If US President George Bush's Thanksgiving visit to Iraq was intended to boost American morale, events on the ground have quickly eroded whatever positive effects it may have had. The deaths of two young girls have led to a storm of protest from Iraqis in the northern town of Baquba. They claim they were killed by US troops who opened fire on bushes where the children were collecting wood. The Pentagon has yet to comment. Meanwhile, there has been more bloodshed on the US side. A soldier was killed when a military base came under mortar fire in Mosul also in the north of the country. A number of Iraqis working at the camp were injured in the attack. Mosul has seen a surge in violence recently as a resistance against the US and its allies intensifies. **Iraqis critical of Bush visit*** A morale-booster for the troops it may have been but what do Iraqis make of George W.Bush's surprise trip to Baghdad for 'Thanksgiving' dinner? Not a great deal, if the reaction of some of those watching pictures of his visit on television is anything to go by. One Iraqi man spoken to by reporters demanded to know the reason behind the trip and questioned whether it had anything to do with the promises the president has made to the Iraqi people. Another man, meanwhile, is convinced he knows what it was really all about, saying the trip was linked to the US leader's bid to make it back into the White House in 2004 elections. Introduced by Paul Bremer, the US-appointed governor of Iraq, President Bush was given a warm welcome by the soldiers. The VIP guest was keen, however, to address a wider audience: "I have a message for the Iraqi people. You have an opportunity to seize the moment and rebuild your great country - based on human dignity and freedom. The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever." "Awesome" and "courageous" is how some troops described the lightning visit but amid mounting casualties in Iraq and political pressure at home, the long-term effect of this exercise remains to be seen. **PHOTO CAPTION*** A soldier puts the Texas flag back onto the casket of U.S. Sgt. First Class Gary L. Collins after the wind blew it off during his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, November 25, 2003. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)