12月21日，英国首相托尼·布莱尔出人意料地秘密访问巴格达，意在为即将来临的伊拉克大选造势，鼓励伊拉克人参选。外电报道如下：Protected by U.S. Black Hawk¹ helicopters, Britain's Tony Blair flew into Iraq on Tuesday in a surprise show of political bravado² designed to boost prospects³ for Iraqi elections and cheer UK troops before Christmas.

The prime minister's trip also sent a defiant⁴ message back home where Britons' disquiet⁵ over Iraq is likely to reduce the margin⁶ of his expected general election victory next year.

While a year ago his U.S. ally George W. Bush stayed at Baghdad airport, Blair went straight into the central Green Zone, a favorite target for insurgents⁷, on a military Puma⁸ helicopter.

Bravado表示“虚张声势；故作勇敢；装作有自信的样子”，例如：perform idiotic⁹ tricks out of sheer bravado（搞一套纯属虚张声势的愚蠢花招）在上文中，bravado表示布莱尔此次出访的意图是为伊大选进行“政治造势”。