They're already trying in Europe, I don't see how the US could possibly help there, they can't seem to protect themselves very well let alone anyone else. Not sure how the socialist tag comes into it. Common? Hell yea, particularly in the DMZ, 'freefire zones', seems the general idea was if it moved, shoot it. Spent plenty of time talking to older types in villages inland from Da Nang. Thanh Phong ring a bell? Countless incidents, particularly around '69 in the delta when they were herding village after village into saigon. Abberation? It's well known a policy of shoot first ask questions later was in place.

Hmmm, how many tours of duty did George W. Bush have?

What does this have to do with the argument Jag is making? You are personally attacking HIM rather than debating the points he brought up. Not cool.

No, lookout's point is just but I don't think it's entirely relevant. Sure I haven't and unless something very odd happens, won't serve in any standing army (hell I've just dodged the Swiss one and the chances of combat duty there were rather low) but I don't see how that affects what happened in Vietnam. I'm sure some if not many soldiers did serve honourably but collectively, what the US military did to that country is abominable, inexcusable and to do it in the name of freedom and democracy, disgusting. Killings, rapes, tortures, summary executions, destroying entire communities, poisoning entire ecosystems and if Kerry came back an denounced his fellow soldiers for perpetrating those crimes, good on him.

A unilateral attack on Iran in or after 2006 is acceptable?

Hmmm, interesting sidetrack, but GW isn't making his service the centerpoint of his campaign, is he?

If you believe that Bush's people weren't involved with the Swift Boat guys, you're far more trusting than is healthy in politics. And if you think that the Swifties got organized in response to Kerry's mentioning his service, you weren't paying attention. They were writing their book and attempting to recruit (sometimes fraudulently) members long before Kerry said he was reporting for duty.

Kerry needs to hire some comedians to write jokes for him.

The Republicans are experts at throwing mud with a smile on their face. If you make it sound like a joke when you smear someone, the message gets across and the public doesn't think you are an asshole.

Kerry needs to work on that as he smears Bush.

The Swift Boat thing has Karl Roves dirty little paws all over it. I wish, wholeheartedly that someone would drive the cockroach out to the middle of nowhere and cap one in the back of his head, it'd be the biggest favour you could do to world peace at this point in time.

"Hold your principles tightly, your issues loosely, and your candidates in contempt."

[quote=Brianna]Riiiiight. And GWB doesn't use a similar tactic? It's all negativity, all the time!
[quote]

#1: Bush is the incumbent. If his campaign and Kerry's are equally mediocre, he probably wins.

#2: Bush is NOT negative about the country. Bush is negative about Kerry. That's a crucial difference.

Kerry isn't negative about the country. He's negative about the direction Bush is pushing it.

No, I think that would have been either Michael Dukakis or Walter Mondale.

I believe that Mr. Kerry testified to Congress about events that he never witnessed.

what's that word I remember seeing in Black's? ... HEARSAY. that's the one.

As far as the "V" device on his medal ... one letter is a typo. A phrase is not a typo.

I don't think that kerry has released his actual DD214's to the press or to the public ... or am I wrong? It's late, I'm tired, and too lazy to check The Smoking Gun right now ...

He was the representative from the conference. Anyone from the conference would have been relaying hearsay. Congress knew it, and if they didn't want to know, they wouldn't have called him.

No need to check Smoking Gun. The DD-214 is on Kerry's site (pdf). People constantly complain that Kerry hasn't released his records, when you just have to look at his site. Meanwhile, the Bush records trickle out slowly in response to FOIA requests.