Iraq Veteran Will Deliver War Critique for Democrats (barf)

New York Times ^ | May 1, 2004 | Carl Hulse

[RWR8189]

WASHINGTON, April 30 — A National Guard member from New York who served almost a year in Iraq will deliver the national Democratic radio address on Saturday morning, filling a role usually reserved for prominent members of Congress and other political figures.

The serviceman, First Lt. Paul Rieckhoff, 29, whose unit was attached to the Third Infantry and was stationed in Baghdad, is expected to deliver a critique of President Bush's leadership of the war on the first anniversary of his appearance on the carrier Abraham Lincoln with the posted "Mission Accomplished" banner. He will also recount his own experiences.

Lieutenant Rieckhoff, who was in Iraq from April 2003 until last February, was in a guard unit whose tour in Iraq was extended repeatedly.

According to information from the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry, Lieutenant Rieckhoff is a resident of New York who was living in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, and helped in the rescue efforts that day and later at ground zero with his National Guard unit.

Kerry campaign officials said Lieutenant Rieckhoff approached them and was one of several Iraq veterans who had contacted the campaign with concerns about the war.

Republicans, preparing for what they expected would be Lieutenant Rieckhoff's tough recounting of his time in Iraq as well as a critical assessment of administration policies, circulated a CBS News report from Iraq in October 2003 that featured him.

In the report, Lieutenant Rieckhoff discussed the difficulties of the military's job in Iraq but said American forces had made "incredible" strides. "It's going to take time to re-establish this entire government, this entire country, but I think it has enormous potential," CBS quoted him as saying. "And I think the sky's the limit for the people of Iraq."

[sinkspur]

Perhaps the Lieutenant should be busted over this.

I know my boss would fire me over such a critique.

[oceanview]

best to just ignore him, attacking him would just allow the media to make a hero out of him.

[sinkspur]

Attacking the CIC is against regs, or so I'm lead to believe.

[faithincowboys]

How much money did Heinz give him?? That's the question. A lot of people would sell out there country for 50 large-- she is well able to give that!!!!

[onyx]

Oh good.
A National Guard "Lieutenant" is going to the the arm chair general for the democrats. Quite a promotion. Maybe Kerry can arrange a medal for him.

[KellyAdmirer]

circulated a CBS News report from Iraq in October 2003 that featured him.

So the liberals found a publicity hound who has found a great way to continue getting some celebrity. Hurrah! He will make a great liberal politician someday, just be careful never to get between him and a tv camera or you might get hurt.

[dead]

Let him have his say, and agree or disagree with him. It's a free country, for now.

Besides, he's got to be about ten thousand times more interesting to listen to than Senator Horsehead.

[KQQL]

huh? ...aren't soldiers while still listed not allowed to
take political stands in public.

[KingofQue]

I do believe that a war is comprised of many "missions". 1 mission being accomplished does not mean that the war is over. It recognizes tha fact that this part of the war was completed satisfactorily by it's participants and they should be complimented.

[faithincowboys]

I did a name search and this is what I found. I'm sure it was easy for Viacom/ Kerry-Heinz/BOB RUBIN to make this guy an offer he couldn't refuse. He is following in Kerry's footsteps--giving aid and comfort to the enemy to make a name for himself!!! No shame anymore...

from CBS:

Lt. Paul Rieckhoff walks a narrow line in Zone 17. The night before 60 Minutes II showed up, a bomb just missed a Humvee that shook the whole compound. The Army calls them IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices.

”I think there’s a small percentage of people here who don’t want us here, but I think by in large, most of the people here, as you’ll see on this patrol, are welcoming of our presence,” says Rieckhoff.

But by the next day, kids trailed his patrol down the block. Rieckhoff’s men fixed up a stadium that was once an Iraqi army shooting range, and the community relations is paying off. The neighbors are now telling his patrols about hidden weapons and guerillas.

