Mission accomplished
From RationalWiki
"Mission accomplished" is a military phrase associated with completing a mission.
It was used by Senator John McCain in a June 2003 interview with Neil Cavuto. McCain again used the phrase in December 2003, but in reference to the effect the recent capture of Saddam Hussein would have on the Iraq War, saying "This is a mission accomplished."[1] John McCain denounced the phrase on May 1, 2008, saying "I don't know if you could ever say, quote 'mission accomplished,' as much as you could say 'Americans are out of harm's way.' And that's the key to America's concern — casualties."[2]
It had earlier been seen on a sign displayed on the USS Abraham Lincoln during a televised address by United States President George W. Bush on May 1, 2003, when he stated that major combat operations in Iraq had ended.
Conservatives try to defend Bush by saying this had nothing to do with Dubya, and everything to do with the Lincoln Carrier Battle Group, which did accomplish its mission. And for months, the Bush administration denied that it was responsible for the banner, blaming that the aircraft carrier crew itself wqas responsible for putting it up. Since then, White House officials have acknowledged it was their idea. "We put it up. We made the sign," former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. "But I think it accurately summed up where we were at the time, mission accomplished...the mission was to topple Saddam Hussein."
Contents |
[edit] John McCain
[edit] June 2003 interview
| “ | NEIL CAVUTO: ... Senator -- after a conflict means after the conflict, and many argue the conflict isn't over.
JOHN MCCAIN: Well, then why was there a banner that said 'mission accomplished' on the aircraft carrier? ... the conflict -- the major conflict is over, the regime change has been accomplished... | ” |
-June 11, 2003, on Fox News's Your Words With Neil Cavuto.[3]
[edit] December 2003 interview
| “ | This is a mission accomplished. | ” |
-December 14, on ABC's This Week, referring to the capture of Saddam Hussein. [4]
[edit] May 2008 contradiction
| “ | I don't know if you could ever say, quote 'mission accomplished,' as much as you could say 'Americans are out of harm's way.' And that's the key to America's concern — casualties. | ” |
-May 1, 2008, at a town hall meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. [5]
[edit] George W. Bush
Unlike McCain, George W. Bush did not verbally use the phrase.
