On May 1, 2003, President Bush stood underneath a “Mission Accomplished” banner and announced that “Major combat operations have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”
Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the situation then, compared to the situation now:
May 1, 2003TodayU.S. Troops Wounded54224,912U.S. Troops Killed1393,351Contractors Killed69916Journalists and Media Assistants Killed11167U.S. Forces in Iraq150,000146,000Size of Iraqi Security Forces7,000–9,000334,300Number of Insurgentsless than 5,000~70,000 (Sunni only)Insurgent Attacks Per Day8148.9Cost to U.S. Taxpayers$79 billion$421 billionApproval of Bush’s Handling of Iraq75%24%Percentage of Americans who Believe The Iraq War Was “Worth Fighting”70%34%Bush’s Overall Job Approval71%32%