Bush's spokesman: the United States, is in Afghanistan and Iraq by invitation.

Antiwar.com Blog: "Thu May 26, 2005
Thomas rips McClellan

Drudge is running a report about an exchange between the only White House correspondent who matters - Helen Thomas - and White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan. It goes like this;

Q The other day -- in fact, this week, you said that we, the United States, is in Afghanistan and Iraq by invitation. Would you like to correct that incredible distortion of American history --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, we are -- that's where we currently --

Q -- in view of your credibility is already mired? How can you say that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, I think everyone in this room knows that you're taking that comment out of context. There are two democratically-elected governments in Iraq and --

Q Were we invited into Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: There are two democratically-elected governments now in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments, and we are there today --

Q You mean if they had asked us out, that we would have left?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, Helen, I'm talking about today. We are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments -- Q I'm talking about today, too.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we are doing all we can to train and equip their security forces so that they can provide for their own security as they move forward on a free and democratic future. Q Did we invade those countries?

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Steve. (Emphasis gleefully added by me)

Yes, Steve, go ahead. Please bail me out of this disaster. I shouldn't have to answer unpleasant questions like this.
Anyone who has to resort to using a phrase like 'I think everyone in this room knows' is full of crap. Imagine if the entire press corps weren't a passel of gutless power worshippers -- imagine they all had the sack to tell the Emperor that he was buck naked -- now that would be fun, unless your name is Scott McClellan."