Mission Accomplished

[CPT Tripss]

It's been five long years since POTUS and CINC stood in his flight suit beneath that banner and proclaimed. "...victory in the war on terrorism and an end to major combat operations in Iraq."

Those were the "good old days," gas was $1.45 a gallon and the Dollar was at par with the Euro. If that's victory ?

Are you better off?

 

[LakeAriel]

It's been five long years since POTUS and CINC stood in his flight suit beneath that banner and proclaimed. "...victory in the war on terrorism and an end to major combat operations in Iraq."

Those were the "good old days," gas was $1.45 a gallon and the Dollar was at par with the Euro. If that's victory ?

Are you better off?

Can you believe it? Five years, how many dead and how many trillions?

 

[CPT Tripss]

Can you believe it? Five years, how many dead and how many trillions?

I mourn much more for the dead than I care about the $$$ - but both are wasted and our military is weakened.

 

[Reflection]

And there is still no defintion for success so that we all finally know the mission has finally been accomplished.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

I'm proud to be an American.

 

[LakeAriel]

I mourn much more for the dead than I care about the $$$ - but both are wasted and our military is weakened.

That goes without saying and that is all the dead and maimed.

 

[LakeAriel]

And there is still no defintion for success so that we all finally know the mission has finally been accomplished.

The mission will be accomplished when we rid Iraq of WMD's..Oh, that's right there weren't any..

 

[marybet]

Five long years and if we elect McSame we will have at least 4 more. How many have to die? The worse shame is that we are not even taking care of the brave men and women who have been maimed, and the ones who come back in one piece just get sent back to Iraq.

Everytime I think of this mess that Bush got us into I just want to scream. He will walk away in Jan. and leave the mess behind without a backwards glance. I hope he is tried for war crimes.

 

[marybet]

I'm proud to be an American.

I am proud to be an American, I am not always proud of what America does.

 

[profdsny]

And the big fool says to push on.

 

[undercovermom]

When Bush came into the White House the government actually had a surplus, nto the biggest debt in our history.

After 9/11 we had the sympathy and respect of the rest of the world, which Bush squandered with his irresponsible war.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I'm proud to be an American.

Yup, me too.

 

[Acklander]

I'm proud to be an American.

I'm proud to be an American, but ashamed of our president.

He's made history though - a 71% disapproval rating. This is the highest it's been since they started keeping track.

 

[Carly_Roach]

It's been five long years....

...gas was $1.45 a gallon and the Dollar was at par with the Euro.

The price of gas has more than doubled in the past five years and will likely triple before January 08.

Yep. The oil man accomplished his mission alright.

I'm another one who loves my country but hates what's been done to it in the name of greed.

 

[transparant]

I can't validate the below letter - however what I have researched on my own reads that this letter by Paul Updike is authentic and was published in his hometown newspaper.

"Mission Accomplished"

Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 10:56:16 -0400.

I thought you might like to hear the rest of the story that the media misinformed the nation about on what "Mission Accomplished" was all about.

My name is Paul Updike and I served aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during the Iraq War. I would like to comment specifically about the controversy that surrounds the displaying of the "Mission Accomplished" banner during the time of the President's visit aboard my ship. It is my sincere hope that I will be able to clear up what appears to be a great misunderstanding about the true meaning behind the banner.

The "Mission Accomplished" banner was created to celebrate the return of the USS Abraham Lincoln to her home port in Everett, WA after an extended 11 month cruise. We were happy and proud to return to our families after such a long time away. The average cruise length for a naval vessel at that time was normally around 6 months. Our mission during Operation Iraqi freedom was accomplished with overwhelming success and thus this banner was created and proudly displayed to represent the USS Abraham Lincoln's individual accomplishments during the war. It certainly did not mean that the American mission as a whole had been accomplished in Iraq.

The media stationed aboard our vessel clearly understood the truth behind the banner yet fed the public a twisted version of this truth. I honestly believe that those opposed to the war saw an opportunity to spin the truth about the banner in order to attack the President. As an officer aboard the ship at that time, I found it to be hurtful and insulting that the media would use our specific accomplishments as a platform to attack our Commander-in-Chief. The President's visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln was a great honor to those of us serving aboard her at the time. It is shameful and reprehensible to see the tremendous spin that has been placed on this great event. I was proud to serve my country and I will always support my Commander-in-Chief. God bless America.

Yours very respectfully,

Paul Updike

PS. If necessary, I have provided this link to validate my identity:

_http://www.lakewalesnews.com/articles/2003/04/03/news/military/61.txt_
(ight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2010pt;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-stary/61txt)

 

[Angelhalo]

The mission will be accomplished when we rid Iraq of WMD's..Oh, that's right there weren't any..

Touche!

 

[Angelhalo]

I am proud to be an American, I am not always proud of what America does.

AGREED!

P.S. I love reading your posts!

 

[Angelhalo]

 

[LukenDC]

No, I am not better off and neither is the world. Bush is an arrogant jack*** and intellectually shallow. Only a fool would think that Iraq's Shiite majority would feel closer to the USA and not to their Shiite breathern in Iran. Iran is the strongest it's been in decades, thanks to the Bush administration. Whereas Iran was isolated in the Middle East at the outset of the Bush administration, it appears that they will have a powerful new ally in Iraq.

Bush used to claim that democratically elected governments were natural friends and allies and that democracy was the key to solving the Middle East's problems. The election of a Hamas government, in democratic elections that Condi Rice declared "fair and transparent," has shattered that naive assumption.

All over the world people are deeply suspicious of our government. I love the USA and I am afraid that our power and influence is on the wane.

 

[DawnCt1]

I can't validate the below letter - however what I have researched on my own reads that this letter by Paul Updike is authentic and was published in his hometown newspaper.

Thank you for posting that Heather. Everyone knows that, but choses to ignore it. With regard to the price of gas; the president has for years called upon the building of new refineries and offered the land of closed military bases. The Democrats have repeatedly voted against it. He has pushed for exploration in ANWR, the democrats have repeatedly voted against it. He has pushed for oil recovery in the Gulf. The democrats have repeatedly voted against it. What I have noticed is that the price of gas/oil has skyrocketed since the Democrats took over. I guess OPEC and the commodities speculators feel secure that we are not willing to drill for our own oil.