Top Military Leaders Support McCain
Not that it is a major surprise, but noteworth nonetheless.  I’m hoping John (AvgGayJoe) may have some thoughts on this letter, released earlier today.
As retired military officers, we share a natural hesitancy to engage actively in politics. There is a healthy discomfort in our profession with any political involvement because the country rightly depends on our military to support any commander in chief with our best military advice and our actions. But two factors compel us to speak out now and openly support John McCain for President: first, the surprising and inaccurate questioning of his record by some of Senator Obama’s leading supporters; and second, the importance to our national security of winning the war we are fighting.
The United States is confronted by many threats to its security and prosperity. Most significantly, we are engaged in a broad conflict with Islamic extremism against enemies espousing the same radical and violent ideology whose full dimensions the American people first glimpsed on September 11, 2001. Success in this war will require not only victory in the “hot” conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but as well a balanced and integrated application of all elements of America’s national power as we work with our allies around the world to marginalize radicals and build a shared vision for peace with moderate Islam.
We are privileged to have had the opportunity to serve this country in uniform for most of our adult lives. We have had the honor of commanding young Americans of the same caliber and tenacity as those who today remain on the front lines, willingly sacrificing their own well-being and security and offering their lives in order to preserve our freedom. They deserve, and the American people demand, leadership of proven character — leadership that will always put America’s interests ahead of personal gain and political party.
It is our experience as former senior military officers that also gives us great concern about certain foreign policy positions staked out by Senator Obama. We are acutely aware that ill-conceived policies will have serious, if not tragic, consequences for military commanders, the troops they lead, and the nation. We are particularly concerned about his public statements, including his call for a withdrawal from Iraq, unconditional talks with the leaders of rogue states, and the return to a law-enforcement approach to protecting our country from terrorists.
This country has learned the peril of treating terrorists and their state sponsors as little more than a law enforcement problem. We are unanimous in our view that the failures of the past should not be repeated, and we believe that John McCain’s long record of national service, and his demonstrated judgment on matters of national security, make clear who can best defend this country abroad, and assure peace and prosperity at home.
Through a lifetime of service in uniform and in Congress, John McCain has consistently displayed the wisdom and courage to do the right thing for America regardless of the cost to him personally. It is for this reason, above all others, that we endorse John McCain for President, and it is for this reason that we stand with him now as he continues his long history of service to this country.
James B. Davis, General, USAF (RET.)
Ronald J. Hays, Admiral, USN (RET)
James L. Holloway, Admiral, USN (RET)
Jerome L. Johnson, Admiral, USN, (RET)
P.X. Kelley, General, USMC, (RET)
James J. Lindsay, General, USA (RET)
John Michael Loh, General, USAF, (RET)
Leighton W. Smith, Admiral, USN (RET)
Carl Stiner, General, USA (RET)
Donald C. “Deese” Thompson, Vice Admiral, USCG, (RET)
Howard B. Thorsen, Vice Admiral, USCG, (RET)
Balance this list with Obama’s key military supporter:Â Douglas MacArthur Wesley Clark.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
23 Comments »
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Now now,
Lack of scientific support didn’t keep Algore from being an environmental expert
Comment by The_Livewire — July 16, 2008 @ 9:14 pm - July 16, 2008
Actually, this is pretty disturbing. I hope McCain has more waiting in the wings, because Barack has 9 retired military officers supporting him, and Hillary had 30.
Comment by American Elephant — July 17, 2008 @ 4:58 am - July 17, 2008
Are we planning an election, or a Junta?
Coming from a family with a long military tradition I’m less than impressed when the retired senior-brass opines itself. There are hundreds and hundreds of retired flag officers from all the services, and each one of them is an old-hand at playing the partisan political game….and they are still on the government payroll.
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — July 17, 2008 @ 11:14 am - July 17, 2008
Dear Ted B.,
Sounds like they are planning a Junta. 4 more years of war, killing civil liberties. They already did away with the Fourth Amendment, now the First is next!
Comment by Pinky Bear — July 17, 2008 @ 1:51 pm - July 17, 2008
These kinds of endorsements are nice but are not the be-all and end-all of whether a particular candidate will make a good CiC. It’s a gamble and a candidates’ past experience and stance on military issues are what should determine this to the voters. I have many disagreements with McCain on other policy matters, but when it comes to defense there simply is no contest between the two. Obama has zilch experience and has shown how clueless he is on these matters in videos like this:
http://averagegayjoe.blogspot.com/2008/02/why-i-cannot-vote-for-barack-obama_28.html
Comment by John — July 17, 2008 @ 2:18 pm - July 17, 2008
[...] Military Leaders Support McCain Tony GOPrano wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBut two factors compel us to speak [...]
