Rep. Steve King: We’re not declaring ‘Mission Accomplished’, just ‘victory.’
Rep. Steve King: We’re not declaring ‘Mission Accomplished’, just ‘victory.’
As ThinkProgress noted yesterday, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and 30 other House Republicans are introducing a bill “chronicling the success of the troop surge in Iraq and warning the new Commander-in-Chief that if he changes strategy, he takes ownership of whatever happens on his watch.” On MSNBC this afternoon, host Norah O’Donnell pointed out that there are still more than 100,000 troops in Iraq and asked King if it was “premature” to declare essentially “Mission Accomplished II.” King insisted he was declaring “definable victory” — but not “Mission Accomplished.” Watch it:
The resolution is a naked attempt to pin George Bush’s failed Iraq policy on President Obama. Of course, many Republican leaders, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), have vocally supported Obama’s plans to withdraw combat troops in 19 months and finally bring the Iraq war to an end.
Transcript:
O’DONNELL: Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, 31 House Republicans want to declare victory in Iraq. Some are calling it Mission Accomplished II and a move to pass on the responsibility for what happens from this point forward in Iraq to President Obama. Republican Congressman Steve King is leading that effort, and he joins me now.
Congressman, good to see you. Thanks so much for joining us.
KING: Good to see you. Thank you, Norah.
O’DONNELL: Why do you want to declare victory in Iraq? Isn’t that a little premature?
KING: Well, I think, first, it’s careful how we define it. The Pelosi Congress set 18 benchmarks to be achieved in Iraq, and I think they thought that they were impossible to achieve. But today they have been completely or substantially successful in 17 of the 18 benchmarks. Our American casualties there since June 30th, we’ve lost more Americans due to accidents than we have the enemy. And there’s 90 percent fewer civilian deaths in Iraq and 98 percent fewer ethnosectarian deaths in Iraq. This measure goes on.
So by any objective measure, there is a definable victory that’s been achieved. And I don’t think this is time to have a celebration, but it’s a time to be able to put a marker down and recognize that President Obama has now given the order there we’re going to be pulling troops out of there. That may be a good tactical decision, but he also has a responsibility to maintain what’s been achieved at such a high price.
O’DONNELL: But, Congressman, isn’t this really — I mean, you’re trying to declare victory. A lot of people say what you’re trying to do is do another Mission Accomplished II, hearkening back to what President Bush was made fun of doing. I mean, isn’t this piece of legislation really just sort of a silly way to try and trap the president and try and make him responsible — solely responsible for what happens in Iraq in the future?
KING: Part of your question I’ll agree with, but I want to be careful that…
O’DONNELL: Which part?
KING: … this is not Mission Accomplished II. The question about, it is now President Obama’s responsibility to maintain the achievements. I think that it’s appropriate for Congress to make that statement.
But he has…
O’DONNELL: Why isn’t it Mission Accomplished II? I mean, you want to declare victory and we’ve still got over 100,000 troops in Iraq. I mean, with all due respect, that doesn’t make any sense at all.
KING: Well, when you say due respect, I know that that’s a clause in there I have to recognize, too.
But I have in the resolution carefully, it says definable victory. Congress defined what that was. The Pelosi Congress defined what that was. That has been achieved. They’ve defined it. The Democrat Congress has defined it.
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Victory? We lost the first day we got involved in this waste of time and money? Please itemize what we have won?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:20 pmSteve King, another RepubliCon A$$wipe.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:21 pmI believe we’ve lost more soldiers to suicide than to the enemy.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:25 pmRep. Steve King: We’re not declaring ‘Mission Accomplished’, just ‘victory.’
And the discernable difference there is ………….?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:25 pmWhen a “war” is illegitimate, there can be no “victory.” This is just typical right wingnut theatrics — right up there with the “Mission Accomplished” banner. They’ll say it’s not, but it is.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:26 pmThe United States of America lost the Iraq War in May of 2003, when the first American soldier turned his automatic rifle on an unruly crowd of hungry, thirsty, impatient Iraqis.
If only that had not happened, this ‘war’ might have had a chance for success. But the one thing it never had a chance of doing is this: Justifying the cost.
Never.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:26 pmYou MUST worship Him!
March 4th, 2009 at 8:27 pmWhen a “war” is illegitimate, there can be no “victory.”
How right you are. How can you win a war that was never declared?
The United States has won every war in which Congress declared war. Not these police actions.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:29 pmWe’re not idiots, just fuc*ing retards!
