"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

[MichiganJFrog]

"Oooooooo ooo ooo ooooh
Did you see the frightened ones
Did you hear the falling bombs
Did you ever wonder
Why we had to run for shelter
When the promise of a brave new world
Unfurled beneath a clear blue sky
Oooooooo ooo ooooo oooh
Did you see the frightened ones
Did you hear the falling bombs
The flames are all long gone
But the pain lingers on
Goodbye blue sky
Goodbye blue sky
Goodbye
Goodbye"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPu8zT4p7rQ

[VivaZapata]

and there's no question that congratulations are in order.

[MichiganJFrog]

YES! He achieved the most monumental f*ckup imaginable!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!

[Raymondf]

Everyone saysThings out of context, well this was this ship had accomplished its mission and was going home it had been at sea long enough to go home. this didn't mean the war was over. If you listened to Bushes speech on that day you would have known that.

[Bastet]

Over 900 Iraqis died in April 2008, Mission accomplished!
Gas averaging $3.65 a gallon: Mission accomplished!
The US constitution in shreds: Mission accomplished!
Torture codified, documented, choreographed, and approved: Mission accomplished!
The US posed for another great depression: Mission accomplished!
I could go on and on and on and on: America's worst president ever: Mission accomplished!

[fignozzle]

well stated.

[jubo]

Notice the halo? Despicable...

[Hollyse]

Notice the halo? Sure. I also notice the halo over Dana Perino's head through osmosis from the president. . One stupid in the White House has a breeding record of other stupids as well. Perino calling the shots in any press conference is similiar to a "Pig That Sang to the Moon" and she's totally enjoying her pay check undisturbed by truth and reality of death amongst "We the Animals" as we're no longer considered "We the People" , but rather those "Pesty Citizens Wanting Rights". I reference this audio book title as a saddened similarity of what happens with intelligent animals are betrayed in the hands of madmen in society.

[Kalima]

"Mission Accomplished 5 years on." How many Iraqis are still without adequate
amenities like electricity and fresh running water. If I were an Iraqi citizen I would
be very angry too.

[MichiganJFrog]

I say we pass out flag pins to all Iraqis, that should solve everything!

[Kalima]

Oh yes, that would solve absolutely everything all over the world.
Better tell China to rev up production because nobody should be
caught without one. Might even solve world hunger and global
warming.

[Durango]

I have never, ever seen adults engage in so much lying and blame.

It just goes to show what a very weak little man President Bush is. He can never except responsibility for an thing and feels he must blame someone, anyone, when things don't go his way.

He consistantly acts like a 3 year old. Except most 3 year olds grow up and accept responsibility for their actions.

In this instance he blames the sailors. Five years later. Truly despicable.

How such a weak, insecure man could ever get to any position of responsibility will for ever be a mystery.

[RichDavid]

He won the birth lotto! If he was born into your family or mine he would never have become president. He is the pivot of the ambitions of the people in the power group, In another words a puppet. He knows nothing about history, other cultures or people. He is the worst America has to offer. Stupid, privledged, lazy, not creative, stubborn, and the whole World knows it.
He talks about faith and Christ but he is a warmonger and a hypocrite.
Our dollar is in the toilet around the World because of him.
We should all be lucky WE ARE NOT HIM.
Please george.......just go away!!!!!

[halyscomet]

Five years, Precious lives lost, and billions of dollars spent to what end?

Clinton sides with McCain in Sabre Rattling with Iran while McCain thinks it best to remain in Iraq for 100 years, costing and inflation adjusted $12 Billion per month for that duration. Obviously, we can't afford it.

Therefore, fighting Iraq AND Iran as McCain and Clinton suggest leaves only two options:

1. Resorting to our most advanced weaponry, since we don't have the manpower to execute a conventional war with both countries.

2. Reinstating the Draft.

THIS is the conversation that is being swept under the rug while the country focuses in on worthless issues like Jeremiah Wright.

We better start addressing this as the effect will be noticed in EARLY 2009,

[pagopago]

amen! It seems many have lost sight of the war in Iraq and the lives lost in the stupid discussions about Wright and other distractions. Let us not forget the sacrifices made by the families of those who have lost their lives and those who are forever disabled as a result of this senseless war.
God Bless you Halycomet

[MichiganJFrog]

Indeed.

[Manx]

I remember it very well. After the landing, I wrote a letter published in a local newspaper stating that it would have been more appropriate if Bush had arrived on the deck of the USS Lincoln in a hot-air balloon. I received threatening phone calls from rednecks. At that time, opposition to the war wasn't tolerated.

[GOP4MoreTears]

Only one more six month surge and they'll be there, then John McCain can bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran...

OR

Hillary can obliterate Iran.

[dadw5boys]

THIS STROY IS A DISTRACTION!

WHAT IS HE REALLY DOING?

[MichiganJFrog]

Dribbling in the corner?

[jubo]

Fascist Christian Agitprop.

[Counterglow]

If I remember correctly, once people started pointing to the sign as evidence of how out-of-touch the administration was with events on the ground in Iraq, they put out the story that it was the sailors who were responsible for the sign, not them. Like so many other White House statements, it turned out to be a lie.

I wonder if that was the first time Bush officially laid blame for his own incompetence at the feet of the military. If so, it deserves recognition because it would be the first use of a tactic Bush and the neocons have used time and time again when the consequences of their astounding ability to screw up became too obvious to ignore.

[jubo]

And how many more of Fission Accomplished?

[ErnestineBass]

Whatcha wanna bet there's another one "right around the corner"?

[iPolitics]

George W. Bush: "Disposable heroes."

[fignozzle]

and, tragically, their disposable blood will never wash off his hands.

[ErnestineBass]

I think the sick bastard revels in the misery of others.

[pagopago]

Amen!!

[nogimmicks]

For those greedy, snake-hearted masterminds of this war the Mission continues to be accomplished: the US was dragged into a perpetual military presense in the Middle East, Iraq destroyed and destablized for a forseeable future, the sales of military products and services are at the all times high, the oil profits are incredible, and, most importantly the public did not even notice anything (thank to CNN, Fox and NYT). On the contrary, they voted for these policies in 2004 and will do that again in 2008. Just do not blame it on Bush, please. He is just a little expendable idiot chosen to absorb the blame.

[TheraP]

Look carefully at the photo of bush's head - especially the photo on the front page.

Doesn't it look as if they positioned him so that he would appear to have a "halo" behind his head???

I don't believe this! They literally may have thought the guy was a savior!

Mission Accomplished!!!

[ErnestineBass]

That's his "bubble" helmet.

It helps repel intelligent thought waves.

heh heh

[BlueStateMan]

Exactly.... remember when he "spoke" in front of Mt. Rushmore & they made it look like he was another face on the mountain?

....only the granite faces on the mountain have more humanity & active intelligence than Bush EVER had.