Franks: 'mission accomplished'
Find a Conversation
| Tue, 08-10-2004 - 9:05am |
'Yes right!' For once why can't Bush ever admit he made a mistake?
For crying out loud Bush said the words, or was he only moving his mouth & someone else provided the sound.
There was another article, awhile ago, that stated the sailors on the ship asked the White House to make the sign. (That piece is on the board somewhere.)
Franks takes blame for 'mission accomplished'
'That's my fault'
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/09/franks.mission.ap/index.html
Retired Gen. Tommy Franks tried to take the blame Monday for President Bush's much-criticized comments declaring an end to major combat in Iraq more than a year ago.
"That's my fault, that George W. Bush said what he said on the first of May of last year, just because I asked him to," said Franks, former commander of forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Less than two months after the invasion of Iraq, Bush flew to a U.S. aircraft carrier and declared an end to major combat with a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished" in the background.
The event, Bush's words and the banner have been repeatedly criticized and mocked since that first day of May 2003. The Iraq occupation turned more violent, American deaths continued to mount and U.S. forces failed to find weapons of mass destruction, a main rationale for the war.
"I wanted to get the phase of military operation over as quickly as I could, because a lot of countries on this planet had said as soon as that major stuff is over, we'll come in and help with all of the peacekeeping," Franks said.
"On the first of May when Bush did what he did, I was proud of him because he did what I, as the commander, had asked him to do," Franks said in an appearance at the National Press Club. "So if there's a mistake there, it's mine, not a plot. So I thought I'd share that with you. "
Franks noted that the Bush administration has had limited success persuading other nations to participate in Iraq. Of some 160,000 foreign forces there now, about 140,000 are American.


Self promotion, distortions &
Gettingahandle
Ignorance is Nature's most abundant fuel for decision making.
I believe this-NOT. If it was his idea the WH would have pointed at him long ago.
The jet was nothing but a publicity stunt and so was the sign in many ways. How can they know who threw a grenade at a car but not who paid for the sign? Give me a break!
The conflict of Iraq will never be over as long as we are the largest prescence in the area. The Iraqi people are fearful that we are moving in permanently and will set up house. They are appreciative of the freedom we have given them but until the area goes through it's growing pains just as our country did after the Revolutionary war it won't succeed.
We should always keep a watchful eye on those countries that are an immenient and present danger to us and we should without hesitation pursue Al Quiada (sic) but we can't continue to be the world police on our own.
As for Tommy Franks, he's pushing a book. Publicity is good when you are pushing a book.
>"They are appreciative of the freedom we have given them but until the area goes through it's growing pains just as our country did after the Revolutionary war it won't succeed."<
I have serious doubts about there ever being a permanent peace free of conflicts. There exists so many different factions. For example take the "troubles" in Northern Ireland, both sides Christian, white, same language... more similarities than differences. Yet they're still working out their differences.
Therefore how can people will so many differences, as in Iraq, be expected to make an amicable peace & work together. I doesn't appear these differences were recognized before invading Iraq.
Either the US military or UN will be there for many, many years or there's a withdrawal & leave the Iraqis to their own devices. The later would