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Ret. USAF Col. Klass: Romney Failing the Commander in Chief Test
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Now some of this is perfectly rational. Why mention the war in Iraq when the president who started it is also unmentionable. And, if mentioned, it would have to be acknowledged that President Barack Obama ended that war. And worse, in a torrent of claims of Obama's broken promises, it would not do to highlight that he kept his promise to end that war. But you would think that Mr. Romney might acknowledge that we still have a war going on in Afghanistan and that young Americans are still dying there.
But then he might have to mention President Obama's decisions to increase troop strength and his strategy to wind down that too long conflict, while he has criticism but no alternative. The promise thing also nixes mentioning alQaeda or, quiet now, Bin Laden. People might remember that Mr. Romney said that it did not make sense to spend millions to get "one man" or, worse, that the President kept his promise and did it.
Failure to acknowledge this nation's debt to veterans also raises awkward questions about promises kept. President Obama pledged to fulfill the "sacred trust" between the nation and our veterans. It would not be helpful to mention that promise was kept by the largest increases in the Department of Veterans' Affairs budgets in years, appropriations Congressman Ryan voted against. And someone might notice that Mr. Ryan also voted against the New GI Bill of Rights that is honoring today's veterans with educational opportunities akin to those that sent their grandfathers to college after WWII. It would also not do for someone to mention that the word "veteran" does not appear in Mr. Ryan's budget that is supposed to outline a future for America. I suppose it is possible for Mr. Ryan to imagine an American future without veterans. I cannot. And, though a mumbling Clint Eastwood could be tolerated, mentioning ending "don't ask, don't tell" would get you booed off the stage.
So Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan, when you are asking whether we are better off today than four years ago, I have some suggestions of some people to ask. Ask military members and their families if they are better off without multiple tours to Iraq and painful family separations. Ask veterans if they are better off with the educational opportunities offered by the New GI bill of Rights. Ask the vets who were excluded from earned veterans' care by the policies of the unmentionable previous president. Ask the spouses who have found it easier to transfer professional credentials to new duty station states due to the work of Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Ask the formerly homeless vets who have been the beneficiaries of another Obama promise kept. And, stealthily of course, no sense stirring up the bigots, ask the thousands of gay and lesbian servicemen if they are better off not having to live a lie.
Now some of this is perfectly rational. Why mention the war in Iraq when the president who started it is also unmentionable. And, if mentioned, it would have to be acknowledged that President Barack Obama ended that war. And worse, in a torrent of claims of Obama's broken promises, it would not do to highlight that he kept his promise to end that war. But you would think that Mr. Romney might acknowledge that we still have a war going on in Afghanistan and that young Americans are still dying there.
But then he might have to mention President Obama's decisions to increase troop strength and his strategy to wind down that too long conflict, while he has criticism but no alternative. The promise thing also nixes mentioning alQaeda or, quiet now, Bin Laden. People might remember that Mr. Romney said that it did not make sense to spend millions to get "one man" or, worse, that the President kept his promise and did it.
Failure to acknowledge this nation's debt to veterans also raises awkward questions about promises kept. President Obama pledged to fulfill the "sacred trust" between the nation and our veterans. It would not be helpful to mention that promise was kept by the largest increases in the Department of Veterans' Affairs budgets in years, appropriations Congressman Ryan voted against. And someone might notice that Mr. Ryan also voted against the New GI Bill of Rights that is honoring today's veterans with educational opportunities akin to those that sent their grandfathers to college after WWII. It would also not do for someone to mention that the word "veteran" does not appear in Mr. Ryan's budget that is supposed to outline a future for America. I suppose it is possible for Mr. Ryan to imagine an American future without veterans. I cannot. And, though a mumbling Clint Eastwood could be tolerated, mentioning ending "don't ask, don't tell" would get you booed off the stage.
So Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan, when you are asking whether we are better off today than four years ago, I have some suggestions of some people to ask. Ask military members and their families if they are better off without multiple tours to Iraq and painful family separations. Ask veterans if they are better off with the educational opportunities offered by the New GI bill of Rights. Ask the vets who were excluded from earned veterans' care by the policies of the unmentionable previous president. Ask the spouses who have found it easier to transfer professional credentials to new duty station states due to the work of Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Ask the formerly homeless vets who have been the beneficiaries of another Obama promise kept. And, stealthily of course, no sense stirring up the bigots, ask the thousands of gay and lesbian servicemen if they are better off not having to live a lie.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-klass/failing-the-commander-in_b_1848804.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
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