Mission Accomplished?
On May 1, 2003 (9 years ago today) in what would become remembered as one of the worst Presidential public relations mistakes, President George W. Bush gave what is now remembered as his famous televised "Mission Accomplished" speech from the deck of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.
"Mission Accomplished" was used in reference to a banner that was displayed on the aircraft carrier as a backdrop for the speech, in which Bush stated that the end of major combat operations in Iraq had arrived. Bush's assertion, and the audacity of the sign itself, later became controversial after guerrilla warfare in Iraq increased.The vast majority of US casualties in Iraq, both military and civilian, occurred after the speech.
Earlier on that day, Bush became the first sitting President to make an arrested landing in a fixed-wing aircraft on an aircraft carrier when he arrived at the USS Abraham Lincoln in a Lockheed S-3 Viking, dubbed Navy One, as the carrier returned from combat operations in the Persian Gulf. He posed for photographs with pilots and members of the ship's crew while wearing a flight suit. Bush was criticized for the jet landing as an overly theatrical and expensive stunt. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer admitted that Bush "could have helicoptered, but the plan was already in place. Plus, he wanted to see a landing the way aviators see a landing." Contrary to misconception, Bush was a passenger and did not pilot the plane. Bush trained and served as a jet pilot in the Air National Guard flying F-102 fighter-interceptors, but he was never trained to land on a carrier.
The banner stating "Mission Accomplished" was a focal point of controversy and criticism. Navy Commander and Pentagon spokesman Conrad Chun said the banner referred specifically to the aircraft carrier's 10-month deployment (which was the longest deployment of a carrier since the Vietnam War) and not the war itself, saying "It truly did signify a mission accomplished for the crew." Fleischer claimed that the banner was requested by the crew of the ship, who did not have the facilities for producing such a banner. White House spokesman Scott McClellan told CNN, "We took care of the production of it. We have people to do those things. But the Navy actually put it up." According to John Dickerson of Time magazine, the White House later conceded that they actually hung the banner but still insists it had been done at the request of the ship's crew.
In his speech, Bush said:
"We have difficult work to do in Iraq. We are bringing order to parts of that country that remain dangerous...Our mission continues...The War on Terror continues, yet it is not endless. We do not know the day of final victory, but we have seen the turning of the tide."
However later in the speech, Bush said: "In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."
In November 2008, Bush said in an interview with CNN that he regretted the use of the banner, stating "To some, it said, well, 'Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over,' when I didn't think that. It conveyed the wrong message." In January 2009, Bush said that "Clearly, putting 'Mission Accomplished' on an aircraft carrier was a mistake". Following is a YouTube video of President Bush expressing that regret.
"Mission Accomplished" was used in reference to a banner that was displayed on the aircraft carrier as a backdrop for the speech, in which Bush stated that the end of major combat operations in Iraq had arrived. Bush's assertion, and the audacity of the sign itself, later became controversial after guerrilla warfare in Iraq increased.The vast majority of US casualties in Iraq, both military and civilian, occurred after the speech.
Earlier on that day, Bush became the first sitting President to make an arrested landing in a fixed-wing aircraft on an aircraft carrier when he arrived at the USS Abraham Lincoln in a Lockheed S-3 Viking, dubbed Navy One, as the carrier returned from combat operations in the Persian Gulf. He posed for photographs with pilots and members of the ship's crew while wearing a flight suit. Bush was criticized for the jet landing as an overly theatrical and expensive stunt. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer admitted that Bush "could have helicoptered, but the plan was already in place. Plus, he wanted to see a landing the way aviators see a landing." Contrary to misconception, Bush was a passenger and did not pilot the plane. Bush trained and served as a jet pilot in the Air National Guard flying F-102 fighter-interceptors, but he was never trained to land on a carrier.
The banner stating "Mission Accomplished" was a focal point of controversy and criticism. Navy Commander and Pentagon spokesman Conrad Chun said the banner referred specifically to the aircraft carrier's 10-month deployment (which was the longest deployment of a carrier since the Vietnam War) and not the war itself, saying "It truly did signify a mission accomplished for the crew." Fleischer claimed that the banner was requested by the crew of the ship, who did not have the facilities for producing such a banner. White House spokesman Scott McClellan told CNN, "We took care of the production of it. We have people to do those things. But the Navy actually put it up." According to John Dickerson of Time magazine, the White House later conceded that they actually hung the banner but still insists it had been done at the request of the ship's crew.
In his speech, Bush said:
"We have difficult work to do in Iraq. We are bringing order to parts of that country that remain dangerous...Our mission continues...The War on Terror continues, yet it is not endless. We do not know the day of final victory, but we have seen the turning of the tide."
However later in the speech, Bush said: "In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."
In November 2008, Bush said in an interview with CNN that he regretted the use of the banner, stating "To some, it said, well, 'Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over,' when I didn't think that. It conveyed the wrong message." In January 2009, Bush said that "Clearly, putting 'Mission Accomplished' on an aircraft carrier was a mistake". Following is a YouTube video of President Bush expressing that regret.