"GI in Afghanistan: Obama 'blew them off'" from Free Republic reproduces an e-mail from one of the troops in Afghanistan when Barack Obama swooped in for a visit - and that has been backed up by another.
Perhaps Obama couldn't get the "optics" he wanted:
Hello everyone,
As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to "The War Zone". I wanted to share with you what happened. He got off the plan[sic] and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram. As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service. So really he was just here to make a showing for the American's back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you. I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States. I just don't understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief.
This is, of course, wholly inaccurate and has been retracted by the guy who supposedly wrote it. http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp
Posted by: Truth seeker | July 28, 2008 at 09:29 AM
What a crock...Snopes is owned by a man and wife team (the Mikkelsons) NOTORIOUS liberal spinners...uses the cover of exposing urban legends to declare FALSE FALSE FALSE anything agaainst a liberal whether correct or not...then disclaims (the small print) warning that their postings are only their opinion and serious researchers should find there own sources and answers...ANYONE who sites SNOPES on a real issue is badly out of touch with reality. The writer of the E-Mail did not deny any part of it. He merely stated, after being threatened by the brass with loss of rank) that the E-Mail was for his family only and not for public distribution. Anyone doubting his veracity should check the supporting emails from other GIs or refer to his refusal to visit the wounded unless he could be photogtaphed with them...DUH
Posted by: E Calkins | July 31, 2008 at 12:10 PM