Quick Heads Up: Did I Hear Right? Hackworth Called Cheney a Draft Dodger?

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

My ears might have deceived me. Did I hear correctly on the Sean Hannity Show? Did Hackworth call Cheney a draft dodger?

[SerpentDove]

>>Hackworth is a whack job, but Cheney still dodged service,<<

How did he "dodge service"? By the way, Americans don't have to serve in the military to have the right to speak about our nation going to war.

[jeremiah]

It seems to me that asking to be treated like any other grunt would be the right thing to do. Allowing oneself to be treated special, is the same as asking for it.IMO

[laconic]

Yes, and the loathsome clinton has never been loath to use Anthony Handley's name if its to his political advantage. There's another individual posting on this thread, calls himself "Dave S", who claims Vietnam was not a real war. He can tell that to the mothers of 58,000 Americans or the men whom to this day lie blinded, legless or dying in veterans hospitals from a war that wasn't "real"; I doubt he would have the guts to do so.

[frnewsjunkie]

My husband was discharged from the Army in 1959. He was RA... he served 3 years... all stateside. There were so few being drafted that year, that I don't count it as ANYONE dodging the draft who did not serve. No one we knew in our town was drafted during his 3-yr term. They went to college, got married, got jobs. Normal living for back then.

He didn't even have to serve active reserve for the years after his discharge.

[fogarty]

He's been writing books and also helping produce some war movies. He does consulting mostly. He co-wrote/produced the movie "Rules of Engagement" a few years back. Great movie.

James Webb was one of the better Secretary of Navy's we've had. He would make a fine secdef. He certainly would take no BS from anyone.

[jeremiah]

No fair stating the obvious.

[cyncooper]

For your education here is the definition of "deceive". Please note that nowhere does it mention "lie".

de·ceive v. de·ceived, de·ceiv·ing, de·ceives

v. tr. 1. To cause to believe what is not true; mislead.

2. Archaic. To catch by guile; ensnare.

v. intr.

1. To practice deceit.

2. To give a false impression: appearances can deceive.

Then you tell me the word "lie" is not used so I am incorrect.

Are you for real? Just what does it mean in your world "to cause to believe what is not true"?

LOL

And you start by saying:

My gosh! I had no idea it was against the law to lie!

Really!?!

Since you found a handy dictionary here's another word for you: PERJURY

[dcwusmc]

Agreed wholeheartedly. I think service in the armed forces should be mandatory for someone who aspires to hold political office. It may not make them better people (witness McLame and John Glenn, as well as AGore), but at least they have shown their willingness to put their country ahead of themselves in the one way that MATTERS: They have shown their willingness to DIE for their country if needs be.

[Republic of Texas]

Your opinion also is in DIRECT CONTRIVENTION of those that founded this country. Not all of them served, were they unqualified or cowards?

[Jhoffa_]

So....it's okay to lie if it fits the agenda? Sweet.

What in the world are you talking about?

[Republic of Texas]

I think if it came down to it, 99% of all Americans would die for their country if they had to. We just haven't been in that predicament in over 50 years. We've had wars, but none that threatened the immediate survival of our country.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

so I can't really comment on the fact that Hack is turning Ritter.

Hack is not turning Ritter and to say that is a disgrace to him and you. If your only education on his position is what you read in the title of this thread then you really should not even comment because when you do you make yourself look foolish. Please see my post 166 to see what the real story is.

[clintonh8r]

I agree. I think he would be a fine SecDef. Have you read The Nightingale's Song ? It's an outstanding book that describes the early careers of Webb, North, Poindexter, McCain and McFarlane, particularly their time at USNA.

[k2blader]

Your post prompted me to attempt to dig up some specific information on Cheney's draft record. The following (excerpted from a Boston Globe article - "Republican Ticket Lets a Military Connection Slip") indicates Cheney was *not* a "draft dodger":

Cheney - unlike Clinton, who took controversial steps to avoid the draft - appears to have played by the rules, according to Selective Service records. In 1959, the year he finished high school in Wyoming, Cheney registered with his local Selective Service board. For almost all of the next six years, until he graduated from college in 1965, he maintained a student deferment.

Cheney was briefly cleared for possible induction, but he regained his student deferment when he entered graduate school that fall. In October 1965, Selective Service put childless married men in the same draftable status as single men. In January 1966, Cheney received the more prefereable, and durable classification of 3-A, exempting him from any chance of service because his wife was 10 weeks pregnant.

Assuming the above is accurate, I'm not sure how anyone could credibly accuse Cheney of "dodging the draft."

[SerpentDove]

>>More important, I think this “chickenhawk” concept that only those with military
experience can make the decision to go to war is ludicrous.<<

Exactly. I appreciate servicemen, and descend from them.

But the idea that those who have served are entitled to a "First Amendment Plus" option the rest of us don't have, is a crock of sh*t, and damned tiresome.

[jeremiah]

I don't know if he was or not, he was going to college. That was/is wrong. When boys are dying, why is it OK for others to continue on with a normal life? Why is Ted Williams so revered? Because he set aside personal interest, and served. A genuinely heroic deed. Cheney is not a dodger in my eyes, but neither is his usage of deferments, legal or not, commendable.

[SJackson]

It isn't that Cheney didn't serve that chaps some people,(including me) but that so few of our "betters" did. Especially among the elected and their kin. Whether R or D, it doesn't matter, the system used to stink, and it hasn't changed. There should have been no deferments for schooling or marriage or for having children. If you are going to compel service, all should be equally treated, including women.

I agree, it was a lousy system. But I can’t fault Cheney for following the rules as they existed at the time. As an aside, by the time WJC’s time arrived, marriage and grad school deferements were gone and the student deferment meant you got your draft notice 4 years later, which was a lifesaver for many, but I’m not sure I’d call them draftdodgers for going to college.

Particularly given the time that’s elapsed, I don’t see this as a particularly valid issue, other than cases of deception, fraud, or illegality. We could just as easily try to parse the motives of enlistees, the guy who drew 58 ;>), and was getting drafted anyway.

And IMO, the “chickenhawk” argument is bogus. I like Hack, but he’s not Presidential material.

[Station 51]

Read Hack's book About Face. In it he outlines his military career and what factors stemming from the mismanagement of the war by the military brass caused him to leave the service. All the speculation I have read claims that Hack was being groomed for one of the top posts at the Pentagon when he retired. He is either crazy or a man of his convictions.

[Republic of Texas]

I agree. I don't want my cousins (Cmdr. and Lt., USN) to lord that over me on top of everything else.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

...I've spent the better part of three decades in the military and did a stint in Mogadishu fall of '93, so I guess I could play the "been there, done that" card...the real money is in looking at the track record- the VP has a proven record of supporting the armed forces and doesn't deserve the draft dodging sabot round-

Thank you for your service to our country. Much of what we hear in the news these days is clearly a part of the DNC Presidential Campaign - never mind the "will of the people" on Nov. 5th, or the war against militant Muslim terrorists who have no problems killing thousands of innocent civilians on our own soil. Is Hackworth on McCain's '04 team?

Our mainstream newsmedia continues to give aid and comfort to our enemies by working daily to undermine our CIC and by casually handing our enemies OUR microphones to spew enemy propaganda during wartime. Hackworth's insult of our #2 in Command will buy Hackworth more exposure in the leftist newsmedia - at the expense of our country, and those troops he claims to respect and represent.