"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

[only1Demvoter]

Good morning my good friends..

Happy Anniversary !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moutUEfqUQ4

( This should be cast upon the tools, shills, trolls, apologists, and enablers of this lovely little scenario in which we are ensconced for all eternity. ) - Thank You for your time and considerat­ion...


MORE to follow. -ralph

[SouthpawSass]

Yes the "Mission Accomplished" banner. I'm still trying to figure out just whose mission was accomplished.

[Spanky]

Where is:

1 The black boxes from the planes that struck the pemtagon and crashed in PA?
2. Where is the forensics that we are used to when a plane crashes
3. An FBI informant lived with the so called hijackers.
4. Mossad didn't know that Saddam had no WMD (Hard to believe the Israelis are not complicit in the promulgated attack)? Mossad's Motto is to decieve.

9/11 was promulgated by this nations government to achive an objective toward world govt.





There are too many open questions.

[alabala1]

Oh yes, the mission is accomplished. Judge for yourself:

(1) Destroy one of th estrongest enemy of Israel (done)
(2) Funnel my, your, our children's and gran children's money to his cronies in the defense and oil industry (done)
(3) Take revenge on saddam for trying to kill his dad (done)

Which part of mission don't YOU understand?

[Jeff1958]

Leave Israel out of it. This has Bush and the neo-cons written all over it. The truth was that Saddam Hussein was impotent due to no-fly zones in the north and south of Iraq on top of a devestating 10 year war with Iran. Iraq was no threat to Israel.

[robynuva]

The mission of the Bush administration WAS accomplished. This was the war they wanted since Bush 1.

It's purpose was to make them money, and to starve the federal government by spending it to death. This has been the largest transfer of wealth in history. So, Mission Accomplished!

[BushBites]

I thought chimps were supposed to be smart.

[hope]

What with 'Bitter-gate' and the Rev. Wright stories negatively effecting Obama's poll numbers, I can't help but wonder....­.

Is there a 'Mission Accomplished' banner hanging in a Hillary headquarters somewhere?

[Kalima]

It might read, " This is the Mission I want to Accomplish anyway I can, so help me Bill."

[soundfury]

If there is, then I hope she gets the same appreciation and end result George has been getting...­a whole lot of nothing for so much ado!

[ejay579]

Wait, didn't she hang that one up about a year ago? Chimp and the Drama Queen, priceless.

[bar1ed]

yes - lets blame this all on Sen. Clinton - I'm sure that the dead soldiers would want to know who sent them to their graves - spin your hate - show your true face - is this the change that everyone talks about?

[realtalk]

Unfortunetly the Bush adminstration are CLUELESS, and obviously DID NOT do any research at all on Iraq, and the different religious factions of Islam that lived in that country. The fact is Saddam, as vile as he was (would have been better dealt with through sanctions, or even prosecution for war crimes, thereby leaving his government to a successor, who was less cruel. This would have been a better option than the USA getting into an all out war with Saddam.
The fact is Saddam was the only one keeping Iraq for decending into a holy war between the Sunnis, and the Shias. Saddam was the only one who was keeping Iran under control (even Christians, and Jews practiced their faith in Iraq) . Had the BUSH administration not been so bent on revenge, and on their pursuit of oil, they would have known how much of a disaster they would create by invading Iraq. The fact is that America cannot win this war. Iran, from the Shia sect of the Islamic faith, and AlQuida, which is from the Sunni sect of the Islamic religion have been in a holy war since the early days of Islam. They each want Iraq, and they are willing to fight each other to the death for it. The Bush Administration have created a disaster in Iraq, which is going to be never ending. No amount of American soldiers, is going to end the holy war being fought for centeries, between the Sunnis, and

[robodweeb]

"Unfortunetly the Bush adminstration are CLUELESS, and obviously DID NOT do any research at all on Iraq"

Sadly, their "research" consisted of reading Bill Kristol's column about how the factions would get along just fine, thank you.

[eliska]

iraqis want a voice
iraqis want representation
iraqis want participation in government
iraqis want an opportunity to be individuals

[iBgood]

One thing THEY have said THEMSELVES is US out of Iraq.

Your points are all propaganda from your cult, little parrot.

[Nyland8]

Iraqis can have all that and more. Iraqis can have anything they wish to agree to. But we have to leave. Our presence doesn't provide liberation for Iraqis any more than our presence "liberated" Kuwait. Staying in Iraq is a disservice to Iraqis AND a disservice to the United States.

8

[soundfury]

Fine so work it out, take care of your business, we'll take care of ours, and start paying your own way now.

