"I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did." - John McCain in his remarks about the G.I. Bill
Barack Obama was born in 1962. He would have been old enough to enlist in the military in 1980. By his third year, he would have been primed to invade -- that's right -- Grenada. And had he been among the few who participated in that crazy weekend, it probably would have been his sole combat experience. Then what would the Straight Talker have said? "I will not accept lectures from someone who fought (insert smirk) in Grenada"?
When John McCain engages in the kind of macho posturing he employed over the GI Bill, it not only insults Obama, it also insults the several hundred million citizens who have not served in the American military. And it's particularly absurd given the proliferation of squawking chicken hawks in his own party, many of whom were able-bodied during the Vietnam era, and yet did not see fit to serve in uniform because, to quote Dick Cheney on the subject, they "had other priorities."
On a positive note, I suppose this means Senator McCain won't be accepting lectures from Dick Cheney either. But this begs another question: Will he have to listen to guys who served in the Texas Air National Guard (when they felt like it), or just campaign with them?
Ummm, so what do you have to say about Jim Webb, senator?
How can McCain possess good judgment regarding serious issues such as the Iraq war? His temper is a direct indicator that he is still affected by the trauma he sustained during the Vietnam war.
His judgment regarding the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the war on terror and the Iran threat has to be tainted. How can a man who lived through the trauma for a war gone bad and lost with an exclamation point, as the horrendous airlifts out of a fallen Saigon took place, not hope for a different outcome in Iraq?
How can he tour the war-torn ruins of Iraq and not be affected psychologically?
More importantly how can he clearly lead us in regard to this situation? This is the perfect illustration of the need for civilian leadership.
The chronic physical signs of PTSD include hyperarousal, including sleep problems, trouble concentrating, irritability, anger, poor concentration, blackouts or difficulty remembering things, increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and hypervigilance to threat.
Does any of this sound familiar? Does any of this sound like John McCain? Through no fault of his own, he simply isn't fit to lead. Buyer beware . . . . .
His judgment regarding the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the war on terror and the Iran threat has to be tainted. How can a man who lived through this trauma all for a war gone bad and lost with an exclamation point, as the horrendous airlifts out of a fallen Saigon took place, not hope for a different outcome in Iraq?
How can he tour the war-torn ruins of Iraq and not be affected psychologically?
More importantly how can he clearly lead us in regard to this situation?
There is a reason we chose a civilian president. This is the perfect illustration of why.
The chronic physical signs of PTSD include hyperarousal, including sleep problems, trouble concentrating, irritability, anger, poor concentration, blackouts or difficulty remembering things, increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and hypervigilance to threat.
Does any of this sound familiar? Does any of this sound like John McCain? Through no fault of his own, he simply isn't fit to lead. Buyer beware . . . . .
When tortured POW's came back from Vietnam they were thanked for their service and quietly shuffled out the door for exactly the reasons you mentioned. So if the military viewed them as time bombs that they couldn't afford to have go off at the wrong time, then why should we behave differently?
Again, not his fault. But fact nonetheless.
Shaddup, Obama!
Viet era vet for Obama--I guess that gives me the right to comment on matters military! Har!
This is a simplistic argument of McCain's. Another slogan.
Does this mean McCain shouldn't be allowed to sponsor bills to become law because - unlike Obama - he has no legal training? Does it mean he shouldn't discuss the economy because he's not an economist? (Actually, having seen Ron Paul tie him in knots on the subject, that's probably sterling advice.)
Will he refuse advice on NASA from everyone except astronauts? Will he only discuss prisons with people who've actually been convicted and incarcerated?
The implicit - and none too subtle - undertone to his remark is that someone who hasn't served in the military is somehow less of a patriot than someone who (for example) has served and bettered their country by working in hospitals, drug rehabilitation programs, action on poverty etc etc etc.
You can only be a real American if you've bombed someone? Really?
McCain might also care to note that this kind of posturing, for whatever reason, doesn't really play too well with the electorate. Bush Snr (WW2 vet) lost to Clinton and his sick note. John Kerry (Vietnam vet) lost to Bush Jnr and his champagne-and-coke national service record.
One would think that a guy with his experience would realize this. But I guess that just shows how insulated from reality he is.
I voted for McCain in 2000. I don't recognize that guy this year. His comments yesterday in Denver, that he "will never, ever surrender in Iraq," scared me nearly to death. What a strawman! No one's asking for surrender. We're asking our government and leadership to realize that this mission is over. Big, huge difference. That squinty-eyed look he had when he said it speaks louder than any words. Quite frankly, he's lost it.
Well, for OIF 2004-2007, I helped set up quite a few CODEL visits, and I can tell you: those folks who fly across the big pond to "see for themselves" what's really going on, they only see what we wanted them to see.
Ever notice how we're losing 30-50 soldiers a month, and yet the congresscritters never hear the sound of gunshot? Never see an IED explosion? That's because they are safely in the rear with the gear. They're nowhere near the action.
In fact, CODEL visits are a huge strain on the troops. We have to rearrange schedules, come up with additional security, and take troops off of real missions to escort and babysit the congress folks.
The fact that McQueeg doesn't understand this really makes my head hurt. Is he going downhill fast, or was he never all that high speed in the first place?
I wonder if John McQueeq rolls a couple of steel balls in his hand to calm himself down in times of stress.