Right-Wing Vets Group Assails Vietnam Vet Hagel

David Bellavia, founder of Bush suck-up outfit Vets For Freedom, says he "will never attack a Vietnam veteran," but then proceeds to say this about Senator Chuck Hagel:

BELLAVIA: But Sen. Hagel -- we can disagree on a lot of issues -- but Sen. Hagel has never been shot at in Iraq, he's never seen what an IED looks like or been detonated on. This is an individual that could embed himself instead of doing a two-day congressional delegation. Go out there, walk with the troops, see what's going on on the ground.

Ma'am, I've served over a year and our organization is just stock-full of Purple Heart and Valor Award winners. We've seen the worst of this fight. There's no propaganda here, ma'am. We love America. We want to win the war that our Congress sent us to fight. You don't send Americans -- men and women -- to lose a war, to end a stalemate. You send them to win in a war, and that's what we're trying to do. And you know what? We're closer today than we ever have been.

Shorter Bellavia: The problem with Hagel is that he does not love America, and would prefer we lose wars.

Somehow, I think that constitutes an attack on a Vietnam veteran!

Bellavia went on to add, "Now, again, with Sen. Hagel -- my problem with Sen. Hagel is, again, his experienced is based on what? The Mekong Delta. It's based on Vietnam, a totally different fight, a totally different enemy, and by the way, it was 30 years ago. That doesn't cheapen his service. That doesn't cheapen his expertise. But when it comes down to Iraq, I will take that specialist who's 20 years old from Decorah, Iowa, who served three tours in combat, over anything any member of the House or Senate has to say."

Unless I missed something, the current GOP contender for President is not a specialist from Decorah, Iowa but a man whose "experience is based on" the Mekong Delta. Flying above it, anyway. Sometimes violently colliding with it. In fact, one of the only differences between the service records of Hagel and McCain is that McCain was tortured in a POW camp. Of course, if you listen to the Bush White House, McCain wasn't tortured, either.

[Video available via ThinkProgress.]

Comments

[ramal]

Fine. Whatever. Will this poor creature just go back to Iraq and continue fighting for the rest of his life, be it 2 or 22 years, cause "victory" ain't in the mix.

[MyThought]

War is war......s­o this guy is full of BS. Each war has it's own experiences we know, but it's still war.

To say he's gone through more than another veteran is absolutely pathetic.

[realpolitic]

Republicans never hesitate to attack veterans when the opinions of the vets fall on the left. Once they adopt a leftist position the veteran's record is fair game to those on the right. it is shameful! If this guy Bellavia wants to win in Iraq so badly what is he doing here in a suit and tie. Go back and start winning the hearts and minds in Iraq!!

[aznurse]

That photo reminds me of Rodney Dangerfield. (my apologies to Rodney Dangerfiel­d.)

[SDindependent]

Not relevant, how can that be? John McCains campaign says it excuses their candidates inability to count the number of houses he owns.

[HC4BO]

New Pro-Obama book coming out soon ...

Digg It :

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Obama_s_Challenge_by_Robert_Kuttner_Chelsea_Green

Pre-order at Amazon at Reduced Price ... Do It ...

[jubei]

MAN F#CK GOP'S AND THE MEDIA,SENATOR CHUCK HAGEL AND SEN.RICHAR­D LUGAR IS TWO OF THE MOST RESPECTED REPUBLICANS WITH HONOR AND DIGNITY,AS FOR BARACK GENERAL.WE­SLEY CLARK IS THE RIGHT MAN FOR V.P AND CHUCK HAGEL FOR SEC.OF DEFENSE.OB­AMA/CLARK0­8!!!!!

[Bluedog12]

Nixon had his piss boy John O'Neill and Bush has this shill. Senator Hagel and his brothers are bigger men than Bellavia will ever be. By the way Mr.Bellavi­a ask your President why he announced a surrender today.

[FredCDobbs]

"We want to win the war that our Congress sent us to fight. "

What a joke! The mental midget in chief sent this chump to Iraq on his own. The stupid Dems in the congress got hornswoggled into giving him a fig leaf, but Bush and the Rethuglicons have got all the blood on their hands.

[wizardofoz]

I would like to make a suggestion,tell this so called veteran,to go visit the VIETNAM memorial in DC
where over 58,000 americans paid the ultimate sacrifice for this country.Ho­w dare he bad mouth
any veteran.

[Grannysue]

Well good, so McCain's unqualified, he needs to get out now, I mean his only experience and the only thing he's running on is Vietnam!

[Mahi Joe]

Bellavia went on to add, "Now, again, with Sen. Hagel -- my problem with Sen. Hagel is, again, his experienced is based on what? The Mekong Delta. It's based on Vietnam...­"

I guess Bellavia can make that same agrument against McCain.

[NeoLiberal]

Then clearly the next conclusion would be that our president, vice president, secretary of defense (his first one) and many within his security circles who have NO experience in ANY war or combat, would not qualify or be fit to lead as commander-in-chief.

Let's not forget: the reason why there is no military requirement for a president or vice president is built into our Constitution--they must be civilians to maintain checks and balances and to ensure we don't have a military dictator president.

I believe Mr. Bellavia may want to re-evaluate his stimulus-response mechanism when commenting on such matters...

[Mahi Joe]

As a Vietnam vet I could easily accept a president without prior military experience if he is an intelligent, clear thinking individual. In this coming election, that choice is a nobrainer, Obama. What I cannot accept in any office of power is a person with five deferments. Remember, here is the party (GOP) who was so disrespectful to Kerry and wore purple bandaids making what was a true hero into a joke. How soon we forget huh? GOP uses Vets when they feel they need them and ignores them when they don't. Don't believe me? Check out McCain's voting record related to military and veteran bills which were defeated. How any vet with the slightest amount of intelligence could support the GOP and McCain is beyond me.

[jeffp26]

Same sorry old stuff.

Question a mishandled war, a useless waste of everything we value -- ie, money and lives -- and you are not patriotic.

I am so sick of this crap. We move forward, destroying the planet as we go, but nothing changes.

America, the land of the free and home of the dumb. (From a vietnam vet!!!! So ignore me.)

[HHarvey]

That guy looks and talks just like a goomba. Am I supposed to listen to him and think that anything he has to say is impartial? Ha!

[PATina]

I just can't figure out how they say these things w/ a straight face. About a month ago... when Wes Clark challenged Mc Cain's Vietnam experience­... the Repubs went ballistic. Now... they say the same thing about Hagel... who is still one of their own.... hahahahahahahaha. These people are too unbelievable to be real.

Either Dem or Repub... if you think service matters... it matters for all. If you don't... then it matters for none. You can't "cherry pick". No wonder this country is becoming the world's laughingstock.

[NeoLiberal]

That's why we need BHO as president--to undo all this damage to our reputation. We're a laughing stock because of the GOP and nothing else.

[DaOne]

The Mekong Delta. It's based on Vietnam, a totally different fight, a totally different enemy, and by the way, it was 30 years ago.

You know what else was 30 years ago? Senator Jack in the box! Move on you rethugs, enough destroying my country.