yet another liberal shibboleth down the drain: http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/nation/9304837.htm -- Franks: `Mission Accomplished' aimed to draw foreign involvement BY DAVID TARRANT The Dallas Morning News DALLAS - (KRT) - After commanding the operation that toppled Saddam Hussein, Gen. Tommy Franks suggested that President Bush publicly mark an end to major combat in Iraq - an idea that led to the president's politically controversial appearance aboard an aircraft carrier. Bush's announcement, under a banner that read "Mission Accomplished," took place just six weeks after the start of the war, generating harsh criticism as being a premature celebration and political grandstanding. Franks, who retired a year ago, said he thought a public announcement would send a green light to countries that had balked at joining combat operations but had expressed willingness to join efforts to rebuild Iraq. "That was not so everyone could have a victory lap," Franks said in a telephone interview Monday. "We'd been given to believe that once major hostilities were over, we would have lots and lots more help from the international community." Franks spoke to newspaper reporters in a conference call to promote his book, "American Soldier." The 590-page book, published by Regan Books, goes on sale Tuesday. Franks said the swift military victory in Iraq created false expectations that the rebuilding phase could be done quickly. Before fighting began, Franks said, he warned that a short war could cause problems if the United States wasn't prepared for the transition to postwar Iraq. But he refrained from second-guessing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld or his own successor, Gen. John Abizaid. Postwar planning was hampered by a lack of information about how Iraqis would respond, he said. "I hoped that the Iraqis would immediately rise up and become part of the solution. We simply didn't know. For that reason, we didn't know how long our operations would take." Franks said he now expects U.S. forces to remain in Iraq for up to five years. That Iraq didn't use weapons of mass destruction was the war's biggest surprise. He believes that Iraq had chemical and biological agents but that they weren't weaponized "for reasons we will surely know at some point." Meanwhile, officials in Egypt and Jordan on Monday denied an account in Franks' book that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah had told him Saddam had chemical and biological weapons. Asked about this year's election, Franks said he admires Bush's leadership but prefers to stay on the sidelines. "I have no interest in politics," he said.
You might want to explain what "shibboleth" is down the drain. Was the sign not really there? Is it now any less premature and hubristic. (? is that a word?) And how naive does this look: Either Franks is a total rube or he was misled by other rubes. This sort of thing just makes it look worse. I saw some stupid talking head the other day trying to claim that the sign actually meant "the USS Lincoln had accomplished its mission, not the US"; Give it up guys, it's a back eye that may be the defining pratfall of the admin, dredging it up again is doing yourself no favors.
By the way basso, where does franks say "mission accomplished was my idea", or anything remotely close to that? I looked in the article and couldn't find it, and the white house and navy claim otherwise.
What basso is trying to say is that the President had no involvement and no prior knowledge at all that such a major announcment as the end of the war was going to be made. He didn't even have foreknowledge apparently, about what was in his own speech. If that was really the intent, it further shows this Administration's total lack of savvy. The claim fooled NO ONE.
- have aircraft carrier parked a couple miles off the coast from San Diego, but don't let any media film where land would be visable - have President land on carrier in a fighter jet, hop out in full combat flight suit - have giant "Mission Accomplished" Banner waving but this event was only staged to fish for more foreign support? BS that explanation insults my intelligence and only further shows how incompetant this administration is
the event, not the sign....and the thread title is a paraphrase- note the lack of quotes, but i'm sorry if you feel mislead by the right once again.
This administration really has turned the corner in regards to Truman's famous phrase. Instead of the buck stopping in the Oval Office, it stops everywhere else!
the opening sentence: "After commanding the operation that toppled Saddam Hussein, Gen. Tommy Franks suggested that President Bush publicly mark an end to major combat in Iraq - an idea that led to the president's politically controversial appearance aboard an aircraft carrier."
So, you blame the guy who suggested it, not the person who actually did it? Do you think if General Franks told Bush to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, he'd do it? That excuse didn't work for me when I was a kid, but it's gonna work with millions of voters in three months. THE BUCK STOPS SOMEWHERE DOWN THE HALL
Ahhh, so he is the inspirational muse to the whole affair. What about the crotch enhancing harness - Franks or Barney Frank?
so the President isnt responsible for the words that come out of his mouth (see: SOTU 2002) the President isn't responsible for any carrier landings he is involved in either.. got it what exactly is the President responsible for?
btw, do your efforts in this thread, wherein you spend so much time and energy trying to discredit an event that has no national import whatsoever other than recognizing the efforts of our military, entitle you to be recognized as ashlee simpson for a day?
Can't see what's the big deal about what was obviously a photo-op from the get go. I think that if ol' George were to fart, there'd be partisan debate over what he had for lunch!