Pingback by test » Blog Archive » Top Military Leaders Support McCain — July 17, 2008 @ 2:24 pm - July 17, 2008
#4 - Only when San Fran Nan gets the Fairness Doctrine passed. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about your inane trolling since this site would be shut down in the interest of “fairness.”
Besides, as long as we have the Second Amendment, we can defend the rest of the Bill of Rights.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 17, 2008 @ 3:12 pm - July 17, 2008
A propos of the Iraq war… Confederate Yankee has a great piece today. We’ve won - but Obama and the Democrats are, of course, *still* determined to salvage a U.S. defeat from the victory.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — July 17, 2008 @ 3:17 pm - July 17, 2008
Meanwhile, per Michael Yon (linked by Confederate Yankee), Afghanistan is not going so well… but can still be turned around, with lessons learned from Iraq.
Might be nice if Obama were serious about the U.S. winning a war *anywhere*. Somehow, I think he’s not.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — July 17, 2008 @ 3:21 pm - July 17, 2008
#8-9: If anyone can find a way to lose in a winning effort, it would be the DNC.
And they wonder why voters don’t trust them on national security.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 17, 2008 @ 3:29 pm - July 17, 2008
Clark is only Obama’s key military supporter by default, since he was a Hillary supporter until the end.
Comment by DaveO — July 17, 2008 @ 3:31 pm - July 17, 2008
Don’t count on NObama to turn Afghanistan around….he couldn’t see that the surge would work (with a sound basis in counterinsurgency tried and true methods) and don’t count on him to do the right thing with the military..after all he reached his conclusions before doing fact finding..isn’t that the same thing the left wing accused W of doing and have screamed for years about it……and when their leftist Marxist does it, well all is well with the world and freedom……can you smell the hypocrisy in the air……please….as Reagan said of Carter..there he goes again…
Comment by Rocket — July 17, 2008 @ 3:58 pm - July 17, 2008
Dear Peter,
Put that down before you hurt yourself. Guns don’t solve all your problems.
Comment by Pinky Bear — July 17, 2008 @ 9:06 pm - July 17, 2008
Why did you cross out General MacArthur’s name and replace it with General Clark’s? Are you suggesting some sort of similarity between the two?
Comment by Bla — July 17, 2008 @ 10:14 pm - July 17, 2008
I think it would be fair to say that Ashley Wilkes fancies himself another McArthur as well as anyone who considers him anything higher than a douchebag.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — July 18, 2008 @ 1:21 am - July 18, 2008
#13 - Again, you are much misinformed about us gays here in the South. We know guns. We know how to handle guns. We also don’t take any lip from someone who speaks out of the other side of their body cavity.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 18, 2008 @ 10:17 am - July 18, 2008
Okay, I was about to say — Wesley Clark, impressive his military credentials (certainly not his political ones) may be, is no MacArthur.
Comment by Bla — July 18, 2008 @ 11:41 am - July 18, 2008
Dear Peter,
Bet you got a good gun
Bet you know how
To have some fun
And then
You turn it around on me
Because I’m better
Than the rest of the men
Boy Pink
Comment by Pinky Bear — July 18, 2008 @ 1:00 pm - July 18, 2008
17 - It was the first personality-match example that came to my head. I agree that Wesley Clark is no MacArthur, but each’s perception of their own greatness is/was quite inflated. Kind of like Obama.
Comment by GayPatriot — July 18, 2008 @ 1:24 pm - July 18, 2008
#18 - Trust me, Pinko, I would not “miss you blind.”
In fact, I wouldn’t miss you at all. Period.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 18, 2008 @ 2:57 pm - July 18, 2008
Peter,
You are sweet.
Comment by Pinky Bear — July 18, 2008 @ 8:19 pm - July 18, 2008
Not when you consider he got his “credentials” playing pocket pool and sharing Clinton with Monica.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — July 19, 2008 @ 5:52 am - July 19, 2008
Obama has 60 retired US Generals and Admirals supporting his campaign. Far, far more than McCain.
“CongressNow: Obama Enlists the Aid of 60 Generals and Admirals”
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/54_22/news/27623-1.html
Comment by Frank — September 5, 2008 @ 6:43 pm - September 5, 2008