Normally I ignore the fact that politicians will pander whenever the see an opportunity. This time, I instinctively reacted to Senator Kerry’s attack on the administration plan to withdraw troops from Germany. Ralph Peters, in his usually blunt fashion, said it better than I would have
:
“ON Monday, President Bush announced a plan to improve military readiness by withdrawing our troops from Cold War-era garrisons overseas. This should not be a partisan issue. But it's an election year . . .
Every Democrat jockeying for an assistant-to-the-deputy-undersecretary janitorial position in a Kerry administration attacked the proposed basing changes as calamitous: We'll throw away our influence in Europe. NATO will buckle. South Korea will be defenseless. And virgins will be ravished around the world.
In remarks on the subject yesterday, John Kerry lied to an audience of veterans. He knows the withdrawal plan will span a decade and isn't precipitous. He knows we're not abandoning South Korea. He knows the Germans and French won't join us in Iraq, no matter who's president. But he and his gang of has-beens will say anything.
Note that when the panderers speak few mention the well-being of our troops. Not one presents a reasoned strategic argument for maintaining wasteful garrisons abroad. And not one admits that the Germans only care about losing the jobs we provide.
The Dems' position boils down to this: Withdraw our soldiers from Iraq, where they're needed. Leave them in Europe, where they're useless and unwanted. And to hell with the welfare of our troops and their families.
There are three key issues in this mud fight: strategy, economics and taking care of our soldiers. On each count it makes sense to bring the troops home.”
I’d love to quote the piece. Please take a . look.
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