Iraq: Mission Accomplished

In a presidency full of gaffes – a few funny, most deadly – one fond remembrance for those of us who enjoy a good chuckle at a politician’s expense is the banner above George Bush’s head claiming “Mission Accomplished” on the occasion of Bush’s speech regarding the Iraq War.

It was on May 1, 2003, on the deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln where this episode took place.  In the speech, Bush didn’t use the infamous phrase – Rumsfeld apparently removed the phrase after seeing a draft.  However, he said words equally as obtuse:

Major combat operations in Iraq have ended.

Not if you ask the Iraqis.

Nearly 1000 Iraqis were killed in Iraq in September.  For those still living in that country, major combat operations will likely continue for the rest of their lives – thanks to the war of choice, enabled by a lie, committed by Bush and those surrounding him.

In this battle, we have fought for the cause of liberty, and for the peace of the world.

Not if you ask the Iraqis.

American exceptionalism.