The left is commemorating the fourth anniversary of President Bush's speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during which he stood behind a banner hoisted by the ship's crew which stated "Mission Accomplished." One can understand why the left wants to focus on this event; doing so is much easier than engaging in a responsible discussion of the consequences of abandoning Iraq. But an intellectually honest left would be more attentive to what actually happened aboard the ship that day.
First, as Ed Morissey points out, it was appropriate for the crew to assert that its mission was accomplished. Members of the crew had indeed completed their mission, which was to support the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Having completed that mission, the crew was heading home.
Second, it is deceitful for administration critics to attribute to President Bush the view that the larger mission of the U.S. had been accomplished. In fact, the statement Bush made that day is inconsistent with such a view. For example, Bush made it clear that "we have difficult work to do in Iraq" and that "parts of that country. . .remain dangerous." He added, "The transition from dictatorship to democracy will take time, but it is worth every effort."
Bush did say that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" and that the U.S. had "prevailed" in "the battle of Iraq." General Tommy Franks (who recommended the use of the phrase) has pointed out that, in military parlance, "Major combat has to do with tanks and jets and ships and that sort of thing." In that sense, Bush's statement is not far off the mark; indeed Franks says it's still accurate. However, as Franks acknowledges, it was a mistake to use the phrase since the mililtary meaning, as he describes it, is not entirely consistent with ordinary usage. It was also a mistake to say that the U.S. had prevailed in the battle of Iraq, although the speech as a whole left it clear that Bush did not mean the battle for a peaceful, stable Iraq was over.
There's no doubt that President Bush underestimated the difficulties that lay ahead in Iraq, and some of his subsequent decisions have probably made our task more difficult still. However, today is not the fourth anniversary of President Bush declaring, suggesting, or implying that our full mission in Iraq had been accomplished. Bush never declared, suggested, or implied any such thing.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. U.S.S. VINCENNES. July 3, 1988.
Derek Pointer at 11:15PM on May 2nd 2007
17. I for one do like care for the way the war on terror has been prosecuted up to this point, because of the restrictions that have kept the soldiers from being as successful as they can be and which places their lives in more jeopardy that I think they should be, but I am glad that we have a man in office that is willing to prosecute a war that I believe needs to be fought. A part of what have made prosecuting this war so difficult has been the mutiny and back stabbing from the liberal leadership after the first three weeks of the Iraq front started.
richter is correct about the President not speaking with a definate clear voice. I live most of my life around liberals, but I walk in conservative circles in my personal life, and I have to spend a good part of my time and conversation explaining what the President will not! Believe me when I say that it makes me angry. I'm just as angry at the Republican leadership who also refuse to articulate with any clearity what they believe in and where they stand on issues. It seems that they don't believe in their conservative roots enough to change from male to man and stand for the principles that they once espoused. They are trying to redefine the word conservative to make their cowardice appear like statesmanship; let your Wednesday be Wednesday and your Tuesday be Tuesday!
If Republicans are afraid that if they appear too conservative that they won't be reelected, I will do everything within my power to help have you summarily and uncerimoniously escorted out the door! I hate bullies and cowards, especially when it is not their personal lives at stake here. There are some things that a person can compromise on, but if my enemy or opposition asks me to walk the plank and I say no on principle (and other reasons), standing in the middle of the plank is not much of a compromise! You Republican leaders need to make it clear who you are and what you stand for! I am not saying that you have to meet my concept or standards of conservatism, but when I keep hearing that your Wednesday is Tuesday, I get pissed off just like anyone should!
I can't wait for your Pollyannic ass to run again so we have the chance to show you what we do with duplicity to make all right with the world! I'm tires of the liberals making accusations and any of those accusations be true!
rechter struck a nerve because that statement is true, and I'm frustrated with having to make the choice of voting for the lesser of two evils instead of voting for someone of principle and substance from my point of view, and if we have Republicans that don't believe in conservatism, why are you playing the coward and simply not telling us what you believe so that we know who we are voting for?
With all of that ranting having been said, I still believe that liberals do not believe in evil in our time and the nature of the enemy that we are dealing with. I don't believe that they want to reason together (as opposed to compromising where we should stand on the plank) about how to deal with the enemy that we are facing, and want to characterize Islamic extremists that want to kill anyone, including any Muslim that disagrees with their ideology and their children as being some kind of 'freedom fighters' that need to be understood. I don't believe that the number and percentages of deaths in this war are anywhere near the numbers and percentages of past wars, even with an all volunteer military service. I don't believe that the liberals can or will do whatever is necessary to find the best way to deal with the ideological enemy that we face, and the reason why Republicans are so necessary. I had to hold my son down to get a shot when he was a child and I wasn't very popular that day either, so I don't focus on the popularity contests. But, whatever the heck I believe, Republicans, starting with the President had better start respecting the American citizens and start speaking up and explaining (not defending) what day it is!!!
Cdalealden at 5:01PM on May 3rd 2007
18. Dear Mr. Mirengoff. You are an incerdible idiot!!
mdembree at 11:41AM on May 4th 2007