Veterans can make TERRIBLE leaders...!!!

A

aspen1964

New member
...also be careful that people with service records..may insist that a past military record means a free-pass for anything they want to say-do in the political arena, for the rest of their lives...McCain..there's a piece of how-can-I-trash-America's-future-today.....what a lousy politician my state has to put up with..send him and his POW experience out the door with a sound kick in his rear(brains)...grade AAA DIPSTICK!!!(with a war record even)...pedestals are best left to lifeless statues, NOT fallable human beings.......for the vets with enough sense to not undo what they fought for..God bless you..:)
 
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also be careful that people with service records..may insist that a past military record means a free-pass for anything they want to say-do for the rest of their lives
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While I agree with you on vets such as McCain and Kerry, the majority of vets I've met are not looking for nor expecting a free ride on anything. I've known vets from WWII, Korea, my era, 'Nam and the Middle East dustups. Most are just people.

Pops
 
..I should clarify that my comments are aimed towards those who hold power in the political arena..not the average American citizen...
 
True also outside of politics. I don't see the point though. If people stop any judging of a candidate's qualifications because they are a vet, they aren't going to listen to you.

But from what I have heard, many were screw-ups before and after being in the Service. The structure helps, I suppose. But the pressure can also help a person learn to focus and accomplish.
 
I don't see your point. Doctors, lawyers, and grocery store managers can make terrible leaders also. The people of your state elected him, so they can also elect someone else if they don't like him. Personally I don't care for him, but it has nothing to do with him being a vet it has to do with his stance or lack of a solid stance on many issues.
 
The reverse is also true: Someone's military service doesn't make them a bad politician.

The last Presidential race was pretty much ruined with the senseless discussion of BOTH candidates' distasteful Vietnam era military service. I wish they had simply dropped it because it really didn't have much to do with anything about the election.


I know some of you disagree with that statement, but everyone viewed the choices Bush and Kerry (and Clinton) made during Vietnam with post Gulf War glasses on. Vietnam was horrendously unpopular at the time, and it was more normal to avoid and protest the war than support it. We forget that when we talk about what people did at the time.


McCain is a hero. Whether he is a good politician or not is YOUR choice based on what he says and does. But he will never stop being a fine veteren.
 
I think veterans can make fine politicians but they are fallible humans just like anybody else. I'm sorry to hear that you don't like McCain. I like him just fine.
 
Any generalized group of people can make for poor leaders. I don't see the need to throw in vetrans. Very patriotic of you, jackass
 
At the end of the day, McCain is who he is. He's not a "war hero". He was shot down and subjected to inhuman treatment. That's just awful. I won't elaborate on my opinions of the Vietnamese in general or the North Vietnamese in particular. Still, that doesn't make him a "war hero", nor does it make his opinions more valuable than many others who were in equal danger for longer periods of time. I spent more time in the bush than he spent flying over it, yet I'm no expert on everything military as he seems to claim to be.
He's just another politician now, no more and no less. I trust none of them. I just trust the Demopublicans less than the Republicrats, or possiblly vice versa.
 
most of the commenting readers undrstood what I meant..there are a few who can't understand plain English...I don't like politicians who promote damaging and bad policies for the US who think they can pull out a past service record which makes them unreproachable...thats my intent...
 
Dinky, you should read up on McCain's military history. It is both interesting and a bit more involved than sitting around in jail.
 
Dinky, it was his conduct while in prison that was heroic. An "Oh by the way," When the catastrophic fire on USS Forrestal occurred, it was caused by a missile being inadvertantly fired across the Flight Deck and impacting a fully fueled and armed A-4. Lt Mccain was the pilot of that A-4 and in the cockpit when it blew. Just a point of interest.
 
I do agree that serving your country is not a free pass and should not make you above reproach in all areas.

I do prefer that my political leadership have some military experience. After all, they are the ones entrusted with declaring and providing leadership during war time. The whole mess with Kerry was a petty, sandlot finger pointing load of crap, and nobodys service to the country-be it active, reserve, or national guard should be denigrated for political reasons.

I had more respect for people like George McGovern-even though I did not agree with his politics. The only time I ever heard about his war record was a show on the history channel and he was long since retired.

Most of the people I call heros do not stand on a podium and thump their chest about "How great I art".
 
I can't help but wonder if McCain didn't leave something of himself behind in the Hanoi Hilton... :(

God bless him for his service and courage...:)
but a political leader he's not! :mad:
 
This happens here too.

I met a person, who was a 15-year MAGAV [paramilitary police] vet. He was arguing, from the pulpit of his glorious military service that essentially Knesset investigative commissions on police brutality are bad, since 'who would want to serve in a police unit if they keep investigating him for misconduct every time he beats up a suspect'. People like that, IMNSCO, are plain dumb at best, fascist at worst.
 
We've had a record of some of the most ineffective presidents having been vets with good records. Jackson, Grant, Eisenhower and Carter come to mind.

I don't know if there is much correlation between personal bravery in action and ability to lead others. History is full of brave men who had difficulty leading others or difficulty even regulating their own lives. Sgt. York and Ira Hayes may be examples. On the other hand there have been brave men who were good leaders but who were otherwise totally nuts. Stonewall Jackson comes to mind here.

So this is all like comparing apples to oranges.

On the other hand mistake patterns might predict repeat bungling as Kennedy's loss of his ship predicted his Bay of Pigs losses and Clinton's Somalia expedition predicted his Serbia expedition.
 
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