The Ever Changing Definition of ‘Mission’ In IraqIn June 2005, ThinkProgress noted the Bush was constantly revising the definition of our “mission” in Iraq.
Reporting on his escalation strategy this week, President Bush claimed “satisfactory” progress in many areas of the “new mission” in Iraq. Bush has changed the definition of our “mission” in Iraq so many times, he has made it impossible for the American public, U.S. forces, and the Iraqi population to have any confidence that the mission will be ever completed.
THE PRE-WAR MISSION WAS TO RID IRAQ OF WMD Bush: “Our mission is clear in Iraq. Should we have to go in, our mission is very clear: disarmament.” <3/6/03>
AFTER THE WAR BEGAN, THE MISSION EXPANDED Bush: “Our cause is just, the security of the nations we serve and the peace of the world. And our mission is clear, to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people.” <3/22/03>
Bush: “Our forces have been given a clear mission: to end a regime that threatened its neighbors and the world with weapons of mass destruction and to free a people that had suffered far too long.” <4/14/03>
THEN THE MISSION WAS COMPLETE Bush: “On Thursday, I visited the USS Abraham Lincoln, now headed home after the longest carrier deployment in recent history. I delivered good news to the men and women who fought in the cause of freedom: Their mission is complete, and major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” <5/3/03>
BUT THEN IT CONTINUED AGAIN Bush: “The United States and our allies will complete our mission in Iraq.” <7/30/03>
THEN THE MISSION WAS TO DEVELOP A FREE IRAQ Bush: “That has been our mission all along, to develop the conditions such that a free Iraq will emerge, run by the Iraqi citizens.” <11/4/03>
Bush: “We will see that Iraq is free and self-governing and democratic. We will accomplish our mission.” <5/4/04>
AND TO TRAIN THE IRAQI TROOPS Bush: “And our mission is clear there, as well, and that is to train the Iraqis so they can do the fighting; make sure they can stand up to defend their freedoms, which they want to do.” <6/2/05>
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THEN IT SHIFTED TO ADVANCING DEMOCRACYMORE