CHENEY: Ok To Criticize Military Run By Dems-Treason When Run By Repubs

[kpete]

It's okay to criticize the military if it's run by a Democrat, but such criticism is off-limits when the Republicans are running it to the ground.

Cheney's (former) respect for dissent
by kos
Fri Jul 07, 2006

Colin McEnroe was researching the 2000 vice-presidential debate as he prepared for yesterday's Lieberman/Lamont battle. In doing so, he unearthed this incredible gem.

First, Lieberman does his usual bit that you can't criticize the military. This was a time, as I recall, that the Bush/Cheney campaign had criticized the Clinton-era military as being unprepared.

LIEBERMAN: I want to assure the American people that the American military is the best-trained, best-equipped, most powerful force in the world. And that Al Gore and I will do whatever it takes to keep them that way. It's not right, and it's not good for our military, to run them down essentially in the midst of a partisan political debate.

Now check out Cheney's answer:

CHENEY: This is a special interest of mine. I would like a chance to elaborate further, if I might. The facts are dramatically different. I'm not attacking the military, Joe. I have enormous regard for the men and women of the U.S. military. I had the privilege of working with them while I was the Secretary of Defense. No one has a higher regard than I do for them. It's irresponsible to suggest we shouldn't have that debate, that we should ignore what is a major, major concern

There is no more important responsibility for a President of the United States than his role as Commander in Chief. When he decides when to send our young men and women to war. When we send them without the right kind of training, when we send them poorly equipped or with equipment that's old and broken down, we put their lives at risk. We will suffer more casualties in the next conflict if we don't look to those basic problems now.

Our troops now don't have the right kind of training or equipment, and their lives are being put at risk on a daily basis. Now, the Army can't even keep the lights on at bases in the US.

Yet Cheney growls at any criticism of his administration's management of the Pentagon, and his allies consider any such dissent akin to treason.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/7/7/11629/86748

[msongs]

1. don't you wish somebody would hold cheney accountable for saying

this? would make another nice ad for tv.

sound of cheney's remarks

voice over: Well Mr. cheney, why have you betrayed the troops?

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. I distinctly recall Bush saying the military was neglected in 2000

Found it!
http://www.balkanpeace.org/hed/archive/aug00/hed500.shtml

""As president, should I become the president, I will rebuild the military power of the United States of America,´´ Bush told the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Milwaukee.

He charged the administration of President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) -- Bush´s Democratic opponent -- with neglecting the military.

"The current administration inherited a military ready for the dangers and challenges facing our nation. The next president will inherit a military in decline,´´ Bush said. "The best intentions and the highest morale are undermined by back-to-back deployments, poor pay, shortages of spare parts and equipment and rapidly declining readiness.´´ "