[jazusamo]

He planned the whole thing before he ever volunteered.

I tend to agree because he accepted his commission after 9/11.

[alecqss]

Why not... chief "winter soldier" made Leutenant-Governor, then a Senator and almost got himself a Presidency let alone marrying money, so, it reasonably seems to be a boost to political career.

[Ramius]

he accepted his commission after 9/11.

It was *way* after that. In 2003, after we'd been in Afghanistan for a couple of years, and after the invasion of Iraq was a certainty. The lead-up to the invasion started late in 2002, and the invasion was in March of 03, right about the time that he volunteered. He knew exactly what he was doing.