Mission Accomplished and a Bridge to Sell in Brooklyn

by   |  May 01, 2008

Exactly five years ago today, President Bush landed aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, stood under a banner proclaiming “Mission Accomplished,” and declared, “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” The Bush Administration is now saying the President meant to say only the mission was accomplished for those service members aboard the U.S.S Abraham Lincoln. Really. And perhaps the Bush Administration wants to sell all us a bridge in Brooklyn. Whatever. The point is the mission is not accomplished and, in fact, during these last five years there has been much suffering and loss. USA Today marks this ignominious anniversary with a summary of how things have changed since 2003.

DEATHS: There have been 4,064 U.S. military casualties in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. About 96% have occurred since May 1, 2003, a period that the government describes as "Post Combat Ops. "It's hard to find reliable numbers when it comes to the civilian death toll. Iraq Body Count, an online group that tracks casualties, says it has documented between 83,221 and 90,782 civilian deaths from violence in Iraq. INJURIES: The Defense Department says nearly 30,000 troops have been wounded in action. About 96% of these men and women were injured after the period officials describe as "combat operations." About 13,000 of the wounded were unable to return to duty within three days. HUMANITARIAN UPHEAVAL: Earlier this week, the United Nations cited the following figures in a report on displaced Iraqis: A total of 4.7 million Iraqis have been uprooted as a result of the crisis in Iraq. Of these, more than 2 million are living as refugees in neighboring countries – mostly Syria and Jordan – while 2.7 million are displaced inside Iraq. PUBLIC OPINION: In July 2003, 27% of Americans thought the invasion was a mistake, according to Gallup. In February 2008, 59% of respondents told pollsters that "the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq." TROOP LEVELS: The size of the U.S. military presence has grown since 2003. The United States had 148,000 troops in Iraq after the fall of Baghdad. About 160,000 servicemen and women are now said to be serving in that country. INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENT: In March 2003, the White House said 49 countries were "publicly committed to the coalition." In May 2007, the Multi-National Force in Iraq identified 25 countries as "partners in the Coalition." COVERAGE: News organizations have been devoting less time and space to the conflict in Iraq, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 100 reporters and photographers have been killed since 2003.