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On the morning of Saturday, April 14, less than 24 hours after approving a bombing run by American jets in Syria, President Donald Trump tweeted out a celebratory response. And the precise words he chose carried echoes of the beginning of the Iraq war back in 2003, and people on social media definitely noticed ― in short, Trump's "Mission Accomplished" tweet sent Twitter into a frenzy.
Trump sent out the tweet at 5:21 a.m. ET, and it immediately drew a lot of attention. He hailed the involvement of the French and British militaries in the airstrikes, and concluded with a flourish that probably sounds very familiar to anyone who came of age during the administration of former president George W. Bush.
"A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military," Trump tweeted on Saturday morning. "Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!"
Back on May 1, 2003, then-president Bush staged a dramatic jet landing on an aircraft carrier, and delivered a speech to the nation about the state of the Iraq war just weeks after it began. Behind him, on a banner draped across the top of the carrier, were the words "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." The mission wasn't actually accomplished, however; the Iraq war would last for another eight years. It's fair to say that the comparison got people on social media a little riled up.
I Didn't Think I Could Be Shocked
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii has long been one of the most online members of Congress, especially as far as criticisms and jabs at Trump are concerned.
Is There Anyone In This White House
The parallel to Bush's infamous 2003 appearance aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln was definitely not lost on people.
Perfectly Executed Meal
This is far from the first time Trump has voiced some public bravado about his decision to use military force. Nor is it the first time he's launched strikes in Syria ― he actually approved strikes against a Syrian airfield in April of last year.
I Would Have Recommended
Fleischer, 57, served as White House press secretary in the early years of the Bush administration, and was one of the administration's foremost public-facing voices in support of the Iraq war.
The People Of Puerto Rico
It's worth remembering that Puerto Rico continues to be in dire straits, with tens of thousands of residents still without power.
Mission Accomplished Indeed
Throughout his tenure as president, several reports have noted Trump's voracious habits as a consumer of cable news.
Those Who Cannot Remember The Past
It's easy to lose sight of what was going on in American politics even four years ago, let alone 15, but understanding and appreciating history is essential to understanding the modern world.
Always Works Out
It's worth noting that Bush never actually said the words "mission accomplished" during his speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Rather, those words were strictly remembered thanks to the huge banner hung up behind him. On the front, at least, Trump is actually tempting fate more than Bush did.
Where Have I Heard
Needless to say, it remains to be seen what impacts Trump's decision to authorize these strikes will have on American involvement in Syria going forward, as well as the reactions of the Assad government, and Russia, which is a backer of said government.
In the case of the Iraq war, which was an outright military invasion with more than 100,000 American troops on the ground, the result was eight years of active war, and the world is still grappling with the consequences in the form of a destabilized region, and violent militant groups like ISIS which rose out of post-war Iraq.
For what it's worth, the Trump administration's statements following the strikes suggested that this is not intended as the start of a broader military engagement, but was rather a singular response to the Syrian government's reported use of chemical weapons.
