Baghdad +President Bush In Iraq+

Baghdad +President Bush In Iraq+ President Bush has made a surprise trip to Baghdad to consult with new Iraqi prime minister al-Maliki .

Bush met with al-Maliki in the heavily fortified green zone at a palace once used by Saddam Hussein but which now serves temporarily as the U.S. Embassy.

The prime minister had been invited to the embassy on the pretense of taking part in a video conference with Bush, supposedly at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains. The videoconference was going on as scheduled, but with Bush to appear alongside al-Maliki.

Most of Bush's aides had expected the president to be at the table with them for the videoconference. Instead, they were seeing him from Baghdad. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Vice President Dick Cheney were in on the secret. Accompanying Bush on the trip were National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, Deputy Chief of staff Joe Hagin, press secretary Tony Snow, and a few others.

Air Force One landed in hazy daylight at Baghdad Airport, where the temperature was above 100 degrees. Bush transferred to a helicopter for the six-minute ride to the green zone.