Rieckhoff was president of his class at Amherst College, went to Wall Street, and joined the National Guard for a challenge. He says he found it: “I don’t think the American public understands that there’s much more going on here besides IED attacks. Those are horrible and we all mourn the loss of life. But every day there’s an incredible amount of stuff going that doesn’t get reported because it’s not sensational. The fact that school supplies are delivered or there are hospitals open - that stuff is incredibly important for every member of this local community.”

What does Rieckhoff now think of the war?

“I think we’ve made incredible strides. This is the hard part. This is the road nobody has gone down before and the U.S. is breaking some new ground here,” says Rieckhoff. “It’s going to be a difficult struggle. Germany wasn’t repaired in four months. Japan wasn’t repaired in four months. It’s gonna take time to reestablish this entire government, this entire country. But i think it has enormous potential. And i think the sky’s the limit for the people of Iraq.”

Even those who despise the occupation wouldn’t think of divorcing America just now.

“I’m a doctor, so I always think in a medical term. And it’s like a surgeon opening your own or your father’s tummy and he says, ‘What do you feel if I quit and I leave now while I’m going to have my lunch break,’” says Salman.

“Finish what you have done first, for God’s sake. You can’t leave him now in the theater, half dead and half alive. And that’s what the Iraqi nation is, half dead and half alive. You have created chaos. Please bring back order, but then please go out.”

[HomersNose]

I've never listened to any of those radio addresses and don't know of anyone else that does. Saturdays are for cleaning the yard and running errands...and listening to ballgames on radios...not whiny blow-holes.

[finnman69]

I have a vet on another bullrtin board rtolling about how Bush sucks, how she is 'considering' throwing her medals away and how Iraq is a disaster. Please come join in:

http://newyork.urbanbaby.com/bbs/top.php3?category=3&city=New+York

[WFTR]

I'm not saying that we should or should not attack this man, but his behavior makes me admire Pat Tillman that much more. Many people who are in the National Guard and reserve units are there primarily for financial benefits. When my Dad was recruiting for the Navy, he ran into many single mothers who wanted to join the reserves for the benefits. When he told them that they had to have a plan in place for someone to take care of their kids if they were called to serve, they were mad and didn't understand. They thought the purpose of the reserves was to give them an extra part-time job and not to serve the country.

I'm not saying that the service of people like that isn't appreciated. Most of them have done what was asked and done it well regardless of their original motivation in joining. However, I think about Pat Tillman leaving a job that paid him over a million dollars a year and made him something of a celebrity. He left those benefits in order to be part of fighting those who have attacked our country. His service was no more honorable than the service of many others who have joined the military. His death is no more tragic than the deaths of others who were killed in this war. Still, I admire the fact that he wasn't looking for the opportunity to do what this guy is doing.

Book Review - Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children
Bill

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Besides, he's got to be about ten thousand times more interesting to listen to than Senator Horsehead.

Which Senator Horsehead are you talking about?

[Fracas]

It's late and it's been a long day, LOL, but IIRC, the guy who wrote the anti-Pat Tillman editorial is also from Amherst. This may be tied to that...particularly now that the very helpful press is reporting death threats on his life. Of course, they fail to report that the editorial writer is a grad student who's 'politically active'.

[oolatec]

National Guard? But the Democrats think the National Guard = a way to get out of service in the military...

[ambrose]

nice flip flop. this guy seems like a perfect match for Kerry.

[Fracas]

Rieckhoff was president of his class at Amherst College, went to Wall Street, and joined the National Guard for a challenge

From post 11.

Gonzalez's small family home at The Hollow in Amherst was silent yesterday, with duct tape covering the house number in an apparent effort to deter the media. No one was home. Gonzalez's next-door neighbor, Mary Rives, characterized him as a liberal and active student politician, with "politically progressive" views. He had been active in the campaign to stop bomb testing on Vieques Island in the family's native Puerto Rico, she said.

I got it mostly right, LOL. He lives in Amherst, attends UMass.

The Democrats are incapable of thinking rationally about anything to do with 'guns' or 'war'. They think the very words are offensive. I think THEY'RE offensive.

[Paul_B]

I can't find a thing wrong with this guy's testimony; quite the contrary. I think he's on the wrong political side however, and is being used, but I see no reason to attack his motives as many here have done.