Jack Reed: Clinton best suited to lead troops

[Historic NY]

Regardless of gender, Secretary Clinton is the person most capable of both leading our nation’s troops and fulfilling our sacred responsibilities to them when they return home.

I had the privilege of serving with Clinton on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where I witnessed firsthand her dedication to our troops and their families.

In fall 2003, then-Senator Clinton and I traveled together to Afghanistan, where we met with members of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division and shared Thanksgiving dinner with troops at Bagram Air Base. During that trip, and throughout her time as a lawmaker, Clinton was laser-focused on ensuring our forces had the resources and equipment they needed, and a strategy that matched their sacrifice.

My father, like Clinton’s, served in the military during World War II. We both were taught from a young age the value of serving our country and the debt we owe to our nation’s veterans.

Unfortunately, Congress and the Veterans Administration have too often failed to stand up for our veterans. In recent years, we have seen some veterans wait months for medical appointments and sometimes years for final decisions on disability claims. As president, Secretary Clinton will ensure veterans’ access to timely and high-quality health care and simplify the claims process. She has announced plans to refocus the Veterans Health Administration as a veteran-centric provider of service-connected care and appoint an oversight board to ensure the VHA remains true to the mission of putting veterans first.

At the same time, Secretary Clinton understands that the solution some have recommended — privatizing the VA — would be a major disservice to our veterans.http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20151117/OPINION/151119423

[randys1]

1. I had NOT thought of this till seeing this, in relation to Paris and the inevitable twisted sick fux

comments we will see from righty about why we need a war monger now as president.

Surely they will convince many that at a time like this, a Woman simply wont do.

[passiveporcupine]

62. My comment in regard to the OP Title

"Clinton best suited to lead our troops"...

That's what I'm afraid of. She's ready to lead them to war. I want our troops to come home.

[mcar]

2. Another good endorsement

[leveymg]

27. Make that "Most likely to lead troops" and likely the most troops. n/t

[riversedge]

6. Polls say Hillary is best in handling foreign policy.

Have a good day

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. You forgot to welcome him or her back to DU.

EOM

[riversedge]

46. Yes, I should have been more polite. Just saw this now. Have

a good day

[Florencenj2point0]

15. you sound like a republican

she was a great SOS. Check out [link:http://Www.correcttherecord.com |

[riversedge]

4. Thank you. Spot on.

[BlueCaliDem]

5. I respect and like Jack Reed of RI. Always have. Not an easy congressman to get an endorsement from.

That makes this endorsement very special to me as a Hillary Clinton supporter and an American.

[gaspee]

8. He's my Senator

I am always proud to vote for him.

[BlueCaliDem]

9. You are SO LUCKY. I'd love to swap my Senator, Feinstein, for your Senator.

But I know Rhode Islanders are too smart for that.

Your State rocks, gaspee!

[gaspee]

11. Maybe

Someone will primary her with better luck next time. Her warmongering is disgraceful. Especially when she directly profits from war.

[Florencenj2point0]

14. link please

[BlueCaliDem]

19. I assume you wanted a link to substantiate Feinstein's war profiteering?

Here's one from April 27, 2003 from Charles Lewis, executive of the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity watchdog group in Washington, who at the end of his article says, that "regardless of whether there is a direct conflict of interest, it's useful to know that the spouse of a sitting senator is getting richer because of what's going on in the world." .
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/War-brings-business-to-Feinstein-spouse-Blum-s-2652085.php

[center]War brings business to Feinstein spouse / Blum's firms win multimillion-dollar
defense contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan[/center]

When it comes to scoring mega-military-related contracts, Sen. Dianne Feinstein's multimillionaire husband, Richard Blum, is right in the thick of things.

First up: a contract announced last week between the Army and URS Corp., the San Francisco planning and engineering company that specializes in defense work -- and that happens to be partly owned by Blum's investment firm.

The contract -- which could grow to $600 million -- is to help with troop mobilization, weapons systems training and anti-terrorism methods.

That's on top of a $3.1 billion Army contract that URS snared back in February for weapons systems and homeland defense.

read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/War-brings-business-to-Feinstein-spouse-Blum-s-2652085.php

Now she's on teevee promoting "boots on the ground" because of the ISIS attacks in France.
She's definitely a warmonger, and it frustrates me that in a very blue State, California, we can't get a better candidate elected to remove her. I voted for her primary challenger in 2012. I went door-to-door, donated, used all my social media, and educated my group of 41 young voters to support him. In the end, Feinstein's connections with the California Democratic Party and her mega-millions drowned out Mike Strimling completely, and Strimling got fewer votes than that nutty Orly Taitz.

