| Kerry waited until the RNC was finished in New York before resuming his election campaign. If his opposition wasn't continuously calling the character of his combat service in Viet-Nam into question, he wouldn't need to keep addressing this three decade old issue.
Mr Bush took an avenue only open to the high-born to avoid service in the active military during our sojourn into South East Asia. The simple fact is this: Kerry volunteered for combat duty in Viet-Nam and performed it. While John Kerry's family doesn't have the high status of the Bush Family, he also may have been able to sit out the Viet-Nam War in a National Guard or Reserve unit. Mr Bush took steps to stay far away from any chance of being shot at in Viet-Nam. He doesn't have a leg to stand on to question Mr Kerry's character of service to his country.
I respect Senator Kerry's decision to protest the character of our involvement in South East Asia after his service in Viet-Nam. It requires the courage of moral clarity to stand in front of war supporters and the people who simply don't care and say "Stop doing this."
While Mr Bush was missing from the rolls of the Texas Air National Guard and the Alabama Air National Guard, I was in Viet-Nam in the US Army. The conclusion that we were not helping the Viet-Namese was inescapable.
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When the world was better. |