Defending the Truth

Poll: Vast majority believes Iraq mission not accomplished
U.S. marks third anniversary since 'Mission Accomplished' speech

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Three years after President Bush declared major combat over in Iraq, Americans have strong doubts that the United States will fulfill the promise of his "Mission Accomplished" backdrop, a poll released Monday found.

The CNN poll, conducted April 21-23 by Opinion Research Corporation, found that only 9 percent thought the U.S. mission in Iraq had been accomplished, while 40 percent believed it would be complete someday.

An additional 44 percent said the United States would never accomplish its goals in Iraq, where American troops are still battling insurgents three years after the invasion that toppled former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The poll had a sampling error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

'Tough days ahead'
On Monday, Bush received a briefing from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who returned from surprise trips to Iraq last week. They were joined by Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In statements after the meeting, Bush pointed to the formation of a new Iraqi government as "a turning point for the Iraqi citizens"and "a new chapter in our partnership," but emphasized that the Iraqis still face many challenges as they move toward democracy, a far cry from the triumphant tone the president struck three years ago. (Watch: President Bush says Iraq is entering "a new chapter" -- 3:15)

"There's going to be more tough days ahead. These secretaries know that. They're realistic people," Bush said. "But this government is more determined than ever to succeed, and we believe we've got partners to help the Iraqi people realize their dreams."

'Mission Accomplished'
Bush's May 1, 2003, victory speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was a carefully managed piece of political theater, from his flight suit-clad arrival aboard an S-3 Viking antisubmarine jet to the "Mission Accomplished" banner that hung from the carrier's bridge.

"My fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed, and now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country," Bush said.

Bush had argued the invasion was necessary because Iraq had been concealing chemical and biological weapons, long-range missiles and a nuclear weapons program from U.N. inspectors and could have provided those weapons to terrorists.

"The liberation of Iraq is a crucial advance in the campaign against terror. We have removed an ally of al Qaeda and cut off a source of terrorist funding," Bush said. "And this much is certain: No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the regime is no more."

U.S. inspectors later concluded that Iraq had dismantled its weapons programs while under U.N. sanctions that followed the 1991 Persian Gulf War, though Iraqi scientists had tried to conceal some weapons-related research from the United Nations.

Declining support
Public support for the war has dropped considerably in the past year, with 55 percent telling pollsters in the same survey that they believed the United States made a mistake by invading Iraq. That discontent has contributed to a slump in Bush's approval rating, which dropped to 32 percent in the CNN poll.

When Bush delivered the speech aboard the Lincoln, 139 U.S. troops had been killed in Iraq. On its third anniversary, the U.S. death toll is nearly 2,400.

Five months after his speech, with U.S. casualties in Iraq growing and the insurgency against American forces building strength, Bush said the "Mission Accomplished" sign had been put up by the ship's crew. But the White House later conceded that it produced and paid for the banner as part of the president's visit.


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Any idiot knows that the mission WAS accomplished. It was the mission of overthrowing the Saddam Regime. Did we, or did we not accomplish that mission?

You're trying to act as though "Mission Accomplished" is a lie unless there is global peace.

Bush Flatly Declares No Connection Between Saddam and al Qaeda
http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/no-saddam-qaeda.htm

http://takebackthemedia.com/true911.html

Thanks for the memories!
http://www.bushflash.com/thanks.html

Capturing Saddam did little for the situation in Iraq. As you can tell violence has only escalated since we arrived and since "mission accomplished" was declared.

If the mission was to bring Iraq into chaos and into or near civil war then by all means "Missions Accomplished!".

Nice try at backpeddling.

Saddam was taken out of power.

Now... how the heck do you propose to bring peace and stability to a region of the world that has NEVER known peace and stability? How do you propose to help people move toward civil rights, when they are oppressed by a religion (Islam) that is the antithesis of civil rights?

...and don't even TRY to say, "Just leave them alone," because that is the polar opposite of EVERYTHING liberals stand for.

The MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED. Saddam was removed from power. But there are a whole lot more missions still needing to be accomplished.

Sorry, but this isn't Comedy Central.

You are arguing with semantics. Do you really believe that the mission is accomplished in Iraq?

For Bush to fly onto an aircraft carrier and declare victory was a P/R move gone horribly wrong in hindsight.

Jefforson, please don't display your retardation when it comes to military operations. Obviously to Bush, the mission was accomplished. But definetly not in terms of reality on the battlefield. Even if you make the arguement that the operation in toppling the regime is accomplished, you're wrong. Just because Saddam wasn't in power anymore, you esentially have thousands of Bathist loyalists in power-holding positions. Most of the broken up Saddam-loyal military men disapated throughout the country regrouping into small insurgency elements. Just because you don't have a leader doesn't mean you don't have an enemy.

When Bush declared this, we did indeed have control of Baghdad but elements of the army and other pro-Saddam militia and citizens were in complete control over towns and regions of Iraq. The mission wasn't accomplished. This little stunt by Bush was complete glittery propaganda and the fact that you were fooled by it, and continue to be fooled by it even after it has been accepted fact by the general military, people, and government that it wasn't accomplished; is just very very sad.

Talk about blind servitude. You my friend are what true American presidents called undemocratic and morally treasonous onto the United States and its people.

Then what are you doing on here?

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

BS.

I am NOT arguing semantics. I am saying that the mission to which Bush was referring WAS accomplished. The mission was to remove Saddam from power. That WAS accomplished. Are you going to try to deny that?

When did WWII end? When Germany surrendered, or after Germany was rebuilt? When Japan surrendered, or after Japan was rebuilt? When was the "mission" of WWII accomplished?

If you believe that the "Mission" will never be accomplished until there is peace in the middle-East and/or a Democrat in the White House, the "Mission" will NEVER be accomplished.



I agree with you that Bush's landing on the aircraft carrier and declaring "Mission Accomplished" was a bad PR move. But it was a bad PR move because people like YOU are doing exactly what you continue to do - claim that the mission was something that it was not.