Barbara Lee Recalls Bush's ‘Mission Accomplished' Declaration
Press Release
For Immediate Release: May 1, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) released the following statement to mark the 5th anniversary of President Bush declaring victory saying, “major combat operations in Iraq have ended”:
“In front of the infamous ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner backdrop, 5 years ago President Bush told the nation that ‘major combat operations in Iraq have ended.’ That was not true then and it is glaringly not true today, as we have lost over 4,000 brave soldiers and more than 28,000 others have been wounded.
“The Bush administration misled the American people into believing there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; misled many to believe Iraq posed an imminent threat, and; misled the nation about a false connection between the tragic events of 911 and Saddam Hussein.
“Misinformation has been the driving force behind the failed US occupation in Iraq. It is time we fully fund the safe redeployment of our troops and contractors from Iraq.”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) is Co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Appropriations Committee.
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Timeline of Misinformation by the Bush Administration:
[Source: Think Progress]
March19, 2003: Bush launches invasion of Iraq
March 30, 2003: Donald Rumsfeld: We know where the WMD are
We know where [the weapons of mass destruction] are. They’re in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad
and east, west, south and north somewhat. [ABC This Week, 3/30/03]
April 1, 2003: Pfc. Jessica Lynch recovered by U.S. forces. What the Pentagon framed as a
heroic rescue was later revealed to have been staged. [Guardian, 5/15/03]
April 9, 2003: Saddam Statue Toppled
The Los Angeles Times later reported that the fall was “stage-managed” by the Army. [LAT, 7/3/04]
April 11, 2003: Donald Rumsfeld: Stuff happens
Think what’s happened in our cities when we’ve had riots, and problems, and looting. Stuff happens! …
Freedom’s untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things.
They’re also free to live their lives and do wonderful things, and that’s what’s going to happen here.
[DoD briefing, 4/11/03]
April 16, 2003: Bush signs $79 billion supplemental spending bill for Iraq [DoD, 4/16/03]
April 23, 2003: USAID Administrator Andrew Nastios Claims Rebuilding of Iraq Could
Be Accomplished With $1.7 Billion
May 1, 2003: Mission Accomplished
[M]y fellow Americans: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. [Bush, 5/1/03]