Al-Maliki himself did not know the president was in Baghdad until five minutes before they met in the blue-domed palace

once used by Saddam Hussein but which now houses part of the U.S. Embassy in the heavily fortified Green Zone.

Excuse me is this a Sovereign Nation or what? Just flies into a Sovereign Nation like that, WHOS COUNTRY IS IT ANYWAYS.

Bush Tells Iraq Leader U.S. Will Back Him

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- President Bush told Iraq's new leader in a surprise face-to-face visit on Tuesday that the fate of his war-scarred country was in Iraq's own hands. Bush was pressed in turn not to withdraw U.S. troops too quickly.

"There's a worry almost to a person that we will leave before they are capable of defending themselves," Bush said as he flew back to the United States after his lightning, long-distance trip to meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Bush spent over 5 1/2 hours in Baghdad in his second visit of the three-year war, both kept secret until he had safely arrived. He met with American troops at Thanksgiving 2003 in a visit confined to the airport and limited to several hours.

This time, he traveled to the city's heavily fortified Green Zone.

In a mission designed to both showcase U.S. support for the new unity government and to ease war concerns at home, the president told the Iraqi prime minister the United States would stand by the new government as it works to achieve stability.

"When America gives its word, it keeps its word," Bush said.