Iowa or Fallujah?

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Think back to the 2004 Presidential election. On one side, there was G. W. Bush, the man who – were it not for a purging of Texas Air National Guard records upon the order of the state’s governor – would be a confirmed military deserter. This during a time when people like his opponent, John Kerry, lived in mortal danger in the Vietnam quagmire.

Kerry came home with medals for valor and promptly worked to end the war; Bush allegedly came home with a Jack Daniel’s and coke habit (cue Eric Clapton).

Who was crucified for his military service … the war hero or the party boy? OK, you know the story. The media cashed the corporate checks, ignored Bush’s record and smeared Kerry … and Bush remained in the White House to further wipe his ass with our nation’s Constitution.

With this perspective, I found it sadly hilarious when Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney – a staunch supporter of the illegal occupation of Iraq – was asked if any of his five service-age sons were serving in the military.

His response: “My sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I’d be a great president.”

Romney went on to describe how one of his spawn is currently driving an RV across Iowa to promote his campaign. Sounds like that kid should get a Congressional Medal of Honor.

Now, I have never been in the military, so I’m not judging here. But Romney was among the chorus of Republicans four years criticizing Kerry’s honorable service. And since then, he has supported sending American men and women (mostly poor and minorities) to their deaths in a war for corporate profiteers.

I bet the American kids in Fallujah would love to be in Iowa about now.

Just for fun, following is a list borrowed from a non-partisan source that details the military service of all current and potential Presidential candidates. Take a look the next time you hear Rudy Giuliani guessing about foreign policy or the duty of our soldiers.

Military Service – Democratic Presidential Candidates

• Joe Biden: None; rejected on medical grounds, however would have been eligible in a national emergency
• Hillary Clinton: None
• Chris Dodd: U.S. Army, 1969-1975; Peace Corps volunteer in Dominican Republic, 1966-1968
• John Edwards: None; registered for the Draft but number was never called
• Al Gore: United States Army, 1969-1971, with service in Vietnam
• Mike Gravel: United States Army Counter Intelligence Corps, 1951-1955
• Dennis Kucinich: None; rejected for military service because of a heart murmur
• Barack Obama: None; too young to have been drafted for the Vietnam War
• Bill Richardson: None; received student and medical classifications; he registered for the Draft but number was never called

Military Service – Republican Presidential Candidates

• Sam Brownback: None; came of age as draft was ending
• Newt Gingrich: None
• Rudy Giuliani: None; received student and occupational deferments
• Duncan Hunter: Served in Army as paratrooper and Ranger in Vietnam, 1969-71
• John McCain: United States Navy 1958-1981 with service in Vietnam; prisoner of war, Vietnam, 1967-1973; received Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross
• Ron Paul: Flight surgeon, United States Air National Guard, 1965-1968; flight surgeon, United States Air Force, 1963-1965
• Mitt Romney: None; received a deferment as a Mormon missionary in France
• Tom Tancredo: None; was available for the military in 1969 but was reclassified in 1970 because of stress-related anxiety; received student deferments and could have been called up only during a national emergency
• Fred Thompson: None; during Vietnam he was deferred because he had children

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