[\/\/ayne]

But against this backdrop we are measuring a sitting President who avoided service in Vietnam altogether, using family strings to gain a spot in the National Guard at a time when the Guard was an undeniable safe haven from war.

This from Webb's previous Swift Boat article, and he does the same in the recent article.

Does anyone see the hypocrisy of how liberals disparage the National Guard and all non combat military service with their constant harping on this subject (they still standing by their hoax memo story and have yet to produce credible "family strings" evidence). And yet they claim we are disparaging military service when simple questions are asked about conflicting service stories and blocked records of public officials!

My understanding is that George W. Bush signed his Form 180 in 2004.

You know, not everybody that serves in the military goes to combat, but 6140 National Guard served in Vietnam and 101 died in combat there.

[AlphaOneAlpha]

Geezh, here we go again. My view:
-Kerry still has not proven to me that his military record is not a manipulative fraud. Reason, I put in some difficult time during a full tour in the same war and I do not believe his 9 week wonder record of 3 small scratch hearts earned in that time frame. He besmirches my memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice with one legit purple heart awarded. Kerry has still not signed a form 180 to release ALL of his records. An added reason for this, I believe,is that he received a less than honorable discharge that Jimmy Carter many years later converted to an honorable.

-Bush signed the 180, records were released and during the '04 election he was spoken about as though he was a 2nd class citizen according to the Lefties and for having hidden from Viet Nam by being in the National Guard. I do not know any Viet Nam vet that looks down his nose at those who stayed stateside in the Guard. That was a non-starter.

-Now Mr.Murtha brings attention upon himself re his recent antics and questions arise about his record... and Mr Webb runs to his support...but leaves out a couple of interesting points. First, while Webb mentions the years later USMC letter that stated Murtha earned his awards, Webb did not mention that the letter has just a name on the bottom with no title and no one seems to be able to identify just who that guy was that signed the letter. I have NEVER seen a USMC letter that the signatory did have a fully stated title under his/her name. Mr Murtha also has not signed a 180 and I think he should. In my measured estimation,he does not carry himself like a Marine, especially a combat veteran Marine. A combat officer Marine WOULD NOT publicly call for an abandonment of Iraq and embolden an armed enemy with Marines there and in harms way. The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fedalis=Always Faithful. The Corps "corps principles"=Honor, Courage,Commitment. Given that I see little of this in the current Mr.Murtha, I want to see his 180.