Open Letter from Former Admirals and Generals
By SusanUnPC on March 29, 2008 at 12:57 AM in Afghanistan, Commander in Chief, Flag officers, Hillary Clinton, Iraq
[It is clear that these flag and general officers are concerned. Deeply. We must do all we can to ensure that we have the best, most capable, and most experienced Commander in Chief. Now, I've never been in the military. But if I were a flag officer, or even a private -- and if I saw Barack Obama and and that nut job Tony McPeak, Obama's military adviser, prancing into the White House in January 2009 -- I'd be muttering, "Holy mother. Shit! God almighty! What in the hell are we gonna do?"]
| The challenges facing our nation today are among the most difficult of any time in our history. We are fighting wars on two fronts. Our credibility and leadership in the world have been eroded; our alliances are frayed; our armed forces are under strain.
As retired flag and general officers, we have devoted our lives to our country. We have hundreds of thousands of men and women on the front lines that have done the same. |
At this critical time in our nation’s history, our men and women in uniform deserve better than a presidential debate mired in trivia. The stakes are simply too high. As we are poised to choose our next Commander-in-Chief, we should not allow the media to divert attention from the real issues. What matters is who is ready and inspired to lead — who can be Commander-in -Chief on Day One.
It is imperative that our new President knows how and when to use force and diplomacy judiciously, to know how to deploy the olive branch and the arrow. The President needs to be ready to act swiftly and decisively in a crisis. And we think our next President must restore our moral authority and leadership around the world with the courage to meet with our adversaries when appropriate, and the wisdom to pursue diplomacy wisely.
It is especially important to understand the military and diplomatic challenges facing us in Iraq, and to end the Iraq war responsibly and safely. It is also important to rededicate ourselves to winning in Afghanistan, the forgotten front line in our fight against terrorism.
In these critical areas, it is clear to us that Senator Clinton is the candidate best qualified to be our nation’s next Commander-in-Chief.
We believe that she has real understanding of the military through her diligent service on the Senate Armed Services Committee. She has worked tirelessly to ensure our men and women in uniform are properly trained and equipped to be sent to battle. And she has fought to make certain that they are treated with dignity when they return home. We have personally and closely observed her respect for our armed forces, and she has earned their respect. And ours.
We hope that as a country, we will now turn our attention to the critical issues that will determine the future of our great nation.
General Wesley Clark
General Henry Hugh Shelton
Admiral William Owens
Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard
Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy
Lt. Gen. Donald Kerrick
Vice Admiral Joseph A. Sestak, Jr.
Major General Roger R. Blunt
Major General George Buskirk, Jr.
Major General Paul D. Eaton
Major General Antonio M. Taguba
Brigadier General Michael Dunn
Brigadier General Evelyn “Pat” Foote
Brigadier General Virgil A. Richard
Brigadier General Jack Yeager
Brigadier General John M. Watkins, Jr.
Rear Admiral Roland G. Guilbault
Rear Admiral Stuart F. Platt
Rear Admiral David Stone
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Once $299.98, now yours for $149.99.
+ ALL 
Maybe someone should send a copy of this letter to Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and all the other undemocratic Democrats who think Hillary Clinton should drop out “for the good of the party.” To hell with the voters and what they might want.
Do these demi-gods care about what’s good for the country?
And PLEASE, everyone who can, watch PBS’s Bill Moyers “Journal” this week. The second half hour is an interview with Corey Booker, the 38 yr.old mayor of Newark, NJ. Like Obama, Booker is bi-racial–but there the similarity ends. As you listen to this Rhodes scholar, Yale Law School, creative dynamo, compare him to Obama. Please compare. But, unfortunately, Booker doesn’t want to run for president. He says he’s too busy to “just talk,” because he’s actually doing something!
I saw that miriam and I thought like you: wow what a smart man !! He was really impressive: how he thinks, his passion, his ideas, his work. Obama is nothing next to Booker. Obama is like a flimsy feather next to this guy. Great interview by Moyers.
I am so glad this letter is out: the media should report it damn it!! It is
an incredible show of trust, admiration and support.
These guys know their stuff. They know a C in C when they see it. That that’s Hillary Rodham Clinton !!
If I thought they cared I would gladly send them this as well as a number of other things. But I have come to the conclusion that our “leaders” don’t really care what any of us peon voters think. They have made our minds up for us, or so they think.
Relax. Obama was a Professor of Military Studies when he was in Indonesia. What a precocious 10 year old he was!
Too bad he wasn’t a professor of Constitutional Law at Chicago as he tells everyone he was. Just an average everyday senior lecturer on “Race and The Law,” but hey, who cares about another little fib from Obama. We should be used to them by now.
Clinton should drop out ‘for the good of the party’. And Obama should drop out for the good of the country. That tells you where Dean’s priorities are.
I am a Veteran and I was in the Armed Forces when President George Bush came into office. I can tell you that thinking about the possibilities is seriously not fun or funny. When the 30 something Flagged Officers are standing up for a Commander in Chief, I am listening and voting on their endorsement. 911–Never Again.
It isn’t just the depth of experience these endorsements comprise that makes for an impressive roster on security benchmarks and gravitas.
It’s the kind of character and depth of service the names have embodied in personal terms of service, and their combined efforts to the same goals, that is so impressive.
Obama’s paltry McPeak posits, or the Brzezinski burn-back paths he’s cultivating for future eras of fumbled diplomatic function, that’s what he has to compare against this?
No wonder he ran from an extra debate once already.
I know I want a commando President.
http://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=I23fjRN-PGc
OT but about PA:
It seems the Clinton camp needs spanish speakers volunteers for their phone banks in PA: if you speak spanish please consider helping Hillary Clinton making phone calls (it’s easy and doesn’t cost you anything).
Folks - once again 9/11 and its aftermath is, IMO, the significant factor that determines EVERYTHING about what this country stands for or should I say STOOD for before 9/11. America (esp the Presidential candidates) - digest this essay, take the heat and then demand from our leaders an explaination and a plan for getting this country back on its feet.
http://freethoughtmanifesto.blogspot.com/2008/03/september-11-was-third-rate-operation.html
September 11 Was A Third-Rate Operation
Asia Times Online
By Bohdan Pilacinski
Mar 28, 2008
Courtesy Of: ATimes
“…In late April of 2001, just five months before the
September 11 attack date, Mohamed Atta was stopped for
driving erratically late at night near Ft Lauderdale,
Florida. By then, the pilots all had their licenses,
final-phase planning must have been under way. Yet,
here was Osama bin Laden’s field commander for the
entire operation, driving a red Pontiac (though 15
years old), with Arabic stickers, and no driver’s
license, or at least none he would show.
Warned and lucky, Atta was told to show up for a court
date, with a license, or a warrant would go out for
his arrest. He got the license but failed to show. Ten
weeks later, he was stopped for speeding, but
unaccountably no computer coughed up a warrant. Now
Florida has reciprocity; so at least in theory and for
no good reason, the September 11 attack team
functioned its last four months with an arrest warrant
out for their leader in 50 states…”
I believe in Hilary but I cannot take another four years of Bill Clinton. I admire Hilary Clinton but Bill has proven that he cannot take a back seat.
The military seems to be cranking out “generals” and “admirals” like they’re going out of style.
I’m sure out of thousands, you can find a few that think that their best and only chance at a political appointment is to suck up to the Clinton Machine.
Does anyone seriously think the wife of Monica Lewinsky’s impeached boyfriend is Commander in Chief material? Come on, be serious now. Aquavelvajob and Chavez must be quaking in their boots.