Veterans Deserve Better than Baby Kean

by: Thurman Hart

Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 11:32:37 PM EDT

More than 360,000 American troops have now been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. That's more than half-again as many as the 200,000 who served in Korea, but still a sickening fraction of those 2.6 million who were thrown into the jungles of Viet Nam. With the estimation that as many as 1 in 8 will suffer some level of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, that means we are looking at more than 21,000 Americans who will face the mind-bending fear of battle for the infinite future.

I cannot say this too strongly: It is our debt of honor to provide medical care for those who throw their bodies and minds into danger in our name. Regardless of whether or not we support our Commander-in-Chief, we full-heartedly support our troops - individually and collectively. We must fulfill our debt to those who serve.

Yet even as we sent wave after wave of our best and finest into battle, the Republican Congress moved to yank the carpet out from under them. Veterans medical care was cut back as surely as if they were comprised of an army of mythical "Welfare Queens". And any veteran who exposes the inadequacies of care is subject to losing all benefits that he or she is due.

Listen to Max Cleland talk about the challenges faced by veterans because of the irresponsible and indefensable abandonment of our fighting forces. Then ask yourself, why hasn't Baby Kean stood up for our forces?

Instead of digging up lies from convicted felons, instead of astroturfing Blue Jersey and posing as Democrats, instead of flat-out lying to our military families faces, instead of backing a failed and failing policy in Iraq, why can't Baby Kean find a way to say a single word in support of providing care for those who suffered in our name?

It isn't hard to know why: Big Daddy's Kean's baby boy has no concept of a "debt of honor" because he has no honor. His birthright apparently has deprived him of that ability. With the revelation that the Republican leadership coddled a pedophile, can we afford to send Baby Kean to Washington?

Thurman Hart :: Veterans Deserve Better than Baby Kean