Iraq war vets run for Congress in greater numbers - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

**AZXD** · 05-27-2008, 11:40 PM

Perhaps there is hope

At least their decisions, if elected, will be grounded in reality, and not the whim of a group of lobbyists.

Quote:

Iraq war vets run for Congress in greater numbers
USA Today - 18 hours ago
At least 10 Democratic and 20 Republican Iraq veterans are running for the House, and none for the Senate.

Quote:

Twice as many veterans of the Iraq war are running for Congress than in 2006, and this year Republican candidates outnumber Democrats.

Although many of the veteran candidates still face primaries and some are long shots, the outcome in November could well increase the number of combat veterans serving in Congress, a group that has been dwindling since 2000.

The Iraq veterans are running at a time when public opinion favors U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to expand their 37-seat majority in the House, at least partly on the strength of that issue.

These veteran-candidates also will share the ticket with a presidential race that offers a sharp contrast: Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain supports a continued U.S. presence in Iraq, while Democratic front-runner Barack Obama and rival Hillary Rodham Clinton want U.S. troops withdrawn.

Veterans running for Congress also are split. Republican candidates are "pro-victory," says Kieran Michael Lalor, a Republican candidate in New York and the founder of Iraq Vets for Congress, a group of Republican House candidates. "No good comes from a precipitous withdrawal and a lot of good would come from a stable functioning democracy in the Middle East."

**Frenchy** · 05-28-2008, 03:11 AM

This is good to hear!...I wish them all success.

KingArthur · 05-28-2008, 09:42 PM

That is the way it should be. If you are going to decide if other people should go to war, you should have at least been there yourself. Everytime the draft dodger Clinton wanted to use the military, I have always felt-what gives him the right? He ran away from serving his country, yet he can order others to serve? I can respect a man who has been and gone, and tells another to go, far more than one who evaded and tells another to go. A good leader leads from out front.

ZenMachine · 05-29-2008, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingArthur

That is the way it should be. If you are going to decide if other people should go to war, you should have at least been there yourself. Everytime the draft dodger Clinton wanted to use the military, I have always felt-what gives him the right? He ran away from serving his country, yet he can order others to serve? I can respect a man who has been and gone, and tells another to go, far more than one who evaded and tells another to go. A good leader leads from out front.

I totally know what you mean. Every time I see footage of the war in Iraq and think about Bush not showing up for "hard" duty in the air national guard while my dad was in Vietnam I get the same feeling. Of course my dad wasn't no sentor's son, or in Bush's case a congressman's son...

KingArthur · 05-29-2008, 07:42 PM

True, he did get sheltered. However, at least he didn't run away.

ZenMachine · 05-29-2008, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingArthur

True, he did get sheltered. However, at least he didn't run away.

I fail to see the difference between joining a unit that you know will not see combat in Vietnam and getting a college deferment. Both achieve the same thing, not going to Vietnam. Bush had what many did not, access to a air national guard posting due to his father's influence. Also, he was AWOL from this position on multiple occasions. Don't get me wrong, I am with you on the idea that presidents should have served, I just see the ways Bush and Clinton got out of going to Vietnam as two sides to the same coin. JMHO, enlighten me if I am wrong. Also, how did it get spun that Kerry who actually saw combat in Vietnam was being called a purple heart pussy by the GOP when Bush was high and dry back in Texas the whole time?

**Frenchy** · 05-29-2008, 08:43 PM

I'll not fault bush for this. I had many of my contemporaries do the same thing.

longtalltechsan · 05-29-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenMachine

I fail to see the difference between joining a unit that you know will not see combat in Vietnam and getting a college deferment. Both achieve the same thing, not going to Vietnam. Bush had what many did not, access to a air national guard posting due to his father's influence. Also, he was AWOL from this position on multiple occasions. Don't get me wrong, I am with you on the idea that presidents should have served, I just see the ways Bush and Clinton got out of going to Vietnam as two sides to the same coin. JMHO, enlighten me if I am wrong. Also, how did it get spun that Kerry who actually saw combat in Vietnam was being called a purple heart pussy by the GOP when Bush was high and dry back in Texas the whole time?

Because Kerry came back and badmouthed his own troops and sided with Hanoi Jane. He called our troops in Vietnam, his comrades, baby killers and murderers. He lied about a lot of what he did and his missions and the results. Ask others who served in Vietnam there opinion of Kerry. I am sure many of them can tell you better than me.

**Frenchy** · 05-29-2008, 09:45 PM

I have nothing but disdain for Kerry's comments before Congress, but he did serve in combat, so I will give him that.

