To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Monday, August 22, 2005
Defining the Terms
This one should be easy. "Expert". Let's go to the dictionary:
Case in point. This morning on FoxNews, two former Congress Critters (one Republican, one Democrat- this is the fair and balanced channel, after all) were talking about the comparison that Chuck Hagel (RINO, Nebraska) made between Iraq and Viet Nam.
At what point does "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt" make you a military expert? I have nothing but respect for Viet Nam veterans. They deserve our honor and gratitude. And, yes, some of them have gone on to become military experts. Most of them, however, did their job and came home, leaving military strategy behind. And, then there are those who did their job, were honored for their service, and then used that service for their own political gain.
Chuck Hagel was Deputy Administrator of the VA under President Reagan. I would be willing to at least call him "knowledgeable" if not an expert in the area of veterans affairs. Military strategy? uh... no.
1. A person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a certain subject.Why am I bringing up this easily defined term? Because people seem to have a problem not with the term, but in recognizing one when you see one.
Case in point. This morning on FoxNews, two former Congress Critters (one Republican, one Democrat- this is the fair and balanced channel, after all) were talking about the comparison that Chuck Hagel (RINO, Nebraska) made between Iraq and Viet Nam.
A leading Republican senator (the only people who think he's a leading Republican are the senator himself and the media- B) and prospective presidential candidate (as if he has a snowball's chance- B) said Sunday that the war in Iraq has destabilized the Middle East and is looking more like the Vietnam conflict from a generation ago.And what makes Senator Hagel an expert on this? That would be his two Purple Hears and other military honors he received in Viet Nam. No, seriously. The Democratic pundit on the show actually said, "I think we should listen to him, because he's a decorate Viet Nam veteran."
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel (RINO, Nebraska), who received two Purple Hearts and other military honors for his service in Vietnam, reiterated his position that the United States needs to develop a strategy to leave Iraq. Hagel scoffed at the idea that U.S. troops could be in Iraq four years from now at levels above 100,000, a contingency for which the Pentagon is preparing.
"We should start figuring out how we get out of there," Hagel said on "This Week" on ABC. "But with this understanding, we cannot leave a vacuum that further destabilizes the Middle East. I think our involvement there has destabilized the Middle East. And the longer we stay there, I think the further destabilization will occur."
At what point does "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt" make you a military expert? I have nothing but respect for Viet Nam veterans. They deserve our honor and gratitude. And, yes, some of them have gone on to become military experts. Most of them, however, did their job and came home, leaving military strategy behind. And, then there are those who did their job, were honored for their service, and then used that service for their own political gain.
Chuck Hagel was Deputy Administrator of the VA under President Reagan. I would be willing to at least call him "knowledgeable" if not an expert in the area of veterans affairs. Military strategy? uh... no.
