Meanwhile President Bush announced on Monday that the formation of a new Iraqi government marks a turning point in the war. His comments came three years to the day after he proclaimed that major combat operations were over while standing under a banner that read Mission Accomplished. On Monday he spoke briefly on the White Hose lawn while standing next to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, both of whom had just returned from Iraq. “We believe this is a turning point for the Iraqi citizens and it’s a new chapter in our partnership,” Bush said. “The secretaries began building this new partnership during their trip. In other words, the Iraqi leaders saw that we are committed to helping them succeed.” This doesn’t mark the first time the president has declared Iraq has reached a turning point. He did so back in June 2004 when the occupying U.S. forces announced they would transfer sovereignty back to the Iraqi people. Bush also said the 2005 election in Iraq would mark a turning point.