John Kerry

There ARE MSM accounts that a Representative, Hunter Duncan, who is very right wing made that link. They are attacking Duncan - who deserves it. NO ONE, not on the loony right, believes the lies of the SBVT.

There are many right wing websites, that are speaking to themselves and will never accept the truth -- because their heads would explode! Part of their problem is that JK is a genuine war hero, who really was everything anyone could want as a commanding officer - very intelligent, very conscientious, extremely concerned for the safety of his guys - and extremely courageous.

The funny thing is that I suspect that IS a more valued by Republicans than Democrats. It might be that many Democrats were more comfortable with people who avoided going! So, in 2004, Democrats who attacked Bush for NOT going were being hypocritical - as we had no problem with Clinton's fancy footwork to avoid the war. Most Democrats were more impressed with other parts of Kerry's record. What was strangest was that some on the right turned Bush's questionable service into something that defined him as a hero.

Where I do expect fireworks is that Obama/Kerry/Hagel are committed to winding down the Afghanistan War - and part of that is very likely working to facilitate a reconciliation process in Afghanistan. To many Americans, the Taliban is essentially the same as Al Quaeda. This ignores that the Taliban people are Afghani and they can't be kicked out - they need to be reintegrated. The problem is that their values and western values are inconsistent. It is not at all clear to me that we have any way to demand or insure that changes we pushed will remain - even if, to us, essential.