Rehash of Vietnam exasperates many Guardsmen

[papau]

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20040914/a_bush_guard14.art.htm

Rehash of Vietnam exasperates many Guardsmen
They want a debate about future, not past
By Bill Nichols USA TODAY

LAS VEGAS — For better or worse, appearances by presidential candidates have become a quadrennial ritual for the National Guard Association. Nominees from both parties have come calling, live or by satellite, since 1992.<snip>

Democratic officials accused Bush of reneging on promises he made during the 2000 campaign to better equip the military, and they held what they called a “pre-buttal” to Bush's speech today.

“Until we know the truth about President Bush's service — how he got into the Guard, how and why he neglected his duty, how and why he was not disciplined — this issue will hang around and smell up the place,” said retired general Merrill McPeak, Air Force chief of staff during the 1991 Gulf War. “George W. Bush needs to set the record straight, and I hope that happens before he speaks in Las Vegas.”<snip>


“They've already beat that horse to death,” said ROTC Cadet Patrick Naughton, 26, of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas about Republican and Democratic charges and countercharges. “It seems to me it's about time that we look ahead. For people like me, we'd kind of like to know what we're going to be up against.”

[Wickerman]

1. Great article and not what I expected

and I love this statement, becuase Bush* through his mouthpieces says he will NOT discuss this issue:

“Until we know the truth about President Bush's service — how he got into the Guard, how and why he neglected his duty, how and why he was not disciplined — this issue will hang around and smell up the place,” said retired general Merrill McPeak, Air Force chief of staff during the 1991 Gulf War. “George W. Bush needs to set the record straight, and I hope that happens before he speaks in Las Vegas.”<snip>