Ari Fleischer using the term "Operation Iraqi Liberation" (OIL)

[Mugsy]

Run time: 01:11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoSBqs6y8uM   Posted on YouTube: August 21, 2010 By YouTube Member: BI30 Views on YouTube: 1   Posted on DU: August 21, 2010 By DU Member: Mugsy Views on DU: 415

 
Ending the debate once and for all... It's not an urban legend.

In honor of the pullout of combat troops from Iraq this week, I dug up the only existing video of the Iraq war "officially" being referred to by its original name "Operation Iraqi Liberation" (OIL).

When it was pointed out the acronym spelled out "OIL", the mission name was quickly changed to "Operation Iraqi Freedom".

All other footage AND transcripts for the month of April 2003 have been deleted from the White House website archives.

Brought to you by "Mugsy's Rap Sheet": Recording history for those who'd rewrite it.

[Weird Liberal Head]

1. Mission Accomplished...

...thanks to President Obama.

[jimlup]

2. Yeah, the realized it after a couple of days or so...

Idiots!

[Mugsy]

3. Important

I've heard Thom Hartmann (and others) repeat on his radio program numerous times that "the original name of the invasion of Iraq was 'Operation Iraqi Liberation'", but I had never seen footage confirming that fact. Even Snopes suggested it was simply a "rumor" born out of late night TV.

So I went looking for some footage in the WH archives. I found these two mentions in the transcripts and downloaded the video, but when I tried to find exactly when someone pointed out the acronym spelled "O.I.L." and they quickly switched it to "Operation Iraqi Freedom", I found that... not only were the video and audio archives gone, but so are the transcripts for the entire month of April between April 2 and "Mission Accomplished".

Hopefully, this will put the "urban legend" question to bed once and for all.

[Karenina]

4. There was a culture of these in-your-face acronyms

titles of bills and operations at the time. TOTAL LINGUISTIC MINDFUCKS OHNE ENDE. Maybe check the DU archives from that period.
Facepalms all around.