Bush made a suprise visit to Iraq in Thanksgiving of 2003, and had a nice photo op with the troops holding a plastic turkey. It gave him a slight boost in poll numbers at that time. Bush's approval rating right now is in the mid-thirties, and could go lower. He's toxic to other Republicans and badly needs to stop the hemorrhaging.
He might be desperate enough to use the troops again for a shameless photo op to get back into the mid-forties.
Rice made a suprise trip this week. Does this portend that he will too?
Let's hope Reid and Dean have a response/counterweight planned.