March 4th, 2009 at 8:29 pmBobbyG Says:
________
Gee… back again. Why?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:30 pmSo, Roy and Siegried…
What do you two want when you come here?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:32 pmThe Representative can introduce all the resolutions he wants.
He’s just wasting everyone’s time by doing so and making everyone who voted for him look all the dumber in the process.
This is our tax dollars at work!
March 4th, 2009 at 8:32 pmWhy don’t we declare victory by putting the traitor, war criminals Bush and Cheney in prison.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:36 pmKing is the idiot who said Muslims would celebrate in the streets if Obama won the presidency. He makes James Inhofe look like a Rhodes Scholar.
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
March 4th, 2009 at 8:39 pmDoes chimpy still get to stuff some balled up socks into his underwear, put on an undersized codpiece, and prance around like he is some type of a hero?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:47 pmIsn’t this bill the essentially the same as the “Thank you for Participating – You’re a Winner” trophy they hand out to all of the 7 year-olds on the soccer team?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:49 pmThis wacko congressman can be seen most any night on CSPAN rambling on about all kinds of non-sense. The guy is a real mess up mind.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:50 pmHow can you claim victory in an illegal war? How can you claim “Mission Accomplished” when you attack & invade a country that has done NOTHING to your own country? How can anyone want to “honor” a man who killed 100,000s of thousands of innocent people for no reason except to pay off his buddies? Bush is a war criminal. His actions were criminal and destructive.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:50 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
BobbyG Says:
________
Gee… back again. Why?
_______
Are you the blog owner or something?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:50 pmDon’t these ‘resolutions’ just waste time? I’m not naive but how come they aren’t called on their grandstanding?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:52 pm… is there any chance at all it will go down in flames?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:54 pmThis is so disgusting, since no “troop surge” would have been called for if Bush hadn’t invaded & occupied an innocent country in the first place. Bush chose to ignore Bin Laden & attack an oil-rich country. That says it all.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:55 pmWe should rename our “Dept. of Defense” as the Department of Defending our Imperial Empire. Occupation is a crime.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:56 pmIt seems sort of like UN resolutions. When we don’t like them or when god forbid they codemn Israel we ignore them and b itch about the UN but when we need to find support for weird shit we are doing and little hissy fits we wanna throw in places like say Iraq, then we point to UN resolutions and act like now the UN is some sort of Nirvanic arbitrator of global desires by which of course we mean US foreign policy intentions
March 4th, 2009 at 8:57 pmAre you the blog owner or something?
– Why? Did his blog leave a shit in your yard or on the sidewalk or something like that. Pet owners are often people who feel the need to use their pet and the daily walking of their pets as some sort of weird status thing but still I respect that most of them clean up after parading around their position of another life form which is intended to be better than the life form that you own and control. Don’t get me wrong I see the value of interspecies bonding but still we all know that Harry Potter’s owl was cooler than that other kids frog/toad.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:05 pmof=over
March 4th, 2009 at 9:07 pm“So by any objective measure, there is a definable victory that’s been achieved.”
________
OK, “victory” only has one lexical definition, IIRC. Bring the troops home.
If you win the Super Bowl, you don’t incur “a responsibility to maintain what’s been achieved.” You simply go to Disneyland. On that Mag-Lev train from Vegas, I guess.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:08 pmKing “But I have in the resolution carefully, it says definable victory. Congress defined what that was. The Pelosi Congress defined what that was. That has been achieved. They’ve defined it. The Democrat Congress has defined it.”
No, a–hole, YOUR’E trying to define ‘victory‘. Congress defined benchmarks pertinent ONLY TO THE SURGE!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:08 pmJust another way to contradict President Obama.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:11 pm@dbadass Says:
Are you the blog owner or something?
– Why?
______
There was an amusing dustup last night when some clown didn’t get the joke around the image I linked (of GW Bush). Mr. Glandular ALL CAPS, who took me to be a GOP troll (nothing could be further from the truth), just kept on raggin’ me with every juvie Yahoo Board insult he could come up with. It was funny. Dunno, “Republic of Stupidity” may just be his sock puppet handle.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:13 pmSo then, if it’s a victory then all of the troops can come home right now asap post haste immediately?
Oh, “no” you say? then how can you declare victory with accomplishing a mission?
