"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public... Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." -- Teddy Roosevelt, Kansas City Star , May 7, 1918

Fight for Veterans Funding "Amazingly, the Bush administration's budget calls for a $15-billion, 10-year reduction in veterans benefits..."

Waving the Flag While the Cameras Roll And Soiling It When They Stop Weekly Dig - Boston

Army of One a new Flash from Symbolman

Um...Colin...have you talked to your boss about this anger? What about guys that get those slots, and then don't even show up for duty ? Can you tell us which one of these guys went in GW's place?

"I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed ... managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units...Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country." (Colin Powells autobiography, My American Journey , p. 148)

It's now well established that George W. Bush never showed up for National Guard duty for a period of approximately one year, possibly more, in 1972-1973. Despite all the talk about "honor and dignity," Bush seems to have a problem meeting his commitments.

"Those of us who were in the military wonder how it is that someone who is supposedly serving on active duty...can miss a whole year of service without even explaining where it went," said [Senator John] Kerry.

(Source)

Bush says he's released all his records...if that's true, then has anyone seen:

Any pages from Bush's flight log

Records from the Flight Inquiry Board convened after Bush was suspended as a pilot

Any evidence of Bush's reclassification into another AFSC after suspension as a pilot

Any photos of George Bush in a military uniform after 1972

Anything at all from any Alabama unit with Bush's name on it

Any copies of form 44a from the Alabama National Guard certifying attendance

Air Force Form 142 (Aviation Service Audit Worksheet)

Anything proving service (not just receipt of pay) by Bush between May 1972 and May 1973?

(And what is it precisely that the blathering right-wing pundits seem to think is missing from John Kerry's service records?)

Click here for a side-by-side comparison of publicly available military records of both GW Bush and John Kerry.

AWOL----absent for 30 days or less.

Desertion-----absent for more than 30 days with evidence of no intent to return to duty.

Is he guilty of one or both? You read the facts here and decide.

This is not the story of a search for missing records. We have the pertinent records.

This is not a hunt for credible eyewitnesses and first hand statements. The officers involved have stepped forward. We have their testimony and we have the signed statements of those no longer living.

This is the story of how George Walker Bush walked away from a years duty while in the National Guard.

And, this is the story of how he has thus far gotten away with it.

"I continued flying with my unit for the next several years..." That statement is an outright LIE, which means the person making it is a LIAR.

When, precisely, did Bush or his unit receive the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award? Is Bush wearing a ribbon to which he is not entitled? (By the way, here are the ribbons John Kerry earned during his naval career.)

What about TCMJ, Section 432.130??

When will someone demand answers from George W. Bush about this, and what will he say?

Why did Bush stop flying?

What's he hiding?

How much did we all analyze President Clinton's correspondence with military authorities?

Has ABC covered this? NBC? (We won't even ask about Fox.) Why did Bill Clinton's "draft dodging" merit 13,641 major news stories, while GW Bush's desertion merit only 49?

Who served? A comparison of prominent Republicans and Democrats.



Click here for a great Ted Rall cartoon...

Chasing George Bush and the F-102 - An illustrated History of GW Bush's Flying Career