ZenMachine · 05-29-2008, 10:37 PM

As I remember it, Kerry's testimony before congress was not the issue being spun at the time. The Swift Boat Vets for truth which was funded by Boone Pickens, a Texas oilman with ties to Bush and that industry, set out on a campaign to fabricate stories about how Kerry lied about combat etc. Largely his testimony was not the issue but rather the smear machine attempted to claim that he had never actually seen combat and fraudulently received a purple heart. Hence all those turds running around with purple bandaids on at the GOP convention that year. It is one thing to disagree with what he said afterwards but it is another to try to pass off the lie that he was never in combat. That to me is pretty low. Especially when the guy he was running against was hanging out in Texas thanks to daddy Bush's connections.

05-28-2008, 03:11 AM	#2
Frenchy XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Mid-Missouri Posts: 12,741	This is good to hear!...I wish them all success. __________________ ~SC Harvey~ 2008 Election..."Imbrace your ignorance, and vote your preference". It's quite simple, really... *If you vote for Obama, you are a fuking idiot. If you vote for McCain, you are a fuking idiot.* *If your vote is for the lessor of two evils, then you can be comforted knowing that you're less of a fuking idiot than the other guy! Because Fritz says so! RON PAUL IN 2008**

05-28-2008, 09:42 PM	#3
KingArthur XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 187	That is the way it should be. If you are going to decide if other people should go to war, you should have at least been there yourself. Everytime the draft dodger Clinton wanted to use the military, I have always felt-what gives him the right? He ran away from serving his country, yet he can order others to serve? I can respect a man who has been and gone, and tells another to go, far more than one who evaded and tells another to go. A good leader leads from out front. __________________ Smith and Wesson 422 .22 KHAR PM9 9mm Berreta 92F 9mm Glock 22 .40 Springfield XD .45 Taurus 669 .357 Smith and Wesson 629 .44 magnum Ruger 10/22 .22 Colt AR-15 .223 Norinco AK-47 7.62x39 Winchester 670 30-06 SAKO .338 win mag Stevens 94c 20 gauge single Fox Savage 12 gauge double Winchester Deffender 12 gauge pistol grip Mosberg 590 ghost ring 12 gauge

05-29-2008, 07:42 PM	#5
KingArthur XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 187	True, he did get sheltered. However, at least he didn't run away. __________________ Smith and Wesson 422 .22 KHAR PM9 9mm Berreta 92F 9mm Glock 22 .40 Springfield XD .45 Taurus 669 .357 Smith and Wesson 629 .44 magnum Ruger 10/22 .22 Colt AR-15 .223 Norinco AK-47 7.62x39 Winchester 670 30-06 SAKO .338 win mag Stevens 94c 20 gauge single Fox Savage 12 gauge double Winchester Deffender 12 gauge pistol grip Mosberg 590 ghost ring 12 gauge

05-29-2008, 08:43 PM	#7
Frenchy XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Mid-Missouri Posts: 12,741	I'll not fault bush for this. I had many of my contemporaries do the same thing. __________________ ~SC Harvey~ 2008 Election..."Imbrace your ignorance, and vote your preference". It's quite simple, really... *If you vote for Obama, you are a fuking idiot. If you vote for McCain, you are a fuking idiot.* *If your vote is for the lessor of two evils, then you can be comforted knowing that you're less of a fuking idiot than the other guy! Because Fritz says so! RON PAUL IN 2008**

05-29-2008, 09:45 PM	#9
Frenchy XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Mid-Missouri Posts: 12,741	I have nothing but disdain for Kerry's comments before Congress, but he did serve in combat, so I will give him that. __________________ ~SC Harvey~ 2008 Election..."Imbrace your ignorance, and vote your preference". It's quite simple, really... *If you vote for Obama, you are a fuking idiot. If you vote for McCain, you are a fuking idiot.* *If your vote is for the lessor of two evils, then you can be comforted knowing that you're less of a fuking idiot than the other guy! Because Fritz says so! RON PAUL IN 2008**

05-29-2008, 10:37 PM	#10
ZenMachine XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 142	As I remember it, Kerry's testimony before congress was not the issue being spun at the time. The Swift Boat Vets for truth which was funded by Boone Pickens, a Texas oilman with ties to Bush and that industry, set out on a campaign to fabricate stories about how Kerry lied about combat etc. Largely his testimony was not the issue but rather the smear machine attempted to claim that he had never actually seen combat and fraudulently received a purple heart. Hence all those turds running around with purple bandaids on at the GOP convention that year. It is one thing to disagree with what he said afterwards but it is another to try to pass off the lie that he was never in combat. That to me is pretty low. Especially when the guy he was running against was hanging out in Texas thanks to daddy Bush's connections.

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