California can do better than DiFi. Much better.

[tularetom]

55. Sorry, but I don't see a lot of difference between the pro war positions of Feinstein and Clinton

It's odd that you can be so (correctly) critical of Feinstein and yet support Clinton, whose "we can't contain ISIS, we must destroy them" speech today was warmongering to a degree Feinstein would be proud of.

[BlueCaliDem]

57. I don't see a whole lot of difference between Hillary Clinton's "warmongering" response to Bernie

Sanders' "warmongering" response this afternoon, "To my mind, it is clear that the United States must pursue policies to destroy the brutal and barbaric ISIS regime,".

You?

[riversedge]

47. Lucky you. I have a Tea bagger--Ron Johnson

[TM99]

7. Rather ironic

that he would endorse given his nay vote on Iraq and her gungho yay vote.

[Florencenj2point0]

13. here you go

And finally, on another personal note, I come to this decision from the perspective of a Senator from New York who has seen all too closely the consequences of last year's terrible attacks on our nation. In balancing the risks of action versus inaction, I think New Yorkers who have gone through the fires of hell may be more attuned to the risk of not acting. I know that I am.

So it is with conviction that I support this resolution as being in the best interests of our nation. A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our President and we say to him - use these powers wisely and as a last resort. And it is a vote that says clearly to Saddam Hussein - this is your last chance - disarm or be disarmed.

[link:http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/12/435624/-|

[TM99]

16. I live the consequences of this speech.

She was either supportive of the PNAC agenda, too stupid to realize she was being lied to, or supported it for political expediency to look 'tough' on terror.

All three thoroughly disqualify her.

[Scootaloo]

28. She voted against the Levin amendment

And she'd have to be fucking stupid beyond measure, to believe that Bush - George W. Bush - would not jump immediately to military action. And I think we cna all agree, she's not fucking stupid beyond all measure.

She knew she was voting for war. TM99 has the right of it - She's either an imbecile, or she wanted to "look tough," or she has an active interest in needlessly killing over a million people in Iraq. None of these are good options.

[AgingAmerican]

32. My feelings at the time

Were that she voted the way she did out of political cowardliness. Everyone was beating the drums for war, Ari Fleischer was threatening reporters at press briefings, etc. She did not want to take the political heat of opposing it, and hear Republicans shouting "She's Unpatriotic". In short, I believe she went against what she knew was right for political expediency.

[Punkingal]

38. Yep....

i believe she does that a lot: "she went against what she knew was right for political expediency."

[madokie]

39. And that is exactly why she should not be President

[Art_from_Ark]

51. Definitely not a "Profiles in Courage" moment

[AgingAmerican]

31. All the while the UN inspectors were saying they had gotten 95% of the WMD

And the remaining 5% were just weapons parts.

Bush made a speech as the inspectors were withdrawing two days before the invasion, stating we were invading because Saddam wouldn't allow UN inspectors in. I will never forget seeing that one on tv.

March 18, 2003 - Inspectors withdraw from Iraq.

March 20, 2003 - (local time) U.S. and coalition forces begin military action against Iraq (because we wouldn't allow inspectors in lol)

Anyone who was watching the news at the time knew the whole thing was bullshit.

[Florencenj2point0]

10. Excellent News!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Another, perhaps the primary, reason I won't be voting for her.

I'm a vet and I certainly want her leading me anywhere.

[Romulox]

20. Short version: She's a Hawk. nt

[Hepburn]

22. Exacatly. Best suited to lead the troops...

...into the hell of an unnecessary war. IMO.

[Cha]

21. Hillary is the best all around candidate to lead the Country and the Troops.. thank you,

Sen Jack Reed!

[whatchamacallit]

23. Best suited to lead them to their premature, unnecessary, deaths n/t

[Beacool]

24. Thank you, Senator Reed.

I remember reading that the military brass liked Hillary. One general said that most politicians gave them lip service, but that she actually listened to them when they came with their concerns. I think that she would be a good CIC.

[oasis]

25. The world is under attack by crazies. Hillary is recognized as

having a firm grip on the workings of international protocol. America needs a pilot at the helm who can form alliances and make critical decisions.

