Clear Choice (Click "read more" for complete post)

I’m a little tired about the snickering so-called jokes about “Bush had a plan to get out of Vietnam, but not Iraq.”

Kerry had a plan for keeping himself out of Vietnam, it just didn't work. Volunteering for the Navy after his draft deferment was denied, was supposed to keep him out. Then volunteering for the Swiftboats (at the time, not involved in combat) was supposed to keep him out.

Finally, he got it right third time around by writing up some after-actions reports and medal recommendations.

But Air National Guard pilots were quite likely to go. Evidence exists that Bush volunteered to go.

For the record, I served in the Oregon Air National Guard. I served proudly, with other people of honourable character and deep commitment, and I find disparaging remarks about the Guard to be personally insulting. The crap about Guardsmen volunteering to stay out of combat is insulting. Some may have, others did not. Do not tar the entire institution with that same broad brush.

Let's be honest: Kerry is a decorated veteran with combat experience. Bush is a veteran pilot who risked his life stateside (piloting is inherently dangerous).

The two candidates' records are essentially neutral in regards to military credentials.

However, those who endorse Kerry and tout his war record, are overwhelmingly people who have not served. Yes, he has a few veterans on his side. But mainly, those who believe that war is never justified, those who are committed pacifists and ideologically leftist, those who believe that America deserves whatever ill treatment she gets from 3rd world fascist terrorist scum, cynically use John Kerry's war record in an attempt to neutralize Bush's record as president.

Now examine what Kerry did when he returned from Vietnam. Met with enemy leaders. Coordinated his strategies with a foreign power whom we were currently at war with, to achieve their agendas. Maligned and slandered his fellow veterans.

Those of us who have served, overwhelmingly (about 70%) endorse Bush. (click "Read More"

It is not that those who have not served in the military are incapable of judging the Kerry’s military record, but if it is indeed his war record that we are judging him on, doesn't the overwhelmingly negative opinion of veterans count for something?

We (most veterans) find Kerry not credible on matters of defense and the military. Most of us have doubts about his official record, and his self-aggrandizing public statements. We have doubts about his courage, character, and commitment.

Strip away the less coherent rhetoric about Bush, and we find that some people consider him to have made mistakes.

That's a clear choice to me.