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McCain Had His Own "Mission Accomplished" Moment
Five years ago today, George W. Bush got all gussied up and landed a jet on an aircraft carrier floating off the Southern California coast, where he declared "mission accomplished" in Iraq. Roughly 97 percent of American military deaths in Iraq have come after that moment.
Less well known is the fact that John McCain also prematurely declared a win in Iraq. In the congressional record on May 22, 2003, he declared "massive victory":
"We won a massive victory in a few weeks, and we did so with very limited loss of American and allied lives. We were able to end aggression with minimum overall loss of life, and we were even able to greatly reduce the civilian casualties of Afghani and Iraqi citizens."
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I don't understand. What does McCain's incompetence on Iraq matter when Barak Obama's former Paster is an angry black man?
You know..., evidently it was reader response to my USA Today comment--about the new breed of mine-resistant military vehicles--that pressured USA Today to publish the story that "got the Pentagon off the pot..."
My point--even then, they merely "fooled around," never actually implementing those vehicles in a responsible manner...
Now, why on earth would George W. and Co. want to increase the number of GI deaths...
I see a DRAFT...
I see protesters filling the prisons...
Let's all think on this...
Though, surely, it's no use questioning the main-stream candidates...
Of course they're in the loop, only much, much too disciplined to blab...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting. What was the source for the McCain quote?
McCain Proclaimed "Massive Victory" in Iraq and Credited Combat-Readiness for "Our Victory" in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom demonstrated to the world what we saw just 12 years ago. We went to war as the most combat-ready force in the world. The value of that readiness is clear. We won a massive victory in a few weeks, and we did so with very limited loss of American and allied lives. We were able to end aggression with minimum overall loss of life, and we were even able to greatly reduce the civilian casualties of Afghani and Iraqi citizens. . . . Our technology edge in Afghanistan and Iraq would have been meaningless if we did not have men and women trained to use it. Having the best weapons system platforms in the world would not have given us our victory if we had not had the right command and control facilities, maintenance capabilities, and munitions." [Congressional Record, 5/22/03]
White House Advocated Long Term Troops Presence in Iraq Like South Korean Model. "President Bush envisions a long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq similar to the one in South Korea where American forces have helped keep an uneasy peace for more than 50 years, the White House said Wednesday." [Associated Press, 5/31/07]
2008: McCain Said US May Stay In Iraq For 100 Years. At a New Hampshire town hall when McCain was asked "President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years." McCain responded: "Maybe 100." [McCain Town Hall, Derry NH Opera House 1/3/2008]
*****
Words coming home to roost.
Great. You've added the link - and now I look like an idiot.
Ha! Seriously. Thanks for the link.
I hate myself for saying this, BUT....
Bush and McCain were right. The invasion of Iraq and defeat of Hussein was a huge success. We achieved a quick victory and overthrew a horrible tyrant. The mission was indeed accomplished. They had every right to be crowing about what we did.
What came next, the crapfest we're stuck in now, is a different war. The first war was against the Iraqi government. This second war is the Iraqi people trying to kick our invading asses out. The first war was the easy one. The second one is one we can never win, at least not with an army.
It's not honest to pretend that the first war is the same as the second. Liberals need to be above these half truths. We need to be better than the conservative lie machine.
Yes, our occupation of Iraq has been continuous, but that doesn't negate the fact that on May 22, 2003 we had achieved victory.
Alas, if only the idiot neo-cons had bothered with a little post-war planning, we wouldn't be stuck in this endless second war.
AMBUSH!!!
They're running circles around me (with the tenuousness of a stubborn bull dog)!!!!
I'm a dupe; conceivably USA Today would have futilely sounded the Buffalo (armored vehicle) alert anyway...
George W. is effectively scaything down our men-at-arms simple to foment ill will...
Same thing with that NY Times story about how public perception of the war was being "filtered" by the Military Suppliers...
Who ends up drafted...???
It's like with the Rodney King debacle--not a single TV News provider showed how, first, he charged the cops, and then they creamed him... What about the the inexplicably poor police response when the riots started...
Talk about the Insurance Hordes making out like bandits...
Consider how McCain's Health Care Plan would send $2,500 (for individuals) or $5,000 (for families) "directly to the insurance provider."
Obama wants an income-related federal subsidy to pay the insurers' way...
And Hillary wants to butter us up for the insurance companies with a tax credit...
WHAT A RIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No Mr. Hamilton, they had *no* right to be crowing about what *they* (not *we* as far as *I'm* concerned) did. They illegally invaded a sovereign nation (something they accused Saddam of guilty of) based on lies. Lies which they *knew* to be lies.
Saddam was complying with the UN. When he said he was, he was called a liar. When he produced evidence, it was claimed to be false. When the UN inspectors stated that he was complying, they were claimed to be in cahoots with Saddam.
They are guilty of destroying Iraq; it's infrastructure, it's culture, and the lives of millions of innocent people.
They have absolutely *nothing* to crow about. They deserve to be hanged.