The time has come for everyone to part ways.

[Flagal]

No matter which candidate you support this is a must read & watch the video.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4757257&page=1

[shanester]

I wonder if Olbermann is gonna do a "Special Comment" on this anniversary tonight. He makes reference to it every night before signing off to remind us what a ludicruous statement and photo op that was 5 years ago

[Satch]

Mission Accomplished! The war is over only for the sailors on the Abraham Lincoln??? And Dana Perino actually gets paid......­.. In what hole did W find this press secretary/idiot ..

[hope]

She [Dana Perino] 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."


Seems the White House must view everyone but themselves as the enemy.

After all, just about everyone else has been devastated by the Bush years.

The 'price they paid' for 'Mission Accomplished' hasn't nearly been severe enough.

[robodweeb]

She [Dana Perino] 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."

Are the Sunnis the "enemy" or the Shiites?

Isn't the "enemy" safe and sound in Pakistan? That's what the State Department and the GAO have reported.

It turns out we're in the same place we were when Bush ignored "Bin Laden Determined to Attack"

Except 4,000 soldiers fewer.

[Kalima]

4061 U.S.troops­.
Coaltion forces ?
Iraqi civilians ?
Reporters ?
Kidnapping victims ?
NP0 members ?
Stupid Japanese kid looking for excitement, beheaded.
The suicide rate of returning soldiers ?
I'm sure that the price of this war can't ever be counted only in the
confirmed dead or body count. It will be forever another stain of
greed and disregard for human life as we don't ever seem to learn
anything of value through either history or the joy of life for each
and every one of us sharing this planet. Is this all there is?

[only1Demvoter]

hope : So much for Dana's credibility ( as if there were any left to restore )...

She's hedging her bet on " how important " the president's assessment of the situation IS ??

If the circumstances were not so dire... It would be to laugh.


More to follow. -ralph

[RDixon]

Saddam 1 - Bush 0

[robodweeb]

Al Qaeda Pakistan - Terrorists 1, Bush 0

[Durango]

Iran 20 Bush 0

[JackLivigni]

An administration that has taken no responsibility for its failures..­. We cannot afford to have even 1 more month of Republicans in the White House, but we have no choice. WE WILL HAVE A CHOICE COME NOVEMBER.

Democrats should wake up and realize that the powers that be in this corporate conglomerate of pro-fascist manipulators want us to divide and hate each other. Obama - Clinton, who cares as long as it is Democratic. Make no mistake, our minds are under attack. Read Arianna's post about the Pentagon and the war, and the media silence to get a glimpse of the reality today.

Empower yourself with a President who will not align with special interests and that answers to the people.

[jbsouth]

True!!!!!!!!!

[Kong2]

So now they say they didn't mean it? Pardon me for being skeptical, but I doubt an administration that's as big on controlling the message as this one would make that kind of error.

[realtalk]

Unfortunetly the Bush adminstration are CLUELESS, and obviously DID NOT do any research at all on Iraq, and the different religious factions of Islam that lived in that country. The fact is Saddam, as vile as he was (would have been better dealt with through sanctions, or even prosecution for war crimes, thereby leaving his government to a successor, who was less cruel. This would have been a better option than the USA getting into an all out war with Saddam.
The fact is Saddam was the only one keeping Iraq for decending into a holy war between the Sunnis, and the Shias. Saddam was the only one who was keeping Iran under control (even Christians, and Jews practiced their faith in Iraq) . Had the BUSH administration not been so bent on revenge, and on their pursuit of oil, they would have known how much of a disaster they would create by invading Iraq. The fact is that America cannot win this war. Iran, from the Shia sect of the Islamic faith, and AlQuida, which is from the Sunni sect of the Islamic religion have been in a holy war since the early days of Islam. They each want Iraq, and they are willing to fight each other to the death for it. The Bush Administration have created a disaster in Iraq, which is going to be never ending. No amount of American soldiers, is going to end the holy war being fought for centeries, between the Sunnis, and

[gcallaghan]

We ought to realize by now that this administration means what they say and will stand by their every contradiction until the bitter end. It's the old " if we can't dazzle them with our brilliance then we'll just baffle them with our bullshit." The truly stupid and braindead buy every word of it without question - that 28% annoyance.

[robodweeb]

But at least one of our "successes" in Afghanistan is that al Qaeda doesn't have a safe haven from which to plot and plan.

I know because Bush said it the other day at the press conference.

(Perhaps Lieberman needs to do some whispering­.)