# White House: Mission Accomplished **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 29, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183 "2003-10-29T05:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/101 "2003-11-03T15:43:51Z")
[Washington Post, May 4](http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A10976-2003May3), only 3 days after: > [@](#): > > Still, it’s also impossible to agree with the banner that was draped near Mr. Bush on the carrier deck, proclaiming “Mission Accomplished.” Aides say the slogan was chosen in part to mark a presidential turn toward domestic affairs as his campaign for reelection approaches. Not much room left for “the sailors” to have had any input there, huh? Still, Incurious George might not have been uselessly lying. He may really have been out of the loop in that information/decision loop as in almost all others, probably by his own disinterest, and really did think his own staff wasn’t involved. Perhaps the dead-end loyalists take comfort in that kind of “honesty”. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/102 "2003-11-03T20:36:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > Rummy assures us today, we are going to “get” Saddam. Uh huh. :dubious: I fervently hope that we do “get” Saddam. Until he is captured or killed, the spectre of his possibly returning to power will continue to be something the average Iraqi will fear, and be less free as a result of that fear. When his sons got killed, I really believed that it wouldn’t be that long before somebody tipped us off to Saddam’s whereabouts. I’m hoping that Rummy knows something the rest of us don’t. But over the past year, I’ve assumed the Administration knew more than us about a lot of things having to do with Iraq, and most of the time, it turned out to be just a sales pitch. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/103 "2003-11-04T09:29:17Z")
I would like to see them “get” Saddam too, I just don’t see it happening. Here’s my take on it … every Iraqi, whether they liked Saddam or not, would help him escape over playing good Iraqi to the US. I don’t think the US understands that no matter how much an Iraqi smiles and pats you on the back, they hate you more than they hate anything in the world right now. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/104 "2003-11-04T10:40:47Z")
From: [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-11-03-iraqexit-gns\_x.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-11-03-iraqexit-gns_x.htm) * * * \> “The people in Iraq have no jobs, they have no money, they have no opportunity for peace,” said Fernando Suarez, of Escondido, Calif. “How will this end? Can you see a way out?” \> So far, American taxpayers will have to shell out $164 billion and counting. \> Meanwhile, attacks against American troops sometimes exceed 30 per day. \> Some of the most potentially nettlesome political questions surround Iraq’s Shiite community, which makes up about 60% of the nation’s population of 24 million. \> The Shiites have shown themselves to be a fairly fractious group with factions that vehemently oppose the creation of a secular government. The Bush administration sees secular rule in Iraq as critical in preventing the rise of a strict Islamic state like Iran. \> Exiting too soon, however, raises the risk of leaving a failed state that breeds terrorists. * * * And I repeat, what a fucking mess. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/105 "2003-11-04T18:55:26Z")
The situation in Iraq is deteriorating by the day. I just saw some news on TV saying Iraq has become a lawless country. Women ara afraid to leave their homes because they are at high risk of being kidnapped for ransom and/or rape. Spain has recalled all their diplomatic personnel in Iraq after one of them was killed some days ago. The Red cross has done pretty much the same. Many reconstruction foreign companies are postponing plans to go there. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle\_east/3241785.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3241785.stm) The attacks against US forces are increasing every day and getting more serious in their consequences. It seems the resistance is getting more organized. After downing a helicopter yesterday they have launched rocket attacks against the US headquarters. At this rate chances ara pretty good that Iraq will just slide into a civil war, Algerian style. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/106 "2003-11-04T19:33:33Z")
Here is an interview, done by Japanese journalists, that suggests that troop morale is dropping like a rock. > **[The Asahi Shimbun | Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/)** > > The Asahi Shimbun is widely regarded for its journalism as the most respected daily newspaper in Japan. The English version offers selected articles from the vernacular Asahi Shimbun, as well as extensive coverage of cool Japan,focusing on manga,... English translation version. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/107 "2003-11-04T19:38:05Z")
We may start to see 60’s style protests at home. This wouldn’t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/108 "2003-11-04T19:46:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > \*\*We may start to see 60’s style protests at home. This wouldn’t surprise me. \*\* \ I picked up Market Wizards, good stuff, check it out. \ ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/109 "2003-11-04T21:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*\ > I picked up Market Wizards, good stuff, check it out. > \ \*\* Sounds good. I am reading Cramer’s “Confessions of a Wall Street Addict” right now. ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/110 "2003-11-04T22:05:05Z")
You know, that _Stars and Stripes_ series is extraordinarily interesting. A link to the index: [http://www.stripes.com/morale/](http://www.stripes.com/morale/) Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183/111 "2003-11-05T15:24:27Z")
**pantom** , thanks for that interesting link. An excerpt from one of the pages: > [@](#): > > [http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=17500&archive=true](http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=17500&archive=true) > > “I’m sorry, but I just don’t see what we’re doing here that would justify losing someone like Hebert,” said Haynes, struggling to keep his voice under control. “What are we still doing here? > . . . . . > “I didn’t believe I could get it. I guess it comes from our training, and knowing the odds are in my favor.” But when his buddy got killed, “that kind of burst my bubble.” > > Still, the fear is real. Sauder, who is getting ready to head back to the States, says he won’t ride in the lead Humvee in convoys anymore. “It’s the one that tends to get hit in an ambush and I’m too short,” he said, referring to his time left in Iraq. > > “You can’t see the bad guys coming,” he said. “It’s scary, especially when you hear about guys getting shot in the back of the head while getting a soda or guarding a hospital.” > > Army psychologist Capt. Marc Houck, who heads a Combat Stress Control Team with 4th Infantry Division in Tikrit, added that attacks from anywhere can add to soldiers’ worries. “There is no front line here — you walk out the gate and you’re in the front lines. Even inside the gates, we’re getting mortared every day.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-mission-accomplished/210183.md?page=5)