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U.S. NEWS A3
Saturday 30 December 2017

Mattis nixes holiday tradition of seeing troops in war zones

have chaired the Joint and Iraq four times, includ- ghanistan last week.
Chiefs of Staff have rou- ing a secret Thanksgiving Less than three months af-
tinely done their own De- voyage to Baghdad in 2003 ter U.S. troops invaded Af-
cember trips to war zones, and a trip to both nations’ ghanistan, Rumsfeld flew
taking celebrities on their capitals in December 2008. into Bagram Air Base under
flights as part of a USO en- President Barack Obama extraordinarily high secu-
tertainment tour. flew to Iraq once as com- rity, telling service members
It is less of a tradition for mander in chief and four the World Trade Center “is
U.S. presidents to make times to Afghanistan. Only still burning as we sit here,
December visits to conflict a December 2010 trip they’re still bringing bod-
zones. Such trips require came during the holidays. ies out.” He said he made
much greater logistical President Donald Trump the trip to talk face-to-face
and security planning. hasn’t yet gone to the war with “real people who are
President George W. Bush front, but Vice President doing real things that are
visited Afghanistan twice Mike Pence flew to Af- part of our plan.”q

In this Dec. 22, 2017 photo, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend takes
a photo of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and a dining facility
worker at Fort Bragg, N.C. For only the second time since 9/11,
America’s defense secretary didn’t visit U.S. troops in a war
zone during December, breaking a longstanding tradition of
personally and publicly thanking service members in combat
who are separated from their families during the holiday season.

(AP Photo/Robert Burns)

By LOLITA C. BALDOR ing the festive season. And
Associated Press the only time a holiday visit
WASHINGTON (AP) — For was skipped since Ameri-
only the second time since cans began fighting in Af-
9/11, America’s defense ghanistan was in Decem-
secretary didn’t visit U.S. ber 2002. That year, then-
troops in a war zone dur- Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
ing December, breaking went to a command post
a long-standing tradition in Qatar that would be
of personally and publicly used a few months later to
thanking service members coordinate the launch of
in combat who are sepa- the Iraq war.
rated from their families Asked recently why he
during the holiday season. wasn’t going to Iraq or Af-
Pentagon boss Jim Mat- ghanistan, Mattis said he
tis, who spent more than didn’t want to discuss his
four decades in the Ma- travel. “I carry out my du-
rine Corps and deployed ties to the best of my abil-
to Iraq and Afghanistan, ity,” said Mattis, who visited
made a five-day trip Iraq and Afghanistan ear-
through the Middle East lier this year.
in early December. He Dana White, his chief
stopped in Kuwait and Pak- spokeswoman, said the
istan — countries adjacent secretary “wanted the
to Iraq and Afghanistan troops to enjoy their holi-
— but didn’t cross the bor- day uninterrupted. He is
ders to see troops at war in keenly aware of the logisti-
either country. Last week, cal challenges of a senior
he visited troops in Guan- leader visit, especially in a
tanamo Bay, Cuba, and war zone.” Defense secre-
at military bases in Florida, tary trips historically have
North Carolina and South been aimed at boosting
Carolina, wishing them holi- troop morale, letting ser-
day cheer. vice members know that
It has been 15 years since senior leaders and the U.S.
a U.S. defense chief didn’t public recognize their sac-
travel to a war zone dur- rifice. And generals who