"Mission Accomplished" 5 Years Later

WASHINGTON — The White House said Wednesday that President Bush has paid a price for the "Mission Accomplished" banner that was flown in triumph five years ago but later became a symbol of U.S. misjudgments and mistakes in the long and costly war in Iraq.

Thursday is the fifth anniversary of Bush's dramatic landing in a Navy jet on an aircraft carrier homebound from the war. The USS Abraham Lincoln had launched thousands of airstrikes on Iraq.

"Major combat operations in Iraq have ended," Bush said at the time. "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on Sept. 11, 2001, and still goes on." The "Mission Accomplished" banner was prominently displayed above him _ a move the White House came to regret as the display was mocked and became a source of controversy.

After shifting explanations, the White House eventually said the "Mission Accomplished" phrase referred to the carrier's crew completing its 10-month mission, not the military completing its mission in Iraq. Bush, in October 2003, disavowed any connection with the "Mission Accomplished" message. He said the White House had nothing to do with the banner; a spokesman later said the ship's crew asked for the sign and the White House staff had it made by a private vendor.

"President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific and said `mission accomplished' for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission," White House press secretary Dana Perino said Wednesday. "And we have certainly paid a price for not being more specific on that banner. And I recognize that the media is going to play this up again tomorrow, as they do every single year."

She said what is important now is "how the president would describe the fight today. It's been a very tough month in Iraq, but we are taking the fight to the enemy."

At least 49 U.S. troops died in Iraq in April, making it the deadliest month since September when 65 U.S. troops died.

Now in its sixth year, the war in Iraq has claimed the lives of at least 4,061 members of the U.S. military. Only the Vietnam War (August 1964 to January 1973), the war in Afghanistan (October 2001 to present) and the Revolutionary War (July 1776 to April 1783) have engaged America longer.

Bush, in a speech earlier this month, said that "while this war is difficult, it is not endless."

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On the Net:

White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov

Comments

[davemcd]

That was the end of the war... and the start of the occupation of Iraq.

Nation building. It's expensive. Lives and $'s.

[DrDemon]

"After shifting explanations, the White House eventually said the "Mission Accomplished" phrase referred to the carrier's crew completing its 10-month mission, not the military completing its mission in Iraq".


???? Did the White House say this with a straight face? ????

[wiseapple]

Isn't wood the symbol for the 5h aniversary of things? If so, I suggest we acknowledge this anniversary by awarding the president " The Big Woodie" award for all he has done to make this happen.

[billaryisswillary]

Bush and Cheney's mission WAS accomplished-we kept Iraqi oil OFF the market, and oil prices went up-AND we were then able to cause enough CHAOS in Iraq so that the military-indusrtial complex could steal A TRILLION DOLLARS from the American taxpayers-without firing a shot at any of us. The death and destruction of Americans and of Iraq is just collateral damage to these war criminals! YES-their mission WAS acomplished-the problem is ---America's mission has still NOT been accomplished!

[DrDemon]

WOW - Is this what Mc_______ (u fill in) will be going up against in Nov.?

I hope so...!

[RevJeff]

I am left to wonder why the HuffPo doesn't have a story about the massive protests at the ports on the west coast. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma have been completely shut down. Almost all the dock workers decided to take the day off and they are now holding signs, protesting the war in Iraq.

And as far as the USS Lincoln accomplished its mission. I live near where the USS Lincoln is based and most of the sailors on that ship are on their 3rd and 4th deployments. If their mission was accomplished why are they still going back there?

[Paul]

Good point.

[JTyroler]

I hadn't realized that the "Mission Accomplished" banner and Bush's comment about military operations ending actually meant that the carrier had finished its mission.

I thought we were going to be celebrating the 5 years of peace in Iraq and the removal of weapons of mass destruction, er, removing Saddam Hussein from power, or reasons #5, 8, 14, and/or 22 for invading Iraq.

[devild1nosaur]

This morning White House Press Secretary Dana Pinnochio, who said poor President Bush has been unfairly attacked by the liberal media and leftwing nutcases and should have been more specific: it was meant for the ship's crew, whose involvement in major hostilities was over. It's just semantics! A lot of hoopla over nothin'! See? Don't you feel better now?
WTF??
Let me get this straight: After 5 years, they've finally clarified the "Mission Accomplished" banner was meant ONLY for the U.S.S. Lincoln , NOT the people that were actually IN Iraq? "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended" meant the guys on the ship could sail home? Did W think the war was being fought there? Were they scuttling Iraqi pirates?
You'd think that after 5 years, they could at least lie a little more convincingly. Dana, I'm seriously disappointed you couldn't come up with something better than this. Surely, Ari Fleisher or Tony Snow would have been angry and belligerent explaining that, wistful for his good old days avoiding any real danger in the air national guard, he was on a routine sortie in his old flight suit that day and the sailors put the sign up while he wasn't looking. Suuuuuuuure. Yeah, I'm buyin' this, all right...
Also today: No reasonable offer refused on one slightly used bridge, currently operated in Brooklyn, but can be relocated at minimal expense, respond this blog post. We take Visa, MC, Amex, and cash- just not in American dollars....

