IDP on 'Mission Accomplished'

From the Idaho Democratic Party:

Five years ago today, President Bush landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" in front of an enormous banner that read, "Mission Accomplished." Around that same time, John McCain said "it’s clear that the end is very much in sight."

Now – five years, more than 4,000 lost lives, and at least $500 billion later – John McCain says keeping our troops in Iraq for 100 years would be "fine" with him.  Instead of outlining a plan for victory and an exit strategy in Iraq , McCain is offering a long-term troop presence in Iraq similar to our presence in Germany and South Korea , an approach that he himself admits won’t work.  [ABC News, "Good Morning America ," 4/9/2003] 

"As of today, 30 Idahoans have died serving in Iraq. Idahoans are not 'fine' with McCain’s idea to keep our troops being in Iraq for another 100 years," said R. Keith Roark, chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party.

Read the rest here.

Comments

[Bubblehead]

What's overlooked is that, in fact, major combat operations -- as defined by military doctrine -- were in fact completed by this time. Rules of Engagement applicable to major combat were replaced by much more restrictive ROEs. Rumsfeld, however, failed to recognize that more troops were needed to make the major combat operations phase more decisive.