A Soldier's Perspective
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Is It Already Election Season Again?
John Kerry was on Face The Nation Sunday Night. He was interviewed about his opinions on the Iraq war. To begin the interview, Bob Schieffer started by saying that a “shift of
fewer than 100,000 votes in Ohio and John Kerry would have become president.” Anyone doubt where this interview is going to be headed?
In typical John Kerry fashion, he initially avoided the question about whether or not pulling out of Iraq would make America less safe. And when he finally answered the question that was geared to what HIS opinion was, he deferred to Gen Casey instead of speaking for himself.
It’s odd that he’d use a quote from General Casey that said that “the large presence of American forces in Iraq feeds the notion of occupation and it delays.” Sure it does, but that doesn’t mean General Casey thinks we should pull out.
As a matter of fact, Gen. Casey just said last week, “There is not a timeline. It is all conditions-based. And we do monthly assessments with Iraqi leaders and coalition counterparts. They access the readiness of Iraqi units, military and police and they make judgments based on those assessments.” John Kerry didn’t seem too adamant about quoting him there.
Continuing to offer HIS opinion of whether or not America would be safer with a pull-out, Kerry says, “No one that I know of even on a six-month basis believes that that’s going to leave us in a more exposed basis.” It is my sincere hope that if I ever go into politics I don’t forget how to say YES and NO. Or, it is MY belief that…
In an attempt to get a clear answer, Schieffer asks Kerry again in more specific words that I think even a two year could understand, “So what you’re saying here is it is more dangerous to the American people to leave the troops there than to begin drawing them down? Is that what I take from your answer?”
In a classic Kerry-ism, he again skirts the question. “It is more dangerous to the mission to leave them in the large numbers they’re in today in the status quo.” (emphasis added) That’s quite a novel concept Mr. Kerry has there. It’s actually more dangerous to be IN a war, than not. Assuming, of course, the mission he’s talking about is our war. Wow, you mean it’s safer to be at home than in a war?! Amazing!! But, what about the American people. Are WE safer if we pull out?
Scheiffer than plays a clip of Sec. Rumsfeld where he says in specific terms, after the election we’re pulling 21,000 troops out of Iraq, and more as we stand up security. This is something that John Kerry said himself he wanted to do and yet is criticizing the President for it.
Kerry and Dean must be sleeping together. Later in the interview, Kerry makes reference to the “80 percent of the Iraqi people [that] said they want us to leave. They want us out.”
The answer to my question posed in the title of this post…YES. 2006 is a huge election year for the House and the Democrats want to take it away. So, they’ve sent out their Armies of Stupid. Don’t get me wrong, the Republicans sense then and have responded with their Armies of Idiots as well. For the next year, the Idiots and the Stupids will go at it, and we’ll be forced to sit back and watch.
The military will be caught in the crossfire. We’ll be used as pawns in this fight for power. Our efforts will be dismissed and reduced to one-liners. The candidates will highlight EVERY ONE of our mistakes and ignore our successes. The demoralization of the force begins.
Before I close, let me end with another question Kerry left unanswered.
SCHIEFFER: And as you came out of the White House, a reporter asked you this question. Just listen.
(Excerpt from December 1, 2005)
Unidentified Man: Do you ever find yourself saying, `How did I lose to this guy?’
Sen. KERRY: No. I know how I lost.
(End of excerpt)
SCHIEFFER: Well, I must say, Senator, if there was ever a question that begged a follow-up. So why do you think you lost?
Sen. KERRY: It’s not getting a follow-up. I’m not going backwards, Bob. I’m going forwards. I’m going to take the lessons I learned, take the mistakes I made.
You can read the entire transcript of this interview HERE.
I’ve also updated my Parking Lot Pennies total: $54.46 found lying around as of February 11th.
(12) Readers Comments
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Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
Heres a email i got today .....................From: Anderson, Denise
BUMP: MILITARY TELEX communication (A Nigerian Scam)
I have been contacted by a Chris Ambrose Ferris and says his real name
tommy in nyc
sen kerry is just wow what is there to say.as a democrat i still can’t believe we lost against bush 43 then all you got to do is stop and wonder why people hate kerry so much. it’s easy.he talks out of both sides of his mouth. however having to do 2 or 3 deployments to iraq would probably hurt morale more than caring who the commander-in-chief is. that’s how this former hole-snipe sees it.
CJ
You know, the only thing I really can’t stand about John Kerry is that he talks out of both sides of this mouth. The other thing is that real heroes don’t throw away their medals. I respected him for being a Vietnam Vet, but not for what he did TO Vietnam vets. To him, everyone was a murderous baby killer but him.
HM USN/USMC
Was this before or after he called american soldiers terrorists. This man just makes me sick.
~K.
It looks to ME as if our Government and Politicians are doing exactly what the terrorists want to do, Tear American Apart.
It just rips me apart. I can only imagine how you Soldier’s feels about all of this. It must be a real slap in the face somedays when you hear some of the BULL that is said. Expecially when it is YOU who put your life on the line for this great Country.
james horner
Aiding the enemy again, he makes me sick to my stomach.
I wish he would just keep that whole in his face shut.
Unless he can really contribute to the cause.
Backing our troops while they are in harms way.
iluvmysoldierjoe
Just goes to show how really idiotic our politicians are. When you think it can’t get any worse Kerry opens his mouth again. From the bottom of my heart, as a soldier’s fiance and an American, I am appalled at the treatment our soldiers recieve, even if it is a comment made by a idiotic and ill-informed politician.
Donna
I can’t imagine any American calling our troops terrorists. Will this guy stop at nothing to help the Democratic party!! May I just say “shut up Kerry”!!
yankeemom
Again I have to say, I just wish that all the energy going into Bush-bashing, troop-bashing, this-bashing, that-bashing would be put to helping us finish the job. Let the military do their job and support them in all ways so they can. We’re there now. Lets’stop the playground nonsense going on on the Hill and get serious about keeping this country safe. And if they don’t have a solution, they should keep their mouths shut until they do. They might actually then have an original thought.
wordsmith
I see quite a number of Kerry/Edwards bumper stickers on the streets of Los Angeles, every single day. I just don’t understand it. Even being anti-Bush, I’d be too ashamed to be a pro-Kerry man to advertise it. He does nothing but engage in demagoguery.
I think my bumper sticker arrived in the mail by the way, CJ. I forgot to clear it out of my mail folder at work; but thanks in advance!
Curt
Living in LA myself I’m always amazed when I see Bush stickers…it’s so unexpected. But there are more of us in this blue state then they think. I will never forget prior to this last election when I picked up my parents from LAX, they had just flown in from BC, Canada, and a car comes up beside us with this lady honking her horn and waving a bush flag at me since I had more then a few Bush stickers on my car. My Mom, a huge liberal, was aghast…but I smiled and honked back at her. It’s a good memory.
CJ
Great story, Curt. I’ve gotten honks AND fingers with my pro-military stickered vehicle.
dusgalan
CJ: IF and I repeat “if” I were the commander-in-chief, I would ask congress for a full declaration of war or a complete and immediate pull-out. If we had a declaration, then I’d jail some of these idiots for their seditious comments. It’s alright to protest the war, but better watch what and how you say what you say because it may have just as deadly consequences to our troops as facing the real enemy.
dusgalan of mt