[P-40]

is yet another part of the coverage that is based on misrepresentation of facts.

The "coverage" of the war is to entertain an easily bored audience in America in order to get ad revenue. It helps to keep that in mind.

[Christian4Bush]

bttt

[marron]

Bush has said from the beginning that this was going to be a long war.

He's right.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Everyone who thinks that the War on Terror would be over if we had Osama's body in a morgue, raise your hands.

Yeah. I didn't think so. 'Rats may think that way but the normal American knows better.

[colorado tanker]

The troops accomplished their mission of seizing Baghdad and deposing the Saddam regime brilliantly. To suggest otherwise is an insult to them and what they achieved.

[Dilbert56]

Do the media even understand the difference between a mission, a campaign, and a war?

Also, the generals who were serving as media advisors told us at that time that "major combat operations" referred to clashes between large formations of combatants. It was a true statement.

The Lincoln flew around 8,000 sorties without a fatality. If the crew of that carrier didn't accomplish their mission, then no one did. Certainly the larger force, tasked with removing Saddam, had also accomplished theirs. God forbid the Commander-in-Chief recognize these oustanding accomplishments.

[doug from upland]

As a fairly new FReeper, let me say welcome. It's nice to clear up disinformation from the leftist liars, isn't it?

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FR EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH HIGH LEVEL NAVY COMMANDER REGARDING PRESIDENT BUSH'S TAILHOOK LANDING
a Navy commander | May 9., 2003 | dfu

Posted on 05/09/2003 1:56:27 PM PDT by doug from upland

After listening to the rantings and ravings of the DemocRATS who are both jealous and livid after seeing a beloved commander in chief do a tailhook landing on the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, I wanted to get the real story.

After about 5 calls and transfers and return calls, I just spoke with a Navy commander who deals with public relations. He is very high level, but because this issue is so sensitive, I agreed that I would not use his name.

When asked whether the visit of the president delayed the arrival of the Lincoln, the answer was a resounding "Absolutely not!" The Lincoln arrived when it was scheduled to arrive. Ships slow down and speed up all the time.

The Navy does not have its ships land early. No. It is just not done. It is a logistical nightmare. Tugs and other port services have to be arranged. In 1991, the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT arrived 20 hours early off the coast of Virginia. It sat out there looking at land for 20 hours. And they never come to port at night.

There were 20-25,000 families and friends expecting to watch the return of the ship and greet their loved ones.

"Psychologically," said the commander, "it would have been a nightmare. People made plane reservations, hotel reservations, long trips by car. Imagine what it would have been like for them to arrive to meet there loved ones, but it turned out that they came a day late for the event. We would have had 20-25,000 people really angry with the U.S. Navy."

The commander gave me his worst scenario for a public relations nightmare. It would be a grandma who drove all the way from Des Moines to see her grandson arrive, only to be told that she didn't make it in time; that they decided to come to port early. What do they say to her?

The commander is amazed at this flap, which has been totally invented by the media. This should be a non-issue with them. Some in the media were sworn to silence, and they were given the May 2 date about 3-4 weeks ago. They knew it would be coming to port at that time. At the appropriate time, the crew and families were notified. You just do not change the date.

As to the landing on a Viking rather than Marine One. The costs are roughly the same. Fuel and other costs for that Viking were already allocated and spent. If the President was not aboard that plane, it would have made a landing on the ship anyway. It would have done so sooner or later because it was in the budget to do it.

What has been lost in all of this, according to the commander, is that it was the Navy's idea for the President to come aboard and make a tailhook landing. They opted for an F-18. Because of security, however, the White House opted for the Viking, a 4-seater which could accommodate Secret Service.

"We would do this again," said the commander. "Ever since President Franklin Roosevelt, every president has landed aboard a Navy ship."

We finished with a laugh at the media. Members of congress and journalists are flown in and not charged. And these are the people creating an issue where none should exist.

[Petronski]

Three years after that speech, the mission of the sailors aboard that ship is STILL accomplished.

[Sacajaweau]

I remembered how hard I prayed that our troops wouldn't be hit with chems and that getting to Baghdad as quick as possible was the best plan.

I also remember that they expected house to house fighting and the death toll might be out of sight.

To all the idiots that thought Usama wouldn't "stand side by side" with Saddam's gorillas...guess what...you were wrong.

And had Saddam got free from the UN and he was damn close, and Mission Not Been Accomplished, Usama would be relaxing in a palace, going over plans with Saddam for attacking the USA, instead of rotting in a cave.