Joint Chiefs Send Rare Protest Letter to 'Wash Post' Over 'Reprehensible' Toles Cartoon

Editor & Publisher ^ | February 1, 2006 | Joe Strupp, Dave Astor and Greg Mitchell

[jos65]

To any and all American Service Men and Women who might read this thread: I'm disgusted with Mr. Tole's "cartoon" and if I was a Washington Post subscriber I would cancel it post haste. I am truly sorry you have been exposed to such disrespect and tastelessness from a supposedly legitimate news source. They seem to have forgotten that it is you who makes it possible for them to publish anything they want in a free society. My sentiments entirely! Well put!

[wingman1]

A dozen?

Is that all?

Anyone can run for office.

Winning is another matter.

[been_lurking]

Brookings Iraq Index is "propaganda" that comes from U.S. government sources. It's a great resource, updated every month. No one's forcing you to follow it, but I find it very useful.

You have not supported your assertion in your first sentence. Therefore, I am free to believe that your last thought rises from the fact that you happen to personally agree with the slant offered by the source.

As a professional historian, do you often weigh the worth of a source based on whether or not the source agrees with your opinions? Somehow, I think you do -- so as a historian, your own worth is questionable.

[Redleg Duke]

I am counting the days until the Old Grey Whore and the LA Slimes also run it.

[Jim Noble]

and remember, I was there during the protests of Vietnam and I know your crap by heart, you ain't fooling nobody no more

2, 4, 6, 8, organize and smash the state megadittoes.

[RWR8189]

And the JCS have the right to criticize his cartoon.

No one is squelching on the guy's free speech.

[Steel Wolf]

Eaker, a dozen vets back from Iraq are running for Congress as Democrats. They would agree more with Toles than with you, I think.

Good for them. They're a small minority who sense a political advantage, and are willing to take it. I've been in the Army over 10 years, and I'll tell you right here and now that Toles point is neither accurate nor appropriate. You'd be hard pressed to find someone to say it is, unless they're running for office with a (D) behind their name.

[AnAmericanMother]

Just about ALL of Sgt. Mauldin's cartoons are great.

My dad knew Mauldin slightly, served in the same theater. He says that all of his cartoons are true.

When Mauldin was so ill and dying, his son mentioned to a columnist from the Orange County Register that the only thing that made him brighten up and take an interest was notes from his old dogface buddies. So the columnist organized mail and personal visits from veterans -- they were coming in relays to shake Mauldin's hand and reminisce with and for him. My dad lives in S.GA - too far for him to go to get to California - but he and one of his buddies sent Mauldin a card and some old photos. It was such a tremendous outpouring of affection and support for the creator of Willie and Joe. The Master Sergeant of the Army made a special trip out with a couple of helpers to give Mauldin a promotion to MSgt on his deathbed. So much for the idea that the Army doesn't take care of its own . . .

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Lol! Big difference, huh?

[Squantos]

Yep.....they put that BS up in the top three club and they'd be the ones leaving without limbs....

Stay safe !

[Holding Our Breath]

There are other ways to make this point if you truly think our leaders are not doing enough to protect our troops. You liberals seem to forget every day that this is war and there are casualities in war!

[Holding Our Breath]

There are other ways to make this point if you truly think our leaders are not doing enough to protect our troops. You liberals seem to forget every day that this is war and there are casualities in war!

[palmer]

I tend to agree with you. The quadraplegic soldier is being used as a symbol for the military which is at least somewhat overstretched. It's extremely tasteless to use the soldier like that, but really just incidental. Rumsfeld is the one being ridiculed in this cartoon as being overly rosey.

[TheForceOfOne]

The Washington Compost has the feeling they create to much newspaper circulation, and this is their attempt to reduce subscriptions or eliminate them all together. To those who work at this rag, my suggestion is that you update your resume and check out the classified ads ASAP.

[blackie]

Good stuff, Jo ~ Thanks!

[Sisku Hanne]

"The fundamental problem with the liberal mindset is that it's incapable of reaching a conclusion. It's thought process gets derailed by it's emotions and wanders off to a tree-shaded quad on Any Campus USA where it sits and congratulates itself on it's cleverness. "

OK, that's really funny. And so spot-on.

[mtntop3]

Well observed.

[Jo Nuvark]

Ooh... I like your style ping!

[Jo Nuvark]

[...a dozen vets back from Iraq are running for Congress as Democrats...]

A dozen? I want names.

[...They (Democrats) would agree more with Toles than with you...]

So you admit Democrats are insensitive and vile Cretans.

[kachina]

Reality check.

If Toles had a son or daughter in the military would he have drawn this?