"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

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Nocturnal Emission Accomplished.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

...and we STILL haven't impeached him.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Not enough votes in the Senate. The Republicans aren't going to co-operate on Impeachment.

[RevJeff]

Impeachment is the responsibility of the House of Representatives not the Senate. And there is an article of impeachment in the House Judiciary Committee. Write your Representative and tell them how you feel. Scroll down and you will see the letter that I wrote to my Representative and that I sent out to everyone I know. So far there are Representatives in 4 different states that have received this email that I know of.

[BlueStateMan]

I was of that school of thought myself... but the closer we get to November, the more the Repubs will throw them under the bus (as they did eventually with Nixon).

There really is NO time to do it in actuality, but the investigations could at LEAST put their (considerable) transgressions ON THE RECORD & even sew the seed for future prosecution by an HONEST Democratic Justice Dept.

[kawika]

All good and wll, tell the children; why daddy didn't com home.

[kravitz]

Hillary and McCain will continue the follies of this foolish war dodger Bush.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

That's certainly their plan.

[ExRepublican]

"Hillary and McCain will continue the follies of this foolish war dodger Bush."

And Obama? Will do what re: Iraq? Be specific, for once?

[RobinL]

YAWN.....this guys' history. Now let's pray to God that his stupid, unnecessary and illegal war is, too!

[RevJeff]

Part 3

President Clinton was impeached for lying to Congress, and here is George Bush who has been lying to Congress for seven and one-half years. Why does it seem that the Republicans can get away with anything, while the Democrats are held to task for everything they do?

Like I said before, I understand that this will be a difficult task, but it is your job to do this and above that even, it is the right, and moral thing to do. Sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest thing to do.

As far as I am concerned, you people are not doing what you were elected to do, and I believe that that sentiment may very well be reflected in the upcoming elections.

[RevJeff]

Part 2
I am left to wonder why it is that the House of Representatives refuses to investigate these people and what they have been up to all this time. I understand that it is an election cycle and this would be a huge distraction for both the voters and Congress. If that is the reason for inaction, then I would have to ask you where your priorities lie. Sure, an investigation right now would be difficult and maybe even a little painful, but isn't that what you are in Congress for?

The major role of Congress is to be a check on the executive branch and to help balance the three branches. That is the reason this branch was created by the Founding Fathers in the first place. In this, you and all the other people in Congress, both the House and the Senate, have failed miserably. In other words, you are not doing the job you were elected to do. That, for me and millions of others in this country, is a major problem.

The only other reason that I could come up with for your inaction is that the House of Representatives and the Senate are complicit in the White House dealings. Is this what is going on? Do you people agree with torture? Do you agree that we shouldn't be looking for Osama, the very person that was responsible for 9/11?

[plages]

Some would question Bush's(?) dramatic landing in a Navy jet on an aircraft carrier, as well as his time in office!

[sawbuck]

I'm glad he clarified that for us. I didn't realize "Mission Accomplished" really meant missionaccomplishedforhtesoldiersonthisboatwhorecentlyfinishedtheirtenmothblahblahblahblahblah............

I just thought he was trying to rub it in the people's noses who warned him that the war would be a complete freakin' disaster, takes years, cost billions in dollars and thousands of lives, be a quagmire for the u.s. for decades to come, and turn the entire middle east against us. I guess I'm just too jaded and bitter.

But really, this guy must just take the U.S. for a bunch of idiots. Well, it takes one to know one.

[MichiganJFrog]

He was really saying exactly what he said.

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

But you obviously knew that. ;-)

[mcnote5150]

Mission was Accomplished. All of George's handlers got rich, insanely rich. It was one of the greatest cons of all time! "Never so few, have stole so much from so many" ! Seems things never really change! Another great movie quote " It's all about bucks kid . The rest is conversation" You gotta love this country.

[H2O]

Hey Bush was right - Mission was Accomplished.

Oil over 100 bucks - no end in sight - hundreds of billions stolen from american tax-payers.

Trillions owed by the American taxpayer - Huppp - The rich-greedy had there Mission was Accomplished.

