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Also compares Muslim terrorists to religious 'radicals' in Oregon JERUSALEM – Sen. Barack Obama's military adviser and national campaign co-chairman has implied U.S. politicians are afraid of Jewish voters in Miami and New York City and that American Jews are the "problem" impeding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Merrill A. McPeak, a former Air Force chief of staff, also compared the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations to what he described as religious radicals in Oregon and claimed "born-again [Christians]" supported the war in Iraq to help Israel. Discussing Middle East politics during a 2003 interview with the Oregonian newspaper...

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A co-chairman of Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign yesterday compared former President Bill Clinton to Joseph McCarthy, the 1950s senator whom liberals widely revile as a witch-hunting fascist, after Mr. Clinton seemed to question Mr. Obama's patriotism. Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, a former Air Force chief of staff, said he was disappointed by comments Mr. Clinton made while campaigning for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday in Charlotte, N.C. "I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to...

Iran's bad behavior blamed on Bush March 15, 2008 By Rowan Scarborough - Sen. Barack Obama's most senior military adviser says President Bush is to blame for Iran's bad behavior. The assessment from an interview with retired Air Force Gen. Merrill McPeak provides a glimpse into how an Obama administration would deal with Iran. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called repeatedly for the destruction of Israel, is pursuing nuclear weapons in the opinion of some national security experts, and his Revolutionary Guard is training Iraqis to kill American military personnel in Iraq. Earlier this month, Mr. Ahmadinejad said of Israel,...

If John Kerry becomes President he will find himself on the horns of a dilemma - which close friend to ditch when he chooses a new Secretary of State. According to today's Washington Post, Kerry would pick his national security team within a few weeks after winning the White House and two of his closest friends, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) or Richard Holbrooke reportedly want the job of running the State Department.

<p>WASHINGTON — A group of 26 former senior diplomats and military officials, several appointed to key positions by Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) and George H.W. Bush, plans to issue a joint statement this week arguing that President George W. Bush (news - web sites) has damaged America's national security and should be defeated in November.</p>

General Merrill A. McPeak, for those of you not familiar with his background, is a retired general in the US Air Force. He had a distinguished career as a fighter pilot, fought honorably over Vietnam, held numerous senior positions and rose to become the Chief of Staff. He's now supports John Kerry's candidacy for President of the United States. Just for the record, let's review what we know about John Kerry. John Kerry served a year on the USS Gridley, of which five weeks were spent in the vicinity of Vietnam, far off the coast. He now claims this as...

WASHINGTON - A retired U.S. Air Force general who endorsed President Bush four years ago says in a new television ad by the Democratic Party that this year he will vote for John Kerry because the Democrat has "a real strategy to make America safer." The ad featuring Merrill A. McPeak was released by an arm of the Democratic National Committee a day after Kerry lashed back against allegations by a veterans group that he exaggerated his combat record in Vietnam. McPeak, Air Force chief of staff during the first Persian Gulf War, claims in the ad that Kerry "has...

The former head of the U.S. Air Force was in New Hampshire yesterday to describe his political change of heart: from supporting George Bush in the 2000 Presidential campaign to stumping for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean this time around. Retired Gen. Merrill “Tony” McPeak of Oregon, who was the Air Force chief of staff during the Persian Gulf war, spoke with veterans at an American Legion post in Manchester and with a group of Dean volunteers in Salem. In an interview yesterday, McPeak said the Dean campaign had contacted him about three months ago, and after traveling with the...

Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, the former Air Force chief of staff who endorsed George W. Bush in 2000, has left the Republican fold and is backing Democrat Howard Dean in the 2004 race for president. McPeak, who lives in Lake Oswego, joins a small but growing list of top military veterans who have parted ways with the president at least partly because of the war in Iraq. McPeak's decision could be an important boost for Dean because critics have accused the former Vermont governor of lacking the experience and knowledge needed to be the nation's commander-in-chief. On Monday, Dean...