Hmm, provided by a defector. So maybe he's telling the truth, then again, maybe he isn't.

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Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid little rich kids like George Bush?

--Hunter S. Thompson

In re McCain not having military experience even I have to say that dog won't hunt. He may not have been an Admiral but he was career military.

However:

Now Mr McCain, in regard to the American currency exchange rates and our bond prices....

AAAAA...look, behind you, it's Saddam Hussein...AAAAA...

Sir, Saddam Hussein was hanged....

AAAAA...it's Osama bin Laden and he's got another airplane. Quick, elect me and I'll shoot him down...

Sir

AAAAAAA.....

Actually, had he opted to remain in the service, that's exactly what he would've been...

True, after crashing 5 more planes, mcCain would've been promoted just to keep him away from the pilot's seat

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Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

Of course, in a time of war, i. e. Vietnam when the demand for officers is unlimited, pretty much anyone gets promoted up the chain of command, just like Gen. Custer during the Civil War, in spite of being a complete moron who couldn't tie his own shoes.

'Twas a good thing for 'Nam to have a commanding officer on the opposing side who could teach his underlings how to crash planes and get captured, just like Custer teaching his men how to !@#$ up in spite of outgunning the opponent 10-1 was a good thing for the Lakota.

Nevertheless, looks like McCain isn't getting the political mileage out of his "war hero" status that he needs. Only one thing for him to do--suit up, plop himself down in an F/A-18, and get himself captured by the Muqtada al-Sadr. That should resurrect his war hero status for good

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Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

As Steve points out above, if McCain had remained in the Navy he would have become an admiral. The Obamaicans need to accept the fact that when it comes to military service McCain has it and Obama doesn't. When it comes to understanding military service McCain does and Obama doesn't. When it comes to respecting those serving in the military McCain does and Obama does not. When it comes to being qualified for the job of commander-in-chef McCain is and Obama is not.

tashi deleks,

M

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"They haven't got Brains, any of them, only grey fluff that's blown into their heads by mistake, and they don't Think." -- Eeyore, The House At Pooh Corner

Sit like a mountain,
Breathe like the wind,
Mind like the Sky.

When all the Gods are crazy, who do you pray to?

Actually, he probably never would've seen the cockpit of an airplane again...

Wow.

You really don't have a fucking clue how the military works. Pretendinig you do makes you look alarmingly silly.

If you had even an iota of self-respect, you'd stop...

Anytime you wanna' admit that you don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about will be a good time. When McCain was shot down, he wasn't a Commanding Officer, despite your assertion to the contrary.

You don't, yet again, know what the fuck you're talking about...

His "war hero status" is secure among intelligent people. It's secure among people who know what they're talking about.

I really don't think you're one of those people...

I don't think many people are denying what McCain did in Vietnam. I think - correct me if I'm wrong - the question is whether his "war hero status" (or something else) qualifies him to lead the US Armed Forces.

Agreed and thx for bringing us back on point.

I agree and this makes 4 times, that as military experience goes thats one thing, as a leader i.e. masses fo troops, brigades and above I'd say we don't know,. but thats not really what is being asked, imho, it is- does his experience provide him with a edge regards military decision making, I assume that to mean, deployment, empathy as to what your military is telling you etc. Other than Ike, US grant and a very very few other who commanded armies, no he hasn't

BUT he does have an insight into how the military works, its mindset, he does understand that one may say we are stretched to the limit tc. and also realize that part of the militaries job is to perform the impossible and to be stretched to the limit, its a war and its the military, no army ever, period ,end of story has ever had enough of everything at all times and been wisely used exclusively. So in that sense yes, hes got something Obama has not.

OH and one other thing he has, he knows that the troops on the ground will stay and fight because they (and here is where I get pissed off when some politicians “channel” the troops and feel their pain) know whats really happening there and they, the tip of the spear, would have made it evident already if they felt this was balls up and they didn’t feel watching any more of their buddies getting wounded/killed was worth it, don’t discount that, that’s what those on the ground on the scene chats are about, you get a sense, because you have served of whats braggadocio, whats real and what just sour grapes and of course, whats not.

Is it something I would allow to sway me one way or another on its own? No, its not .

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No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor

Well, if all else were equal, it would put him head and shoulders above Obama, who has, what was it now? Oh, that's right, exactly zero military experience.

I like a President who has military experience, but it's not a deal-breaker for me. It's also not a guarantee that he'll be a good CIC. Jimmy Carter is proof of that.

But, if one believes that military experience is important, which I think it is (although still not a "deal breaker"), then Obama comes up short. Woefully short.

It's funny, the original intent of this thread was to cast doubt on McCain's military experience. The guy was in the Navy for 23 years, was a Commanding Officer, retired (as a Captain), and would made Flag rank if he hadn't retired.

Only someone suffering from a profound level of mental retardation would conclude that his military experience is lacking...

Saying John McCain has military experience is like saying George A. Custer had military experience.

'Nuff said.

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Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

McCain being a labeled a "war hero" reflects a pattern in the US.

Whenever a solider !@#$s up and ends up being shot, blown up, or captured by the enemy, the majority of Americans call that person a "war hero."

This is was evident in the Private Lynch imbroglio, when Americans (even today) call her a hero not because she kicked butt but because she was blown up and captured. Same thing for Pat Tillman. He became a "hero" because he was cut down by friendly fire.

Kinda makes you feel sorry for all the other dudes who manage to survive and clobber--they don't get the same recognition

And McCain, obviously, is no exception to the rule. His contribution to the war in Vietnam was crashing his plane 5 times and getting shot down the 6th, and then squealing like a rat while a POW (all the while hoping his Daddy would bail him out).

(can't blame McCain for his squealing, though--he is a wimp, and most humans under the same kind of duress was under would've turned)

Five crashes and one shootdown for a naval pilot certainly set a record for combat incompetence, but hey, it made him a war hero

Contrast this to most other countries, where being a war hero entails doing something that significantly helps your side win the war. In other words, in these countries, if you crash your mulitmillion $$ plane once in a major engagement, and get caught, you did not exactly make a big impact,

and, uh, you're not a hero

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Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

Yep, Obama never had the experience of being a military !@#$-up. Point taken

__________________
Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

Latest is that McCain is able to identify the USA on a map.

Please, someone give John McCain a medal for having his eyes open

The troops stay and fight because they don't have a choice. If they desert, they get court-martialed and sent to Leavenworth.

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Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S