I just love all these ‘unexpected, unannounced, surprising’ stops made by Bush (think Turkey in Iraq) and now Condi Rice.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced stop in Beirut Monday in an effort to shore up Lebanon’s fragile government, beleaguered by nearly two weeks of relentless bombing raids that have wrecked much of the country’s infrastructure and sent thousands of Lebanese citizens fleeing for their lives.
It’s fun to watch the media, who continue to react with utter shock when a president or members of his cabinet stray from the pre-published travel itinerary. Then there is the Left, who scoff at these secret trips, claiming what they see is nothing more than manufactured ‘wanna be seen as doing something important’ ploys for popularity.
These seemingly impromptu stop overs in unexpected places aren’t so much a photo-op tactic to gain a bump in the polls as they are a foreign policy reality in this post 9/11 world. Get used to it.