Military Record May Gain Role in 2004 Presidential Race (Blairifying Clinton and the military)

Washington Post ^ | May 25, 2003; Page A04 | Lois Romano

[Liz]

......the news media made much of the fact that Clinton seemed to avoid the draft.......

Stating that Clinton avoided the draft is a gross understatement. Clinton is on record as saying he loathed the military.

[USMCVet]

It's interesting that 28 years after the war, we finally have articles that discuss what our "leaders" were doing while other young men did their duty fighting for their country...

With the exception of "antiwar wacko" Kerry, all of them found great excuses - or cushy National Guard duty - to avoid risking their skins. (That would include our present holder of the highest office)

Personally, I think that people that let other Americans take the risks of war during a major war, should be automatically disqualified from consideration for our highest offices. We seem to be "selecting" our candidates from the pool of greatest money/least courage.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

It's the old lamestream media bait and switch.......matters of sex and military service don't apply to dem candidates, but when a conservative 'only' did National Guard duty, gosh, that requires study...........imagine Bush receiving oral-office favors from a twenty-something intern, would the press just want to 'move on'??

[Alas Babylon!]

Oh come on, Man! National Guard duty IS military duty. Brother, I spent 22 years active duty, but while I joked about Weekend Warriors like everybody else active, they showed up when asked and did their jobs. Flying a fighter jet is exectionally hazardous duty, even in peace time, and requires courage and brains.

No body with any integrity will mock the committment to country that flying a jet fighter, Guard, Reserves, or Active, requires.

[USMCVet]

Don't mean to knock my National Guard bretheren: it is military duty and something to be proud of...

But during the Vietnam War it was largely used as a dodge to avoid the unseemly shooting stuff. Service flying planes in Texas does not equate to service flying Thud Ridge, or downtown Hanoi, plain and simple.

We knew it then and we remember it now.

[Tijeras_Slim]

It's interesting that 28 years after the war, we finally have articles that discuss what our "leaders" were doing while other young men did their duty fighting for their country...

The leftwing has always viewed Vietnam as their "intellectual" property, to be used as they see fit. If you fled to Canada, and it serves their purpose - you're a hero. If you went and fought, and it serves their purpose - you're a hero.

[mystery-ak]

....the ironic thing..is that you were not considered a hero when you returned from VN.

[roderick]

So what is the logical end point by your reasoning if someone did not get shot at during time of war? If such people are not qualified to be elected what should be the criteria, Mensa scores? Why not do away with elections and just pick the so called "smartest" people?

Think of the mess we and the world would be in if high IQ algore was President.

[Miss Marple]

What about people who served in the regular Army, Air Force, or Marines but were not assigned to Viet Nam? What about people who went for specialties like Russian language school, so that they would get to go to Europe? What about people who enlisted in the Navy, knowing that they would probably not be on the ground in Viet Nam? What about National Guard people who were sent to Viet Nam, even though they didn't want to go? What about people who served in Viet Nam and came home to demonstrate and undermine the war effort?

[Tijeras_Slim]

....the ironic thing..is that you were not considered a hero when you returned from VN.

That served their purpose.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Kerry was blunt about his strategy. "If the president is going to wear a flight suit on deck, I have one to match, so to speak," he said. ... If he can talk to the troops, I can talk to veterans."

Kerry sounds like a four year old. He thinks this is leadership?!

[randog]

So, in a race between John McCain and George Bush, McCain would make the better president?

[southland]

RE post # 4 I agree that flying a fighter jet is exceptionallly hazardious duty. We lost 5% of my flight school class (56H) in first 18 months out of flight school. From what I learned this is not unusual.

[DAPFE8900]

That is exactly what the leftist dont get. Every time they call our president dumb people need to point out what it takes to fly a fighter jet...Come on he may not be the most eloquent guy but hes got brains in matters that count...

[tndarlin]

So, in a race between John McCain and George Bush, McCain would make the better president?

I am with you on this question. If being a Veteren in Vietnam were the only requirement, wouldn't McCain be the President?

Or for that matter, wouldn't Gore be the President?

[Timeout]

Former president George H.W. Bush certainly will be the last World War II veteran to be elected president, and given the historic antiwar sentiments of the baby boomers....

There it is. The writer's bias. As I remember it, the vast majority of "baby boomers" supported the war until close to the end.

Even then, it was Johnson's HANDLING OF THE WAR, not the war itself, which repulsed us.

[m&maz]

McCain would NOT make the better president... but then, he's not all that much as a senator either.....

[norwaypinesavage]

What makes you think Algor has a high IQ? The guy is a double college dropout. The height of his IQ is media spin. Based on his Forrest Gump speech patterns and his inability to tell the truth, I would bet that he barely hits double digits.

[onyx]

Kerry's going to get those medals he threw-away, shoved right up his butt IF he decides to make his stint in Vietnam a campaign issue.

[Just mythoughts]

The Vietnam War was a political war a much as anything, and lets not forget who was in control of congress and the presidency when that war began.

I take far greater issue with those who played politics with the lives of Americans, the elected political leaders who played a "war" board game with that battle against the spread of the "EVIL EMPIRE".

The "war" of Vietnam was not only fought in Vietnam, this nation itself became a "war" zone and at its base at "higher institutions" was an all out assult of the unity of this country.

LBJ while appearing to fight this "IDEA" of communism/socialism laid down the biggest spread of this ideology in this nation and not a shot was fired.

The liberals and their ideology were the greatest enemy of those drafted, and the whole nation got screwed by them whether they served in uniform or not.

The foundation of one's own ideology is what counts, not whether they served or not, and using one's own service as political up-man-ship when at their heart they are against protecting this nation, does not give credibility.

My prayers and thanks for those who served in whatever capacity.