How Did the RNC Insult Troops and Veterans? Let Me Count the Ways...
Last week's Republican convention sure made every superficial effort to come off as pro-Troop and pro-Veteran. And, of course, the media ate it up, not challenging a single thing. But to those of us who did serve, it was offense after offense after offense. Let's count the ways:
McCain Didn't Mention Veterans' Care: Maybe because it's because he has a terrible record, but not once in John McCain's speech did he talk about taking care of those who served their nation in the military. With exploding rates of PTSD, suicide, homelessness among veterans. With ridiculous wait times for veterans seeking care, and a VA that every major vets group says is woefully underfunded. With administrators dumping vets out of the veterans care system by diagnosing them with a lesser mental injury than they have. Not. A. Single. Word. And, with the shame of...
Walter Reed: What a slap in the face. The first photo that John McCain stood in front of was Walter Reed. Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, California. Chalk it up to someone in the campaign not knowing the difference between the two, but what I find even more offensive is this: At some point John McCain asked his campaign what was going to be on the screen behind him. And someone told him the first picture would be Walter Reed Army Medical Center. John McCain didn't object - even though he voted against closing tax loopholes to help fund military hospitals like Walter Reed. But that wasn't the only bit of fake imagery....
"Phony Soldiers": For the amount that Rush Limbaugh likes to rant on "phony soldiers," there was a big silence and others from the mainstream media on the fact that the McCain campaign used stock footage of actors pretending to be soldiers in a video, intended to show how pro-military McCain is. It's actually kind of fitting - phony soldiers to promote a phony record on military and veterans' issues.
Speaking of phony: Remember that faux-outrage from the McCain campaign when General Wesley Clark dared to point out that being a POW isn't a qualification for being Commander in Chief? Boy, the McCain campaign wouldn't let up on that. Where were they when Fred Thompson said the same exact thing?
Real outrage: But, there were some things to be angry about. First, Sarah Palin repeatedly saying that her son was deploying for Iraq on September 11. First, not only is this not exactly true, but if she sincerely believed it to be true, she would be knowingly violating Operational Security (OPSEC), which says you should never tell the enemy when people and units are going to be landing in Iraq. Thankfully, Palin was fudging the truth, and not endangering the troops. So, she either knew she wasn't telling the truth, or she thought she was and thought violating OPSEC was worth the political points. That, however, hasn't kept the media from finding someone willing to leak all the movements of Track and his unit, and publishing them, violating OPSEC. Second, there's the fact that right after the Republican convention, the party produced a bunch of flags that they stole from the Democratic convention in Denver, in an attempt to "prove" the Democrats were throwing out the flag. In fact, workers in Denver were collecting all the flags left at Invesco Field, to send to community events around the country, where other patriotic Americans might want to wave the flag. So, to promote a complete fabrication, Republicans stole flags that some five-year old kid might have wanted to wave on Main Street. Stay classy...
It's things like this that caused those troops deployed to donate to Obama by a 6-1 ratio.
Though many in the media may lap up the lies, the distortions, and fake representations, troops certainly don't. We know the difference between fantasy and reality.
And that brings me to the last point. Speaker after speaker told the convention that the "surge worked" and we were on our way to "victory."
Except not so much. Bob Woodward, in his new book, explains what those of us in the military always knew - commanders on the ground were against the surge, and knew it would not work strategically. And, in fact, it hasn't worked in stabilizing Iraq's internal political problems, hasn't aided our global strategy, or helped strengthen our military.
But, as the President explained to General Abizaid, and others, success wasn't the point of the surge - the APPEARANCE of success was the purpose. Quoting Woodward's finding, "A surge would "also help here at home, since for many the measure of success is reduction in violence," Bush said [to Abizaid]."
In short, Bush knew that since less than one-percent of America had served in the wars, and most commentators were ignorant about what constitutes true military and strategic success, a reduction of violence could be sold as "success," even if it was not.
And that, perhaps, was the biggest insult to those of us in the military, out of many, coming from the Republican National Convention.
Crossposted at VetVoice.com
Follow Jon Soltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonsoltz
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
As for you remark about corporations creating wealth in this country, I must agree, they do. Sadly most of the wealth, a disproportianate amount, created by the average working Joe, ascends to the corporate heirarchy. That is the group that will see the tax increase.
