Bush insults a soldier

Isn't this a little over the top? His kid volunteered for duty during a war. It's not like he is in the army against his will.

 

Because they volunteered so it is justifiable to send them over a far away country to die for nothing?

 

Thank you, Ehren Watada.

 

What's your point? Are you suggesting that everyone should just refuse to serve? There are people who choose to break the law in order to oppose a policy. Most people would rather work within the system.

 

I'll clue you in on something. The words been out for about three years that Iraq didn't have a lethal quantity of WMD's and the military is still having little problem with recruiting.

Going into the military or being a cop, firefighter or cabbie, is like selling premium. Chances are you'll retire unscathed and in the meantime you pick up a paycheck. Old school patriotic employers line up to hire kids who've served.

Kerry came off like an idiot with his comments. The Army isn't unemployed meth addicts. It's the kid next door. During my Congressional race I met DOZENS of young men (and women) who were either in Iraq, on the way, or thinking about enlisting. If I had to reduce them to a stereotyped "skinny", I'd categorize them as ex-high school footballers who couldn't get into college on scholarship. The Armed Forces are the next best thing.

So perhaps the pathetic argument that soldiers were called into an "unjust war" was valid yet stupid in 2003 but irrelevant today. (ignoring that both FDR in 1940 and LBJ in 1964 ran as peace candidates, American's have ALWAYS died in avoidable wars)

 

You are confusing two different things. Volunteering to serve means that one has to fulfill certain obligations. That is one thing. This is entirely separate from neocon's attitude, that because they volunteered, so we can waste them in Iraq and show no regret.

You conservatives are always confusing different concepts. Here you're confusing duty with need. In the case of Foley you confused pedophile with gay. Where did you guys get your education? In a third world country?

 

Webb comes off as sounding like it's all Bush's fault his son is in Iraq. I was just making the point that he went into this with his eyes open (hopefully). Webb acted like an ass when the Pres asked about his son. I garantee you this kind of crap won't win him many friends here in Va. which is home to lots of military.

 

I don't see what you and Webb are so worked up over. First, it was obvious that Bush was reaching out to Webb by asking about hi sson. Webb acted like a jerk and tried to turn it into an argument, then compounded his rudeness by responding to his son's commander in chief that it "was between him and his son." Does he respond that way to everyone who asks an innocent and totally innocuous question about how his son is doing or was he being a special jerk because he thought he could ingratiate himself with the Cindy Sheehan wing of the party?

As to Webb's fantasy about punching the president, give me a break. He either has a serious self-control problem, even more serious delusions of granduer or is just a bratty little boy trying to sound tough. Actually, I kind of wish he had punched Bush. Bush would probably have kicked the snot out of Webb. I guess Webb wants to challenge Rep. Jiom Moran as the biggest asshole in the congress. He's certainly off to a good start.

 

It is interesting that one article paraphrases in it's own words what was said and the other quotes what was said.

From thehill.com:

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.

Note the paraphrasing of Webb's response here.

From the Washington Post:

"How's your boy?" Bush asked, referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq.

"I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President," Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.

"That's not what I asked you," Bush said. "How's your boy?"

"That's between me and my boy, Mr. President," Webb said coldly, ending the conversation on the State Floor of the East Wing of the White House.

From the quote in the Post article, Webb's words are I'd like to get them out of Iraq. From the Hill article, Webb said he really wanted to see his son come home.

It comes down to what each individual wants to believe was said because there was no camera rolling. The hill.com's account makes it seem a lot more insensitve on Bush's part with the way they portray Webb's initial statement. In the Washington Post's version, it makes Webb look like he is grandstanding to a certain degree. When he says "I'd like to get them out of Iraq", who is he refering to? Bush asked him about his son, not about his opinion on the troops.

 

It's insulting to both Webb *and* his son because IF Bush really gave a rat's ass about him or any other Marine, he would not have sent them into harm's way in a totally needless war of CHOICE (Iraq). And that "punk" was first in his class at Marine Officer Training School, then a decorated Vietnam COMBAT veteran, then Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, and is now a US Senator whom neither of the chickenshit Georges, Allen or Bush, is fit to shine the shoes of.

There's no need to show respect to a "senior commander" who clearly hasn't earned it. Bush is the real punk for being a chickenhawk during Vietnam and for starting a senseless and wasteful war in Iraq which has only benefited the Cheneys, Halliburtons and other war profiteers of the world.