Okay, I'm looking this up because I want to find out how hazy my memory is. 'Cause I have a clear memory of Bush himself saying the words, "Mission accomplished!" and then making one of those little sneers that hurts my teeth.

It turns out that the words he actually said, a month after the banner thing ...

... which, by the way, it turns out that the banner was hung by the White House, and not the Navy as people tried to claim, although the White House still maintains that it was done at the Navy's request ...

... 'cause really, what aircraft carrier is hauling around the facilities to make a giant banner like that? ...

Anyway. What Bush said, at Camp Sayliyah, and not on the aircraft carrier, was, "America sent you on a mission to remove a grave threat and to liberate an oppressed people, and that mission has been accomplished."

Which is purely rhetorical, basically meaningless and therefore hard to argue with, which is unfortunate, because, not incidental to all the people that have died since then, it's totally wrong.