Hypocrisy...Dishonoring Their Own Legacy

Pissing on American
and the Constitution


The American Legion, made up of men (and women) who have served in the military of our country voted Wednesday to dishonor America and every soldier, sailor, airman and marine who every raised their right hand and swore to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

At the Legions national convention, members voted unanimously for a resolution giving their unqualified and mindless support to President Bush and the clowns who have created the mess in Iraq.

"The American Legion fully supports the president of the United States, the United States Congress and the men, women and leadership of our armed forces as they are engaged in the global war on terrorism and the troops who are engaged in protecting our values and way of life."

As Editor & Publisher reports, the Legion's commander, Thomas Cadmus, then declared war on anyone who doesn't agree with the President. This includes parents, protestors, the media....anyone who believes that they have the First Amendment right to free speech.

"The American Legion will stand against anyone and any group that would demoralize our troops, or worse, endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists to continue their cowardly attacks against freedom-loving peoples."

The delegates voted to use whatever means necessary to "ensure the united backing of the American people to support our troops and the global war on terrorism." In his speech, Cadmus declared:

"It would be tragic if the freedoms our veterans fought so valiantly to protect would be used against their successors today as they battle terrorists bent on our destruction.” He explained, "No one respects the right to protest more than one who has fought for it, but we hope that Americans will present their views in correspondence to their elected officials rather than by public media events guaranteed to be picked up and used as tools of encouragement by our enemies."

As One Pissed Off Veteran points out, this position of absolute, unwavering support for the Bush disaster in Iraq is very much at odds with the position the Legion took when Democratic President Bill Clinton dispatched American troops to save lives in Kosovo. At that time the veteran group demanded the "immediate withdrawal of American troops." The group then went on the lecture the President as to the parameters that they believed must be applied when American troops are committed to fight in a foreign country:

• "That there be a clear statement by the President of why it is in our vital national interests to be engaged in hostilities;
• Guidelines be established for the mission, including a clear exit strategy;
• That there be support of the mission by the U.S. Congress and the American people; and
• That it be made clear that U.S. Forces will be commanded only by U.S. officers which we acknowledge are superior military leaders."
  

It would seem to me that at least three our of four of these conditions have been violated by the Bush Administration. Certainly the concept of mission guidelines and "a clear exit strategy" have been given no thought by President Bush.

Why isn't the American Legion demanding the same thing of George Bush as they did of Bill Clinton?

Why is the American Legion demanding that American citizens give up the right to free speech and to protest the actions of their government?

Because they are a bunch of Republican hypocrites (I guess that is redundant).