The United States and the Iraq War

On May 1st 2003 just months after the initial bombing of Bagdad President Bush delivered his infamous Mission Accomplished speech. At the time American troops had removed Hussein's regime and his statues. President Bush landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln the co-pilots seat of a Navy fighter jet. President Bush changed from his combat gear and gave a speech with a banner hanging over his head stating "Mission Accomplished ". In the speech President Bush declared a job well done in Iraq and that major combat operations were over2. Of course we now know the war lasted nearly another decade. The initial response from the American people was a positive one. The American people believed the President had fulfilled his promise of a swift and quick war. As the war dragged on the Mission Accomplished speech became a negative symbol of President Bush's failures in Iraq. President Bush had gained American support for the war with the idea that the War with Iraq was going to be quick and over before it started. President Bush was lying to the American people about how long the war with Iraq would take. We now know that an occupation was apparent early on in the war. President Bush could have ended major combat operations in Iraq after Hussein was removed but did not. Had the American public known that President Bush would occupy Iraq years after Hussein was removed from power they would have not been as likely to support the war. President Bush in an effort to gain support misled the American people about Iraq. The Bush Administration also used the media and talking points to convince the American people into a war they would have not supported. The Bush Administration was able to gain support for the war through false promises and talking points. When a war is started with talking points based on fear and lies about the commitment it is destined to fail. President Bush was still able to gain support for war by the majority of the American people and Congress3.