Press Releases

May 01, 2008

Van Hollen Statement on Five Year Anniversary of ‘Mission Accomplished’

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen released the following statement on the five-year anniversary of President Bush’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ speech:

“Five years ago today, President Bush recklessly declared ‘mission accomplished’ to the war in Iraq. In the five years since the President’s premature declaration, the war has taken a devastating toll on our military, our economy, and our reputation around the world.

“Yesterday, the White House said that the President has ‘paid a price’ for his ill-advised act of political theater. Whatever political price the President has paid is nothing compared to the ultimate price that 4,056 brave American soldiers and their families have paid as well as the price paid by nearly 30,000 injured American soldiers. The President’s political price is also dwarfed by the $600 billion dollars paid by American taxpayers to fight the war and rebuild Iraq, even as Iraq has a budget surplus due to its oil revenues.    

“America cannot afford 100 more years of the Bush-McCain war in Iraq. House Democrats remain committed to honorably and responsibly redeploying our troops from Iraq so we can refocus on fighting terrorism in Afghanistan.”