mburbank
Feb 20th, 2004, 02:50 PM
Anne coulter, not content to belittle a man with one limb is now backpeddling and surging forward nearly simultaneaously, like a spastic unicycle rider having a siezure.
In support of her insistence that Cleland was NOT on a combat mission when injured, she quotes a Boston Globe article (a good paper). Unfortunately, neither the Globe nor Coulter used a primary source. Since the senior offcier who sent Cleland on the combat mission is alive and able to verify his orders, I'll go with that.
She also states: " It is simply a fact that Max Cleland was not injured by enemy fire in Vietnam." That's true. Neither were those Canadian soldiers we fried in Afghanistan either, but they died doing their duty. Cleland picked up a grendade that could have killed his fellow soldiers. Anne coulter says calling that a combat injury is sexing it up. I think her inisting it isn't is Clintoning it down.
She quotes the Atlanta Constitution Journal
" "Cleland was no war hero, but his sacrifice was great. ... Democratic Senate candidate Max Cleland is a victim of war, not a casualty of combat. He lost three limbs on a long-forgotten hill near Khe Sanh because of some American's mistake ..." (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sept. 29, 1996)"
They also should do some reasearch. Cleland won a silver star PRIOR to this accident, for actions he took DURING the siege of Khe Sahn. His medal was not awarded for the accident that took his limbs off, for which I assume he got a Purple Heart. Silver Stars are a PRESIDENTIAL medal given for war Heroism. Coulter knows this. It's in the very articles she's responding to.
Then she tries to salvage some humanity for herself.
" Cleland's true heroism came after the war, when he went on to build a productive life for himself. That is a story of inspiration and courage."
Seriously, Anne? Why, that's mighty white of you. I guess you actually do think Clelands an admirable guy and really you weren't going aftre him at all, just the way those nasty ol' democrats have used him. You can tell how much you admire him by the nice things you said about him in your previous column;
"Sen. Max Cleland is the Democrats' designated hysteric about George Bush's National Guard service."
"In fact, Cleland could have dropped a grenade on his foot as a National Guardsman –- or what Cleland sneeringly calls "weekend warriors." Luckily for Cleland's political career and current pomposity about Bush, he happened to do it while in Vietnam."
I'll say! I hope Anne Coulter is lucky enough to blow some limbs off!
" The good people of Georgia -- who do not need lectures on admiring military service –- gave Cleland one pass for being a Vietnam veteran. He didn't get a lifetime pass. Indeed, if Cleland had dropped a grenade on himself at Fort Dix rather than in Vietnam, he would never have been a U.S. senator in the first place."
Wait, Anne, you're saying that while you find the story of his recovery inspirational and courageous, the 'good people' of Georgia only voted for him becuase he was a Vietnam Vet?
" Cleland wore the uniform, he was in Vietnam, and he has shown courage by going on to lead a productive life. But he didn't "give his limbs for his country,"
Ouch! Does that mean the soldiers in Iraq who've died in Humvee and Helicopter accidents didn't die for their country? That's pretty cold. Their parents and even the President might disagree.
I might even gto so far as to call such an opinion Treasonous.
In support of her insistence that Cleland was NOT on a combat mission when injured, she quotes a Boston Globe article (a good paper). Unfortunately, neither the Globe nor Coulter used a primary source. Since the senior offcier who sent Cleland on the combat mission is alive and able to verify his orders, I'll go with that.
She also states: " It is simply a fact that Max Cleland was not injured by enemy fire in Vietnam." That's true. Neither were those Canadian soldiers we fried in Afghanistan either, but they died doing their duty. Cleland picked up a grendade that could have killed his fellow soldiers. Anne coulter says calling that a combat injury is sexing it up. I think her inisting it isn't is Clintoning it down.
She quotes the Atlanta Constitution Journal
" "Cleland was no war hero, but his sacrifice was great. ... Democratic Senate candidate Max Cleland is a victim of war, not a casualty of combat. He lost three limbs on a long-forgotten hill near Khe Sanh because of some American's mistake ..." (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sept. 29, 1996)"
They also should do some reasearch. Cleland won a silver star PRIOR to this accident, for actions he took DURING the siege of Khe Sahn. His medal was not awarded for the accident that took his limbs off, for which I assume he got a Purple Heart. Silver Stars are a PRESIDENTIAL medal given for war Heroism. Coulter knows this. It's in the very articles she's responding to.
Then she tries to salvage some humanity for herself.
" Cleland's true heroism came after the war, when he went on to build a productive life for himself. That is a story of inspiration and courage."
Seriously, Anne? Why, that's mighty white of you. I guess you actually do think Clelands an admirable guy and really you weren't going aftre him at all, just the way those nasty ol' democrats have used him. You can tell how much you admire him by the nice things you said about him in your previous column;
"Sen. Max Cleland is the Democrats' designated hysteric about George Bush's National Guard service."
"In fact, Cleland could have dropped a grenade on his foot as a National Guardsman –- or what Cleland sneeringly calls "weekend warriors." Luckily for Cleland's political career and current pomposity about Bush, he happened to do it while in Vietnam."
I'll say! I hope Anne Coulter is lucky enough to blow some limbs off!
" The good people of Georgia -- who do not need lectures on admiring military service –- gave Cleland one pass for being a Vietnam veteran. He didn't get a lifetime pass. Indeed, if Cleland had dropped a grenade on himself at Fort Dix rather than in Vietnam, he would never have been a U.S. senator in the first place."
Wait, Anne, you're saying that while you find the story of his recovery inspirational and courageous, the 'good people' of Georgia only voted for him becuase he was a Vietnam Vet?
" Cleland wore the uniform, he was in Vietnam, and he has shown courage by going on to lead a productive life. But he didn't "give his limbs for his country,"
Ouch! Does that mean the soldiers in Iraq who've died in Humvee and Helicopter accidents didn't die for their country? That's pretty cold. Their parents and even the President might disagree.
I might even gto so far as to call such an opinion Treasonous.