Posted on 08/14/2019 7:02:59 AM PDT by Kaslin
Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is reporting for duty. The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate revealed on Monday that she'll be leaving for active duty in Indonesia with the National Guard for two weeks, where she'll participate in a joint-training exercise with the Indonesian military. She returns to the campaign trail on Aug. 25.
"I look forward to joining my fellow soldiers for a joint-training exercise with the Indonesian military, focused on counterterrorism and disaster response," she said in a statement on Monday.
The press are wondering if she's concerned whether this will be a "setback" for her campaign. But as she told Fox News's Paul Steinhauser, she's "not thinking about the politics of it."
pic.twitter.com/uqrsplBbrK— Paul Steinhauser (@steinhauserNH1) August 13, 2019
Gabbard's 16 years of military service has included a deployment to Iraq in 2004 and another to Kuwait in 2008. One of the most consistent features of her campaign has been her call to end long, costly wars.
The congresswoman had just started to gain momentum after confronting Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) over her criminal justice record in the last debate.
“She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana," Gabbard revealed on stage.
Her public takedown of Harris gained her some fans, but it also left her open to criticism about her foreign policy. As Sen. Harris reminded voters an hour or so after the debate, Gabbard has been an "apologist" for Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
In a recent campaign event, Gabbard explained that she will talk to dictators anywhere, any time if it means protecting Americans.
"So I will continue to meet with brutal dictators in the pursuit of preventing more of our brothers and sisters from being sent into harm's way on missions that make our country less safe, that cause more loss of life, then I will do so," she said.
I will talk with brutal dictators anywhere in the world if I can prevent one of my brother and sisters in uniform from dying on foreign soil in senseless regime change wars. The only alternative to diplomacy is war. #TULSI2020 pic.twitter.com/yGE9QwH1bK— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) August 7, 2019
"I will continue to meet with brutal dictators in the pursuit of preventing more of our brothers and sisters from being sent into harm's way on missions that make our country less safe, that cause more loss of life, then I will do so," she said.
You have to give her credit for actually serving her country.
Good for Tulsi. I don’t agree with her politics, but I do give her credit for serving her country. I believe if she didn’t live in Hawaii, but let’s say Texas she would be a republican, albeit a liberal one.
“You have to give her credit for actually serving her country.”
Agreed. Credit where credit is due.
She’s a leftist. Congratulations to her for serving. It would not change my decision not to vote for her.
I would never vote for her, but to the degree you can respect a Democrat I respect her. President Trump considered her for a cabinet position.
On the other hand what she advocates for foreign policy is dangerous and ill-informed. aka a Democrat.
Whatever …
She's just further proof that "veteran" isn't a reliable qualification for public office.
LOL, what "campaign"? She should use the deployment as an excuse to drop out.
She looked great in the debate. I would not vote for her but among the Rats she almost appears like a normal human being.
One wrong step from her and they’ll excommunicate her from their church.
Her service is not a big deal for two weeks when she barely registers in Rat polls. She’s trying to make it to the next debate which is about as much as she can hope for and maybe she knows it’s out of reach now.
One day she may leave the Democrat Party. That will be the only interesting day in her political career for me.
How much credit would you give if she gave the order to fire on deplorables? Any leftist in a US military uniform is as much the enemy as a member of ISIS.
Yep. She’s Uber left wing
Everyone who serves deserves credit, however not necessarily a vote.
From what I've read, she used to be, or she had a more conservative viewpoint. But then "evolved," of course. Shame.
Of course.
What a completely idiotic statement.
Sorry, I won’t give credit to climbing politicians for their military “service”. It’s been fashionable since 9/11 for leftists to burnish their resumes with time in the military. It’s just a camouflage tool they are using to gain power and undermine us from within.
I’ll happily give credit to all else serving who do not seek political benefit from their service.
Tulsi is an intriguing woman...multi-dimensional and complex. And she serves our country in uniform! No other candidate can say that.
Sorry but despite her poise, intelligence and occasional good acts, she still has become a vile Democrat, is knee deep in blood for her support of abortion and if elected or comes to serve in some high powerful office, will bring great harm to America.
Wonder how many direct orders she will violate?
This “deployment” wasn’t a surprise.
It’s her National Guard annual tour.
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