Get Rob Anders off the Veterans Affairs Committee

It's not just that he's a waste of good room air or even that he continually falls asleep on watch.

It's that he clearly can't stand veterans. When Jim Lowther and David MacLeod, of Veterans Emergency Transition Services, criticized Anders for sleeping through their presentations, this is how he dealt with it.

“It’s a smear job,” Mr. Anders said, categorically denying that he fell asleep during the presentation.

...

“They praised Vladimir Putin, at one point, for the way he deals with veterans, and then he just went on and on praising Peter Stoffer,” Mr. Anders said. “[Mr. Lowther] is the same guy who tried to crash one of the Prime Minister’s rallies and is on NDP press releases.” 

Lying little chickenhawk. Anders did fall asleep and his attempt to smear two veterans is nothing short of contempt for every person who ever wore a uniform, has campaign medals, has wound stripes and lives with nightmares.

From Jim Lowther:

“I’ve been called a Canadian hero – I did two tours of Bosnia and one in Afghanistan – and now I’m a NDP hack? Never been called that before.”

 Especially since he appears to be a Conservative party member.

From David MacLeod:

“I’m an ex-intelligence officer and worked on the NORAD closure. ... How likely do you think it is that I support Vladimir Putin?” Mr. MacLeod said. “I was just saying Russia, which doesn’t always treat its vets well, had a hospital for Afghan and Chechen vets who had post traumatic stress disorder.” 

Mr. MacLeod said he, too, is not an NDP supporter. In fact, he has voted for Peter MacKay in his Central Nova riding and is a member of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party.

Who also added:

“It’s just stupid to say we’re NDP hacks and frankly, I don’t think this reflects well on the party,” he added. “[Mr. Anders] should have just said he was sorry he fell asleep and that would have been the end of it.”

Not anymore. No veteran should be put in a position to have to share the same space with such a useless and self-absorbed piece of shit as Rob Anders.

Go to Baghdad, Bush. Just go.

Keith Olbermann:

... take it into your own hands, Mr. Bush. Go to Baghdad now, and fulfill finally, your military service obligations. Go there and fight YOUR war, YOUR self.

And while your at it Mr. Bush, take all the members of this group with you. Don't forget the diapers.

Larry Hubich has the video.

Getting the pejorative right

Roger L Simon has attempted an act of... um.... contrition?

Actually, it was more like an excuse which wound its way through the decades underscoring his reasons for protesting against the war he could have been in, and dodged by avoiding military service, and being a cheerleader for a war he can't be in, due to age, marital status and other more important pursuits like writing roles that fit Richard Dreyfuss as an L.A.-based, dope-smoking, private-eye.

Roger was trying to produce something which suggests he has a right to participate in the US Memorial Day event. His point was that he supports the troops. Good enough, I suppose, but he remains on the hook as being the worst kind of hypocrite. Saying, "If I were single, I might go now," doesn't wash.

And, hell, I blame my mother for a lot of things, but my fear of flying bullets comes from within. Roger doesn't make that distinction. He just... blames his mother.

Never mind... as odoriferous as Simon's post actually is, particularly the update where he offers a gratuity to the troops and then demonstrates the kind of puerility found during a game of marbles between six-year-olds, he was actually trying to diminish the meaning of the word Chickenhawk by declaring himself one. This is Simon making every effort to paint all chickenhawks as normal. He then takes a swipe at all those who disagree with his position on the current crop of wars by suggesting they too will one day find themselves excusing their present behaviour.

No, Roger.

You are every inch a chickenhawk. That's a given. Wearing it with pride won't make it go away because beyond that you are also a first-class asshole, and you made that abundantly clear with your post.

Again, never mind. As much as I would like to say Roger's post was a waste, I cannot. Simon actually did something productive. It was the graphic.

Given this post from yesterday, the graphic Roger L Simon produced completely and perfectly describes, the Prime Minister of Canada.

Thank you, Roger. You may be a complete asshole, but you are often a useful one.

Without a draft, what's a chickenhawk to do?

Oh good. A military camp for kids, run by none other than that great American icon of truth, duty and honor, Lt. Colonel Oliver North, USMC (Ret'd.).

This is, well, a little on the unbelievable scale. The Freedom Alliance (small print) Military Leadership Academy (big letters) is completely safe, looks like a lot of fun and is... unbelievably short. Luckily they sent out additional ads to promote this idea.

LtCol Oliver L. North, USMC (Ret.) and Freedom Alliance are seeking high school students for our 2007 summer Military Leadership Academy (MLA) -- a unique and exciting opportunity to LIVE, EAT and TRAIN with our U.S. military personnel at some of the pre-eminent U.S. military bases

Wow! That sounds like a real summer of gettin' it done with Ollie.

The week-long Military Leadership Academy is an awesome adventure and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for motivated and determined high school students, ages 15-18, who want to gain practical leadership skills - and have fun learning from real-life American heroes.

A week? And considering all the cool tours that are lined up it looks like, well, a little less strenuous than a boy scout jamboree. A week?!

Formal military leadership training is measured in months. What the hell can you cover in a week? (Actually, one of the two events is only five days.)

The MLA provides young Americans with a taste of military life and teaches them leadership principles, along with the core values of Selfless Service, Teamwork, Courage, Integrity, Dependability, Responsibility and Respect to help them become positive, productive citizens.

In a week.

Academy graduates are highly motivated, physically fit and goal oriented. Many have pursued careers in the military and as DOD civilians, such as the Navy Criminal Investigative Service, while others go to college or directly to the workforce.

Graduates?! Right. And some (wait for it) go into politics. With Military Leadership Training appended to their resume.

Glad to see Oliver North hasn't changed. Still trying to run a scam. This time it's a diploma mill for chicken-hawks.