Yep, I was in error about Rumsfeld, who was a Naval aviator '54-'57. I took columnist Margolis's word for Rumsfeld's lack of service, and I'm suprised he made such a mistake, but it's always best to double-check. Mea culpa.

In any event, the current Secretary of Defense saw no combat action during his tour of duty, and like others in this thread, I'm really disappointed by his remarks about the draftees during "Nam.

I remember meeting guys coming out of Dak To after the murderous firefights there. Shot to pieces, they may not have had any value for Mr. Rumsfeld, but I guarantee you they had a lot of value for me and the rest of my brothers and sisters who wore the colors then, and they still do.

I salute their duty and sacrifice for the nation.

A lot of people think it was Walter Chronkite's reporting which turned the nation against the war, but the decisive event, imo, was the Veteran's March on Washington.

"Bring our brothers, home," they sang, "bring our brothers home."

The point here, Justin, is that many former warriors turn to pacifists after experiencing first-hand the horrors of war. It is only those like the Chickenhawks, with no actual taste of battle, who are now clamoring for conflict.

sp