I had the opportunity to listen an interview in progress conducted by a newspaper reporter (maybe age 19) and a Veteran's for Kerry Chairman for a the state I live in. While I agree with his basic premise on the war in Iraq, I had to grit my teeth. First let me say that arguing the facts will work out much better then spinning the facts. Let’s look at the things I overheard.
1. "The National Guard was never intended to be used the way it is being used. It was meant to protect state X and to respond to natural disasters----wrong." Look at the history of the National Guard in World War II and in Korea. Divisions were called up for Federal service and in the case of World War II they served for the duration. That's 1941 to 1945 boys & girls. The same was true of state units from World War I and going back to the Spanish American War. Vietnam was the only war I can think of where the Guard and Reserves were primarily used as means to avoid the draft. Our Army was designed on purpose to require the use of the Guard and the Reserves shortly after the Vietnam War by then Chief of Staff Creighton Abrams. It was done with the full support of the Congress.
2. "Our troops have M-113's Armored Personnel carriers like the one's I had in Vietnam--wrong." The only similarity is the hull. The drive train is no longer gasoline powered and the armor includes upgrades to prevent spalling. It goes cross country at a much higher speed and much smoother. It has night vision capabilities. In fact some feel it is superior to the new Stryker vehicle. The differences in the vehicle are like comparing a 1950 Ford to a 2004.
3. "Lack of vest and armored Hmmv's--correct." In all fairness I'm not familiar of any war where we were ready logistically or doctrinally. Congress likes to fund things other then the military (except in election years) and the military likes to train for the last war. As late as 1997 I was still fighting simulations in the Fulda Gap of Germany against an Army that had changed its' name but it was still the old red menace. I never once fought one that had anything like the Fedayeen attacking convoys in the rear area. Generals unfortunately rarely get good grades for imagination.
The bottom line is that we can win the argument on the War in Iraq by using the truth and facts. That pertains to both sides of the argument on this war. The other thing is the Democrats need to get over their schizophrenic relationship with the military and the Republicans need to wake up and realize they don't own our vote and dismiss us as robots that can't think.