Not the small businessman, not the entrepeneurs, not the Union dude on the factory floor, not the 9 to 5 guy. Do your homework, clean out your ears and wipe off your
Rove colored glasses.
I agree with your comments. What I don't understand is why more Americans are not hearing over and over like a mantra, that having a Republican Pres., congress and senate for years did nothing to prove that any of these policies of tax cuts did anything for the country. And in fact created a culture of corruption that will end up costing us all more money. Today we are bailing out mortgage companies and the executives will leave with multimillion dollar severance packages, and they will have tax cuts on top of it! What kind of crazy nonsense is this? McCain can't have it both ways. He is either a Maverick or all his policies are the same as Bush, which at this point they are. Didn't work then, won't work now. Change your policies, change your party, change your campaign backers and then maybe we will start to see you as a Maverick.
chickens coming home to roost...The swiftboaters, gop, bush lackies, etc. treated a TRUE AMERICAN hero, John Kerry with disdain, making fun of his service, questioning his patriotism.(My dad was a Purple Heart recipient -Iwo Jima, getting Japanese shrappnel in his leg just as Kerry did, how dare those bush and repub haters treat him that way.)Now the McSame haters and 527's are ready to go on Barack,,,we are ready, folks... Now the right wing cannot stand if we (democrats, others) question McBush record and his hypocracy. The gloves are off. WE WILL not stand for lies and distortions about Barack and our Democrat platform. It is disgusting that the repubs promote their cause using our servicemen and women and exploit the war for their gain...WE ARE ALL Americans! Already the BIG bounce mcbush got is dwindling. NO way he had a 10% national gain .....funny thing, when Barack was holding consistant poll leads the GOP(grand oil party) discounted them...But when they lead, they feel game over. WELL GAME NOT OVER. TIGHTEN YOUR SEATBELTS, WE WILL NOT BE SWIFTBOATED OR LIED ABOUT BY a really in experienced 20 month governor who's closest work with a foreign country is knowing RUssia is near her border.....Peace
Remember the poll that had 25% of liberals saying we should loose the war. No that patriotism you can believe in!
In his 2002 biography, Worth the Fighting For, McCain says this about himself:
McCain: "I didn't decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president. . . . In truth, I'd had the ambition for a long time."
So, who is the callously ambitious, self-serving politician, Johnny?
I am glad to finally see that people are finally saying that we need to look beyond the BS that is coming out of the GOP. People can have an opinion about war, the military, etc. w/o ever having served, and if you think the Rove, Cheney, group who never served really care about what happens to you (active duty) while or after you serve just look around. If the last eight years are not enough then you are truly backing them for other reasons so stop acting like Patriotism is the reason. As is always said "Actions speak louder than words" and we should now be saying enough is enough... but if you liked the last few years (since "94") then keep this crap going, and you will have to hunt Moose to be able to feed your family.
And before anyone calls me anything I served 20yrs and am Retired USMC, and still believe my Mother and others who never served have a right to speal out against any politian... Dem or Rep.
He sold out his fellow POWs in Hanoi, what makes anyone think he's changed?
Songbird McCain is no hero. He's the original manchurian candidate.
google vietnam veterans against John McCain.
Mr. soltz, you are dead on!! It can't be made any clearer. Your undeniable wisdom is precisely why I have been an anarchist and an atheist for over 50yrs. of 72 lived. Statism and Theism are the very genesis of evil. The question that explodes off this page,then, is---"Why are men and women like you playing a role in that evil?
See Jon Raymond's Profile
I'm a vet of 11 years and served in Desert Storm. I got out because the military sucks. I haven't used my VA benefit to buy a house yet. Even with it, the economy is so bad that I've never been able to afford one. It's a lousy benefit anyway. There are few homes worth living in that qualify as VA. The government can keep their pitiful Vet bennies.
Just wanted to echo your thoughts.
I call BS. ANY HOME qualifies as VA. Let me rephrase that... You are allowed ONE VA loan at a time. There is no VA consideration as to which house you buy concerning a VA loan.
In his 2002 biography, Worth the Fighting For, McCain says this about himself:
McCain: "I didn't decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president. . . . In truth, I'd had the ambition for a long time."
