it. Get U.S. troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan too.
Toasted Heretic
Trolls attract trolls. It's the level to expect now for the PotUS and his followers.
Meanwhile, his lies about bone spurs have caught up with him. Soldiers on the ground must be scratching their heads about the commander-in-chief. The grunts are the ones being maimed and killed while the elite do all they can to stay out of conflict.
Toasted Heretic
Another bewildering phrase oft heard from neanderthals. What does it actually mean, though?
"We"?
Toasted Heretic
Trump appears to have managed to screw up even a 3 hour visit to the troops serving in Iraq. He posted a video as he left Iraqi airspace, showing him greeting the troops. The problem is, it goes against protocol to show the faces of troops on active duty - as it would be a major propaganda coup if the enemy managed to capture said troops and parade them on telly.
Even better, it appears they were all part of Seal Team Five and will now be useless for covert ops. Trump, of course, wouldn't give a damn about stuff like that, he just has to brag. USA! USA! USA!
SuperLib
How do you feel about Flynn? I haven't heard you mock his military service. Seems like it would be the perfect situation to, ne?
Pukey2
I just saw a snippet of his speech where he kept using the word 'suckers'? Can this excuse of a human being actually speak like an adult for once? Asking him to speak like a president is too much to ask.
OFGS , look 'em all up!
Pukey2
lock 'em all up, I meant.
Serrano
"Trump appears to have managed to screw up even a 3 hour visit to the troops serving in Iraq."
Yeah, sure, if you watch CNN, lol
Oh my...
Steyn rips CNN's coverage of Trump's Iraq visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVXAYKNrgkM
Madverts
SerranoToday 07:12 pm JST
"Get U.S. troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan too."
Said the bloke that screamed to put them there and cheered on the wars through the W years.
Heh. I like the position you're in "serrano" . Bitten by your own independent Republicanism, now cheering on Trump who stated on your beloved Iraq abortion "was the worst mistake the US ever made" .
mukashiyokatta
I prefer commanders-in-chief who AREN'T draft-dodgers!
Serrano
"Madverts" - You think U.S. troops should stay in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan? You don't agree with Trump's decision to pull troops from Syria?
Wolfpack
Me too. I didn’t vote for Bill Clinton either. You supported him?
Saw that Trump signed a lot of those Make America Great Again hats for the troops. That really p.o’d the Dems.
SuperLib
No one trolls the military like Trump. And his supporters love it.
bones
Most of us Vets know that the POTUS doesn’t just suddenly jump on a plane and fly into the M.E, it requires planning, security measures and prepping the troops to be on their best behavior.
This is nothing more than a campaign rally for trumps, and the talk about pay raises is completely false but who cares about truth and facts in trump land right!
Toasted Heretic
Indeed. Trump has lied about pay and more importantly, put the lives of the Seals in jeopardy.
Be interested to see how this can be defended.
starpunk
Oops, Trumpytraitor claims that he 'restored' saying 'Merry Christmas', and his wife is daughter Ivanka!
Serrano
"No one trolls the military like Trump"
His visit to the troops in Iraq was pretty well received. This may be hard for Super to watch, hehe
President Trump makes surprise visit to Iraq, thanks troops for their service
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_u5zPWNlIs
mukashiyokatta
Trump lie: first pay raise in 10 years for military.
The TRUTH: military have received a pay raise EVERY SINGLE YEAR during those 10 years.
Over to you, Trump supporters -- why does your president tell whopping lies??
extanker
There's no such protocol. Ever watched the news from any of the war zones? Soldiers' faces everywhere. I did graphic design for a tactical gear company for a decade and used photos supplied by active duty military overseas in a huge amount of the marketing materials.
We don't know who the soldiers were except for the one claiming to be a chaplain for the Team. Since we don't know who they are, they're identities haven't been compromised. Just seeing a face of a SEAL doesn't disqualify them from duty.
Strangerland
But now if they get caught, they can be identified as SEALs.
extanker
No, since no one in the photo was identified specifically as a SEAL, they still can't be identified as such. Except for the chaplain, the men in the photo are only 'suspected' as being members of special operations. I hope I don't need to remind everyone that the Chaplain doesn't go on missions so his identity does not matter.
starpunk
It DOES matter. Their identity, mission and location is meant to be secret even to most Americans. Dumpster Don has gravely endangered these personnel on his egotistical quest for glory, which he doesn't deserve! Trumpytraitor stated that this was SEAL Team Five. Now anyone can see who they are!
When Pres. Obama announced that 'SEAL Team Six' dispatched the fanatical 9/11 creep scumbag Usama bin Laden, he didn't pose for pix with them. When he awarded their medals of valor, it was in the WH in a secret ceremony closed to the media and public, out of concern + respect to the SEAL Team members. That's playing it smart.
Douchebag Donny don't care about anyone but his pathetic self, and he has greatly endangered military personnel's lives in the process. He is an American Nero and he's a pompous selfish jerk. He is a negligent megalomaniacal criminal in every aspect and to the highest degree.