[GHENT007]

All those american sheep that followed that monkey and that devil worshiper dick vader, are right now getting the results of the "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" BY HAVING THEIR HOMES FORCLOSED ON!! paying the highest price for gas in america since the invention of the car, losing their jobs at a record pace, the highest debt in the history of america, the lowest dollar since the great depression, SO NOW ALL OF YOU "BUSH/CHENEY" FOLLOWERS WHO REALLY CANT HANG WITH "RICH REPUBLICANS" BUT YOU VOTED FOR THEM ANYWAY!!!! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!! YOU'VE SUCCESSFULLY ALLOWED THE DUMBEST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY DESTROY OUR ECONOMY AS WELL AS OUR COUNTRY!!!!

[rosita]

Mr. Bush...........you should be ashame of your self. Your mission is now accomplished by the rising of price for gas, the price of food, the price of our homes, the price on education.......YOU HAVE DONE "NOTHING" to help the American people, you have brough our country DOWN........ THANKS DUDE!

[AC500]

If Bush didn't fly in with the Mission Accomplished banner in his knapsack, how did it get on the boat?

[gcallaghan]

maybe it was the forward-looking patriot who packed his parachute.

[elbzee]

tucked in his cod piece?

[Nova16]

It's more like "Mission Bungled". Could it be that a phony war based on lies, deceit and chicanery would be mismaged in terms of overall planning, strategy, tactics, logistics manpower and an exit strategy since the Iraqi army would rather run than fight. Someone(s) have to be held reponsible and accountable for tens of thousands killed, wounded, maimed Iraqis and displaced from their homes and 4,065 soldiers/marines killed and untold wounded and maimed while squandering hundreds of billions of scarce dollars in a never ending war. Such an egregious undertaking as the Iraqi "war" requires that those responsible be brought to justice for their actions. A Nuremberg Tribunal is a good start.

[ironjunkman]

who has a good word to say for the crew? These guys did their best for us and can't get even a pat on the back. and all the pointy headed mealy mouth bush haters got to talk about is the sign and how much they hate bush. Thank You and God Bless the USS Abe Lincoln and all who sail on her.

[andyboy]

ironjunkman,

Oh was the thread about the crew? Funny your the first one to have that take.

Where was the crew mentioned?

God Bless attacking defensless nations and killing muslims. It makes simpletons wax all patriotic and weepy.

[zerocoma]

And I'm willing to bet a good percentage of that crew would've gladly tossed bush over the side with the gray water.

[peskyliberal]

Who's bashing the crew of the USS Lincoln? It was the Bush Administration that throw them under the bus for the banner.

Wow...you must be one of the 27%ers. How's that working for you?

[elbzee]

There ya go sweetie, distract yourself with the brave, heroic soldiers... Pay no attention to the man in front of the big banner...

[SteveinSC]

I'd like to add number 11. Pissed on the graves of the Founding Fathers.

[kellygrrrl]

this is long but worth the watch
Lindsey Williams re: The Energy Non-Crisis

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3340274697167011147

once again, we are being played by our govt.

[faretheewell]

Mission Accomplished allright:

National debt is skyrocketing.

Dollar is in the toilet.

Jobs being exported at a record pace.

Negative balance of trade reaches new heights.

US status in the world flagging.

I'm just not sure who's mission it is that was accomplished. It certainly isn't America's!

[JonGee]

As scary as the past five years have been, the next five could be a whole lot more frightening.
John McCain is champing at the bit to get his hands on our weapons of mass destruction. Under McCain, the draft will be reinstated, our presence in the Middle East will expand, and hostilities are certain to escalate.
In the McCain presidency, we can go from "Mission Accomplished," to "Fission Accomplished."

[JoeBlough]

I'm all for re-instating the draft.

I was drafted in 1969 and sent to VietNam. Spreading the death loss to a greater Middle-American base will fire up the citizens to try and block the governments' wars of choice over oil acquisition.

Right now, citizens don't have a stake it this war ( other than government induced fear). When the kids living next door to you start coming home in boxes (that the government won't let you see), maybe we can call a stop to this farce.