Do not try to whitewash whose failure this is…
George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Pearle, etc, the 108, and the 109th “do nothing” Congress lead by the Republicans, the spineless minority who couldn’t get out of itselfs way, and the corporate run media outlets that profited off of being the megaphone for the administrations push for an unprovked, preemptive, illegal war.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:14 pmsteve,
george w. bush’s birthday –
national holiday.
capice?
:|
March 4th, 2009 at 9:14 pm@ADDdaddy 33 -
Spot-on.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:15 pmWalks like a duck, quacks like a duck. Must be…
Walks like a Troll, quacks like a Troll. Must be..
An attention seeking troll whore.
No, not me, I don’t come on blogs pushing peoples buttons just for a laugh.
That about right Bob?
March 4th, 2009 at 9:19 pmThis is simply a continuation of the gutless chickenhawk rightwing’s pathetic playing of politics with our troops and Iraq. They don’t – and never have – given a rat’s ass about our troops unless it’s to use them as cannon fodder or to dance on their graves for cheap, partisan gain.
They obviously have nothing of substance to offer up to America in the form of legislation and want to try to embarrass the Democrats who will – correctly – tell them to get serious.
At which point, they will scream the Democrats don’t care about the troops, “winning” a “war” (occupation), blah blah, aren’t we patriotic, blah.
The f***ers are disgustingm cowardly little weasels.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:25 pm@RandomChaos-
Oh, I see, someone appointed you the Official ThinkProgress Snark Monitor, ‘eh?
Right, endless ALL CAPS vitriol using every possible permutation of special-character-masked ad hominem toilet language is OK, but a simple initial sarcasm (aimed at Bush, btw) is not.
My Bad.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:26 pmTypically, when posting a link in a comment. The Polite thing to do is to give the readers a “HeadsUP” or snippet of what the purpose of the link is.
Otherwise, 99% of the time you get ignored as a Troll. Or in some cases railed on.
Just a fact of life FYI.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:26 pmThere was an amusing dustup last night when some clown didn’t get the joke around the image I linked (of GW Bush). Mr. Glandular ALL CAPS, who took me to be a GOP troll (nothing could be further from the truth), just kept on raggin’ me with every juvie Yahoo Board insult he could come up with. It was funny. Dunno, “Republic of Stupidity” may just be his sock puppet handle.
—
So what did you do? Did you lean back, put your two thumbs together, and say “whatever” in some sort of not your regular speaking voice sort of way? I was sort of thinking that is what I feel like doing…
March 4th, 2009 at 9:27 pm@lokidog 37 -
Yep.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:27 pm@dbadass -
My replies were short and to the point, e.g., “stop digging.” Which only made the dude madder. But, yeah, you’re right.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:31 pmGood USA! Keep acumulating “victories” like that! Wow! Afheganistan must feel like ‘heaven on Earth’!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:33 pmJeez, this is most cacophonous echo chamber I ever been in.
Where’s our trolls to tell us how we all march in lockstep?
March 4th, 2009 at 9:33 pmRTWL,
March 4th, 2009 at 9:36 pmPlease don’t start the who can be the best Troll contest!
I know it’s a little slow as of yet, but give it a chance. OK?
Hi ralph.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:37 pmSo walking in lockstep who crossing the finish line first?
crossing? wtf is that? Crosses god damn it. I need crosses….
March 4th, 2009 at 9:37 pmhey! i was serious -
is there any chance it will not go to a vote, or get voted down?
March 4th, 2009 at 9:57 pmBobbyG Says:
Dunno, “Republic of Stupidity” may just be his sock puppet handle.
____________
WTF? I hardly EVER USE CAPS…
And I don’t use insulting names. I don’t have to.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:12 pmhahaha what a newt.
victory means we haven’t finished destroying your dirt.
Get the f out of Iraq. Another day there is justifying chimpy’s invasion.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:16 pmWhat???
Silly Congressman King…
Commanders In Chief aren’t responsible for things that happen on their watch. Just ask George W. Bush. He isn’t responsible for ANYTHING!
March 4th, 2009 at 10:28 pmIt’s the worst time in American history since the Great Depression, and this is what the Republicans have to offer– cudos to Bush for “victory” in Iraq, Steele, Pence, Jindal, Boehner, Cantor, McConnell, Santorum, and the rest of the Party of No bowing down to kiss the backside of bombastic, bigoted blowhard Rush Limbaugh, and a waken from the dead, angry John McCain ranting about earmarks in the omnibus bill when 6 of the top 10 largest earmarks were added by Republican Senators, with AZ receiving millions of dollars. There’s a giant sucking sound coming from the right. It’s the huge vacuum of leadership and the best they can offer is more Hooveristic ideas. Alas, me lads, the Republican Party is still adrift. They are still wandering aimlessly in the political wildnerness. Give me a wise President with intelligent solutions, and I’ll have the confidence and patience to let them work.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:30 pm“Excellent! Flight Suits for all my victorious friends!!!”