[leveymg]

29. She's a big part of the reason the ME is in chaos and she's likely to make it

even more deadly.

[oasis]

30. "a big part of the reason the ME is in chaos". You can only

sell that bill of goods here in the DU bubble.

Anyway, my IPads low on power.

Have a nice evening.

[leveymg]

45. A lot of people grasp that HRC had a major role in the regime change operations in Libya and Syria

and that, along with her errant vote on the IRW, led directly to the chaos and killing sweeping the Mideast today.

Speaking of bubbles, the only ones who apparently don't seem to acknowledge that are part of HRC's machine.

[Scootaloo]

26. Then put a helmet on her and let her take the field.

[Art_from_Ark]

56. LOL

[cpwm17]

33. If she gains the presidency

we all should post pictures of the results of her military leadership, which will predictably be mangled bodies of dead and injured brown people. Since that is the known results of her past and future aggressive wars, then obviously that is what many here must want.

I'll start with a predictable result of the past aggressive war she enthusiastically supported:

Her family was massacred by US troops.

[Juicy_Bellows]

36. Pretty sure juror 4 should get a pizza but whatever - for your information -

On Tue Nov 17, 2015, 11:17 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

If she gains the presidency
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=823502

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Poster suggests HRC "enthusiastically supported" the war which resulted in this horrid photo. Beyond disgusting, over the top.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Tue Nov 17, 2015, 11:24 PM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: speaks the truth. argue it out.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: We should refute, not remove, untrue posts.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Voting for the IRW was "enthusiastic," support for it, from my point of view. I myself, without the "intelligence" she may or may not have had access to, knew her vote was wrong. HRC should have known better.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Fuck you
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Whether a person supported the war or not, we are not the ones suffering. If pictures of war bother folks so much, imagine those living it.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[MrWendel]

43. What a surprise!

The jury system isn't slanted at all. lol

[MrWendel]

34. Can anyone tell me why...

Bernie would be a great Commander in Chief?

[Juicy_Bellows]

37. I'll take a wild swing.

He always says that military force is the LAST option.

There ya go.

[madokie]

40. For starters

War is not his first, second or any of his options. If forced upon him yes but as a first step not at all.

[MrWendel]

42. I don't see it...

war or foreign policy is .... we'll foreign to him. He's very jittery when it comes to any of those topics. If there is a "break glass in case of emergency" option, hes not a guy I would want making the tough decisions. And I definately don't see him handling whats happening in Paris if it ever came to the States well at all.

[FlatBaroque]

49. Thank you for the chuckle

[MrWendel]

50. No problem...

I chuckle every time I think of Bernie trying to look smart on Foreign policy.

[FlatBaroque]

52. I know right?

I can't imagine Bernie telling ISIS to "cut it out".

[MrWendel]

53. I know right....

he has to know what ISIS is first.

[FlatBaroque]

58. Here you go, sport

Bernie's speech predicting the current clusterfuck, you know, the one Hillary voted for.

?t=4m38s

you are welcome.

[MrWendel]

61. Yep... So did Obama.

And he supported troops STAYING in Afghanistan, just like Obama.... wait is this the part where you tell me that he is the new Obama right?

One more thing...

Bernie Sanders' Troubling History of Supporting US Military Violence Abroad
Why aren't we talking about Sanders' foreign policy more?

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/bernie-sanders-troubling-history-supporting-us-military-violence-abroad

Happy Reading.

[Fearless]

35. Lead them to their deaths maybe.

[jfern]

41. Someone forgot to tell the troops

She has a 15-81 favorable rating there.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/november_2015/hillary_clinton_has_few_fans_in_the_military

[leftofcool]

44. Rasmussen is a Republican outfit so they usually poll 90% Repukes

[riversedge]

48. Hillary's strong Foreign Policy speech today confirmed the OP.

[pangaia]

54. She didn't LEAD our TROOPS anywhere.

She sent them the fuck off to a stupid fucking mindless, idiotic war based on lies she was either too dumb to see through or..... yes... OR....

Oh, and taking care of them after they come home mangled has nothing to do with the SACRED. It is just fucking human decency !!

[frylock]

59. Into what?

[Art_from_Ark]

60. They used to call it a "quagmire"

[John Poet]

63. I'm not electing a president to lead our troops ANYWHERE!

If that's to be the "Democratic" plan,
then they can fucking do it without me.