Son's Iraq Experience Shapes Lawmaker

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - Rep. Duncan Hunter (news, bio, voting record) says his son, a Marine artillery officer who has served in Iraq (news - web sites), asked him for two favors. One was to fix his Ford Bronco. The other was to stand firm in opposing an intelligence bill that would strip authority from the Pentagon (news - web sites).

Hunter didn't repair the Bronco. But he came through on the intelligence bill — a key reason that a compromise favored by President Bush (news - web sites), top congressional leaders and the Sept. 11 commission fell apart.

To his critics, Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has been the Pentagon's tool, undermining bipartisan efforts to make urgently needed intelligence reforms in an effort to protect the Defense Department's turf.

But Hunter insists he isn't protecting turf. He says he's trying to protect the lives of soldiers, including his 27-year-old son, 1st Lt. Duncan Duane Hunter, who has served two tours in Iraq. The lawmaker believes that shifting responsibility for satellite images and other intelligence now handled by the Pentagon could ultimately endanger soldiers.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=1278&e=1&u=/ap/20041127/ap_on_go_co/intelligence_hunter

[rooboy]

1. What utter bullshit.

Who believes this sort of crap at all?

[Ima]

6. Not me!

I love how he puts 'noble intentions' on this.

[blm]

2. Bush is the one who doesn't want this bill passed. He only said he was for

it during the campaign so it couldn't be used against him by the Democrats and the 9-11 families, or the 9-11 commissioners who traded their silence for his acceptance of the bill.

[VegasWolf]

3. "Daddy, I need a new bicycle and please support bush." n/t

[IowaGuy]

4. A first Louie...

hardly knows his ass from a hole in the ground...much less the details of a bill such as this....how stupid do you have to be to believe a line of shit like that.

[MSgt213]

5. See it's OK to use kids for political purposes as long as they are you

own self interest purposes.

[riverwalker]

7. "Ultimately endanger" Rumsfeld's power fix

which is "ultimately", the REAL danger to our soldiers.