March 4th, 2009 at 10:38 pmBobbyG,
Just so you know, The Republic of Stupidity (or TRoS, as he is sometimes affectionately known) is nobody’s “sock puppet.” He’s been a valued and respected part of this community for years. Just wanted to clear that up.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:42 pmThe republicans lost to war and now they are trying to getaway and put on OBAMA. Funny
March 4th, 2009 at 10:53 pmSeems King wants it both ways . . . rejection of the failure of Bush in starting an invasion of a nation having NOTHING to do with “terrorist attacks” on America AND the ability to declare a “VICTORY” in this same illegal non-war . . . . and shouldn’t Congress DECLARE war BEFORE we declare “Victory”?
March 4th, 2009 at 10:58 pmThese fools live in an alternate universe! What in hell did we win in Iraq? Oh yeah 2 size 10 brown shoes that almost knocked Dumbya Bush upside the head! ROTFL! If they think Americans are that damn dumb – they’ve got another thing coming! This is why the rethuglicans are in the minority kissing Rush’s red round a$$! Rush Limbaugh – the new face of the rethuglican Grand Old Mess of a Party!
March 4th, 2009 at 11:03 pmJust another reason in a long line of reasons why they are the minority party.
The death of the GOP won’t be going quietly. But may provide some great entertainment.
March 4th, 2009 at 11:18 pmI think we are going to have to live with this bull. The “Ditto” party thinks the entire country follows their line of reasoning. Guess what, we don’t; must the liberal germs being spread around. I think the flag these boys are wrapped in is a little bit too tight, cutting of circulation to their heads.I don’t think there is a chance they can be saved, they keep getting dumber and dumber , perfect ditto heads.
March 4th, 2009 at 11:25 pmBobbyG Says:
Right, endless ALL CAPS vitriol using every possible permutation of special-character-masked ad hominem toilet language is OK, but a simple initial sarcasm (aimed at Bush, btw) is not.
My Bad.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
That person has not posted on this thread — and that’s definitely not TRoS.
Can’t we all get along…?
March 4th, 2009 at 11:36 pmCParis Says:
Isn’t this bill the essentially the same as the “Thank you for Participating – You’re a Winner” trophy they hand out to all of the 7 year-olds on the soccer team?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Pretty much, except the 7-year-olds on the soccer team didn’t kill all of the opposing teams.
March 4th, 2009 at 11:46 pmUmmm,I thought MILITARY COMMANDERS, were responsible for strategy, and the president was charge of POLICY.
March 5th, 2009 at 12:13 amI’m an Iowan and King is a god-damned embarassment.
March 5th, 2009 at 12:14 amWhy not ask Mr. King to take a quick, unprotected trip to Iraq and see how much victory exists.
March 5th, 2009 at 12:34 amIf jerks like King and the like minded “Republics” represent the thinking of less than 25% of public why do they get over 50% of the face time on TV? On the other hand the more they spew out their garbage the more they expose themselves. Yes, they expose themselves in many ways, and it’s not pretty.
March 5th, 2009 at 9:11 amThe resolution is a naked attempt to pin George Bush’s failed Iraq policy on President Obama.
It won’t work. I have already been informed by many Bush defenders that the Iraq War is Bill Clinton’s fault.
March 5th, 2009 at 10:49 am“…warning the new Commander-in-Chief that if he changes strategy, he takes ownership of whatever happens on his watch.”
That doesn’t really sound like much of a threat considering the Republicans are already trying to lay blame on Obama and the Democrats for all the sh*t that went wrong in Iraq (and elsewhere) BEFORE Obama took office.
March 5th, 2009 at 3:05 pmHow do morons like king get elected? Victory? that is according to him there are more deats from freindly fire than from iraqis so if our troops shoot more of each other than iraqis kill us we have victory another mission accomplished. Mayby we should invite the terroists here to shoot the polititians.
March 5th, 2009 at 4:07 pmA fragile Victory! Is that like being a little bit pregnant?
March 5th, 2009 at 10:23 pm