John Warner: supporting the troops

The Trail
Saturday, February 23, 2008, Washington Post
AN OFFICER, AND A GENTLEMAN'S REQUEST
Seeking Obama's Mystery Soldier
Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.), former chairman of the Armed Services Committee, sent a stern letter to colleague Barack Obama yesterday, challenging him to provide information about an Army officer he cited in Thursday night's Democratic presidential debate.

Now, Obama seems like a fairly rational guy. It's difficult to imagine that he'd use the "Army officer in Afghanistan" story during a much-hyped, nationally-televised debate if it weren't true. (Note: politicians are not generally known for their rational ways, and are on occasion caught in blatant, easily refuted lies, so just because it's "difficult to imagine" doesn't mean that it's not true...)

However, I'm less concerned with this particular challenge - from Senator Warner - when I consider the source. This guy has been an Administration stooge on matters of Defense for some time. For example, on NBC's Meet the Press back in July 2004, responding to a question about whether maybe the Pentagon ought have given more credence to Gen Shinseki's estimate of size of force needed to control post-war Iraq, Warner went on the attack:

"SEN. WARNER: Let's start with General Shinseki, because I was in the hearing room conducting a hearing when he answered that question, Joe. I think you were in the hearing. He was asked three times, and finally, he just sorted of seized on this figure. You know, I'd like right here and now to invite General Shinseki to tell where the staffing existed to come up with that figure. I cannot find it anywhere in the Joint Chiefs. I cannot find it in the Department of Army. How did he make that estimate.

Anytime anyone suggests that just maybe there's been inadequate planning, Warner isn't interested in fixing the problem, but only in attacking the messenger.

Support the troops? Yeah, right!

Stop the madness.