Wingnut calls Chuck Hagel a pacifist

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

OK, maybe not a pacifist. But my buddy Big Wave Dave Bellavia was on C-Span yesterday and when a caller brought up Chuck Hagel's opposition to the Iraq War dave pointed out correctly that Hagel's Vietnam experience was less valuable than that of those who served in Iraq. Well no shit. Dave went out of his way to praise hagel's service and then simply noted it was a different war and a different time and that there were other more relevant voices including his own. This sent the usual suspects into a self-induced tizzy and the clowns at Think Progress , a wholly-owned subdivision of HopenChange Inc, started mis-represnting Dave's statements as "dismissing Hagel's service" but like the fools they are they included the transcsript and even a clip of him which makes it clear he was doing nothing of the sort. I love their overwrought headline.

Right-Wing Vets For Freedom Attacks Hagel’s Military Service: ‘Show Me What Battle He Fought In Iraq’

Today on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, a caller questioned Vets for Freedom (VFF) founder David Bellavia about the group’s attacks on Vietnam veteran Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Bellavia quickly praised Hagel, saying he was a “patriot.” “You don’t question another man’s service,” said Bellavia.” “I will never attack a Vietnam veteran, like some of these other individuals have during this political season.”

Content he paid enough lip-service to Hagel, he then began attacking the senator, an outspoken critic of the Bush administration. Bellavia’s dismissed the Hagel’s service in Vietnam — for which he earned a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge — as irrelevant to the current conflict:

BELLAVIA: Sen. Hagel has never been shot at in Iraq, he’s never seen what an IED looks like or been detonated on. This is an individual that could embed himself instead of doing a two-day congressional delegation. Go out there, walk with the troops, see what’s going on on the ground. […]

Now, again, with Sen. Hagel — my problem with Sen. Hagel is, again, his experienced is based on what? The Mekong Delta. It’s based to Vietnam, a totally different fight, a totally different enemy, and by the way, it was 30 years ago.

If nothing else they save me the trouble of finding a trancscript. Hagel has said many stupid things and if anything Dave was too nice to him.

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Wingnut calls Chuck Hagel a pacifist

OK, maybe not a pacifist. But my buddy Big Wave Dave Bellavia was on C-Span yesterday and when a caller brought up Chuck Hagel's opposition to the Iraq War dave pointed out correctly that Hagel's Vietnam experience was less valuable than that of those who served in Iraq. Well no shit. Dave went out of his way to praise hagel's service and then simply noted it was a different war and a different time and that there were other more relevant voices including his own. This sent the usual suspects into a self-induced tizzy and the clowns at Think Progress , a wholly-owned subdivision of HopenChange Inc, started mis-represnting Dave's statements as "dismissing Hagel's service" but like the fools they are they included the transcsript and even a clip of him which makes it clear he was doing nothing of the sort. I love their overwrought headline.

Right-Wing Vets For Freedom Attacks Hagel’s Military Service: ‘Show Me What Battle He Fought In Iraq’

Today on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, a caller questioned Vets for Freedom (VFF) founder David Bellavia about the group’s attacks on Vietnam veteran Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Bellavia quickly praised Hagel, saying he was a “patriot.” “You don’t question another man’s service,” said Bellavia.” “I will never attack a Vietnam veteran, like some of these other individuals have during this political season.”

Content he paid enough lip-service to Hagel, he then began attacking the senator, an outspoken critic of the Bush administration. Bellavia’s dismissed the Hagel’s service in Vietnam — for which he earned a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge — as irrelevant to the current conflict:

BELLAVIA: Sen. Hagel has never been shot at in Iraq, he’s never seen what an IED looks like or been detonated on. This is an individual that could embed himself instead of doing a two-day congressional delegation. Go out there, walk with the troops, see what’s going on on the ground. […]

Now, again, with Sen. Hagel — my problem with Sen. Hagel is, again, his experienced is based on what? The Mekong Delta. It’s based to Vietnam, a totally different fight, a totally different enemy, and by the way, it was 30 years ago.

If nothing else they save me the trouble of finding a trancscript. Hagel has said many stupid things and if anything Dave was too nice to him.

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