Sure too bad it wasn't for the troops.

But then again - look at how they treat there returning Warrior's .

It was a WAR for greed all along - no wonder why they keep letting Osama go.

[kvass]

Before he and his gang of thugs are brought up before the world court in the Hague the USA must become a signatory to the world court. It was actually Bill Clinton who nixed that idea during his presidency. Perhaps that should become an election issue so that whomever wins the election does so knowing that is a requisite. Being a signatory to the world court might also make the rest of the world feel a little better about America.

[kawika]

Mission Accomplised, we have made sure that Governmetnt can't do anything.

[CC1]

Mission accomplished? More like "Mission should have never even been started." Five years later - tanking economy, millions of people (Both USA troops and Iraqis) dead, and two countries (USA and Iraq) going down the toilet. My question to the Bush-worshipers - Aren't you PROUD of who you voted into office?! Idiots! He will be the death of us.

[itsbushstupid]

and the progressives have done nothing even w/ all the yelling on huffpo.
no impeachment, or even any support for it. i think it was b/c of huffp
that i sent thousands of dollars to progressives....and NADA, nothing
for my money.
then, huffpo, staffed by left wing radical progressives turns on the best
president of my 60 years...w.j.clinton, and his wife.
i was really pissed b/c of her war vote, but i have seen NO ONE ELSE
do what was promised here.
then i get banned b/c i'm pro hillary.
i really hope arrianna reads her own book about controlling the message.
the moderators and editors of huffpo have gotten the message
recently to let clintonistas post.....because......wait for it....
because, obama's numbers are crashing.
huffpos numbers were crashing b/c her editors and moderators had
not only committed to obama, but they threw mud on the clintons.
AND the clintons represent at least 50% of the dem money.
and the clintonistas were jumping ship.
ain't it funny how money talks, and even arrianna hears it.

oh, now, we'll reverse the bans.

[RevJeff]

Actually there is an impeachment article in the House of Representative's Judiciary Committee.
Write your representative and tell him how you feel. If you are not sure what to write, here is what I wrote: Part 1,

I am writing because I believe that it is time for Congress to act and to start impeachment proceedings against the major players in this administration, Dick Cheney, Condalezza Rice, and George Bush among others. I am frustrated and I don't know why, with all the reports coming out about what this administration has been up to for the past seven and one-half years Congress hasn't acted.

The latest report from the GAO says that this administration has no strategy to find Osama. Isn't that why this insane war was started in the first place? GW lied to get us into Iraq and at the very least this is a breach of the public trust.

And then another report has come out that says that GW and his cronies, condoned torture at the highest levels. In fact, I believe the phrase was, "This meeting was so specific, that it was almost as if they had choreographed the torture sessions." This is against US law and international law. We hung Japanese officials after WWII because of the very same things that have been happening over the past few years. Isn't this a little hypocritical? The way I see it, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[MichiganJFrog]

"AND the clintons represent at least 50% of the dem money."

Maybe they will buy you a keyboard with a more consistent shift key?

[itsbushstupid]

thank you.

[buckygreen]

Off topic, like you, but Obama has almost 1.5 million individual donors averaging about $110 per that is raising $30-40-50 million a month. Meanwhile Clinton can't even keep her campaign out of debt or pay her bills.

Money talks indeed.

[Nyland8]

Just a couple of quick points. You may feel that Clinton was the best president in your lifetime. You're entitled. But suggesting that he was "progressive" is just nonsense. He was always right-of-center - and his wife is considerably to the right of him.

Also, if she represents so much "dem money", why is it that Obama has consistently out-raised her - and done it with smaller donations from a larger number of donators?

Lastly, as far as "Obama's numbers crashing", it's nothing like the crashing Rodham has had over the last 10 months, when she led ALL Democratic Party candidates by healthy double-digits. Her tailspin has been monumental. And whatever the polls may show about where Obama finishes the race, the one thing that's certain is that is will be FAR ahead of Rodham in every metric.

Her "surge" is too little, too late. The people have already spoken.

8