[Spotsy]

With all due respect for a Marine, of course you can always point to circumstances more dangerous. There is always someone who had it tougher and risked more, but that isn't a legitimate basis on which to diminish Bush's record.

Being a fly boy isn't easy.

Bush's "Coterie?" - I prefer to leave the class warfare to the Dems.

Bush didn't raise the issue of service. Mr. Kerry did. He wanted to base his entire campaign on being a decorated war hero, thinking this would overcome his "Genghis Khan" protest and a weak voting record on defense/intelligence.

[USMCVet]

"With all due respect for a Marine"

One of my favorite opening sentences...usually denotes anything but respect...

"Bush didn't raise the issue of service"

Probably not, but the article that started this thread certainly did and it's aimed at establishing some equivalence with George's TANG flying record to combat, with the gentle whiff that he had actually volunteered for Vietnam. You and I both know that is being done to support GWB.

Bottom line: combat is combat. If you're a pilot, it includes the normal dangers of military flight and adds somebody actively trying to kill you. Way more impressive than just flying a year or so in Texas, if you follow my drift. We had a war on and whether one was a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine, I salute your valor, honor and patriotism. If you failed to sign on for our country's war and hung back - I don't admire you as much...it's not calculus, OK?