So, who is the callously ambitious, self-serving politician, Johnny?
stories like yours make me ashamed of my government. if i yell at them, they question my loyalty,my patriotism. if i argue with them ,they call me a socialist,a communist. if i protest them,they call me a radical,an anarchist. when i wear my obama hat to the local tobacco store, they call me a muslim/ muslim supporter. if i donate to obama's campaign, i am called a cult follower/zombie. when debating a military issue, my GOP opponent asks me if i ever served in the military, and i answer honestly,"no". they say i have no room to talk, they say i've never done anything for our country. i was a volunteer EMT/firefighter for 8 years, 2 decades ago. i risked my life many times for other americans, and, with no risk to myself, saved a few lives of those injured and sick. somehow the GOP convention managed to make me feel like i'm less of an american,than they are. they are shameless. and i am ashamed of what they have done to this once proud nation.
I missed the Purple Heart Band-Aids that they had at the 04 RNC.
There is a HUGE difference between the injuries McCain sustained and the injuries Kerry received. McCain spent more time as a POW than Kerry spent in service. There is no comparison between the records of these two.
Based on your comment, does McCain as a POW deserve more benefits than Kerry who was wounded but only served? No, we cannot compare the service of the two; however, the use of POW status as an answer for everything is inexcusable and demeans the experience. Veterans deserve Veteran benefits. We, as citizens and the patriots behind our troops, promised them on enlistment that they would have benefits when - and if - they came home. Where are those benefits? And where is McCain's support for those benefits. Don't, therefore, confuse length of service and a, yes, terrible POW experience with the right to benefits. They are a non sequitar.
1. McCain spent more time as a POW than George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush COMBINED, so if you are going to make idiotic comparisons, my statement concerning the confinement time of various Presidents and a would-be-President (McCain) is TRUE.
2. Kerry isn't a candidate in this election, so why don't you get a little current in your events, and stop making straw man arguments.
3. GOP Presidental candidate Bob Dole's first Purple Heart was given for a scratch he received, from a piece of shrapnel from a grenade *he* tossed which hit a tree and bounced-back toward him. In other words, *he* caused the explosion in which he received the minor injury for which he got a medal. Look it up in his autobiography.
4. The photo of McCain in front of "Walter Reed" is Walter Reed middle school, not Walter Reed Hospital. What's *that* say about both McCain and the people running his campaign?
i'll take GENERAL Clark's word over either of those two men and you. being pow does not qualify one to be president. as a matter of fact, i don't feel safe having a 72 year old man who was tortured for 6 years, being in control of our nation. have you been 'programmed'?
Has any generation of troops been treated worse than the current one? Vietnam vets were disrespected and dishonoured when they returned home, but they didn't have to put up with a ruling political machine pretending that they support them.
After the past 7 years of miss-managed wars...not by the military but by a disfunctional Administration, (this daughter of the Air Force, wife of a Viet Nam vet, mother of a soldier who did his time) I would like to ask one question of all the Active duty military; Army, Air Force & Marine; wives, mothers, and fathers...can you imagine Sarah Palin as Commander in Chief? According to the Constitution the office of Vice President is to be capable of becoming President. I would also like to ask them to check the voting record of John McCain, not for funding the war and reconstruction...but the support and care of the troops. If you are caring for a wounded vet, you already know the answer.
Here is something not mentioned here, during the RNC the crowd was yelling loudly, I had just tuned into the convention and couldn't figure out what was going on, then the announcer explained that a few Iraqi vets there at the RCN with signs that were taken protesting McCains record on VETS, the signs were taken from them and they were lead out,and all the while the crowds was yelling USA, USA, USA. I thought gee, don't they know that these guts went over there for the USA...
Sadly veterans (and those currently serving) are like "flag pins" to Republicans. Just another "symbol" to use in manipulating public opinion. Remember, they have said this campaign "is not about issues." Nothing they do is. Lack of support for our veterans is just another day at the office for them. Using them to win elections is a cynical act.
See Tracy Saunders's Profile
Jon,
As the daughter of a Vietnam vet I believe it's time for the family members and loved ones of veterans to let their voices be heard. Let me know if I can help your org. in any way.
http://storiesfromthehomefront.wordpress.com/
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
