Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

Using the Troops Gets Traction

DAY TWO Rep. Musgrave using the troops as props.

… … \”The best info the congresswoman received
is there is no violation in honoring Iraqi veterans, and that's what happened,\”
said Guy Short, Musgrave's chief of staff. \”It's unfortunate people are
trying to make political hay out of an attempt to honor veterans of the Iraq
war.\” Political reporter Joshua Micah Marshall, who writes
for the Washington Monthly and is a columnist for The Hill – a weekly newspaper
covering Congress – pointed to the incident as an example of the White House
trying to use \”uniformed military personnel as props at Republican political
rallies.\”
Uniformed
soldiers at GOP event raise hackles

Thank you, Josh
Marshall.

Republicans say they're only honoring the veterans of the Iraq
war.

We say they're using the troops as props in direct violation of
military regulations.

It's an important distinction that matters.

Josh Marshall brought the subject to the forefront (found here
and here)
and he was right on every aspect. However, the \”props\”
charge I made yesterday is all mine.

But how can you not conclude the Republicans are using our veterans
as props? It's undeniable when you look at the facts.

President Bush and the Republicans in Congress have left our troops
hung out to dry in Iraq with no way home and no plan forward. Look what their Iraq
policies have done to veterans. Meanwhile, Republicans swiftboat a 37-year Marine veteran,
John Murtha, for suggesting \”stay the course\” is actually no course,
no plan at all.

Sorry for the redundancy, but here again is what the DoD
military regs state.

4. POLICY

It is DoD policy to encourage members of the Armed
Forces (hereafter referred to as \”members\”) to carry out the obligations
of citizenship. While on active duty, however, members are prohibited from
engaging in certain political activities. The following DoD policy shall apply:

4.1.1. A member on active duty may:

4.1.1.1. Register, vote, and express his or her personal
opinion on political candidates and issues, but not as a representative of
the Armed Forces.

4.1.1.2. Make monetary contributions to a political
organization.

4.1.1.3. Attend partisan and nonpartisan political
meetings, rallies, or conventions as a spectator when not in uniform.

4.1.2. A member on active duty shall not:

4.1.2.1. Use his or her official authority or influence
for interfering with an election; affecting the course or outcome of an election;
soliciting votes for a particular candidate or issue; or requiring or soliciting
political contributions from others.

4.1.2.2. Be a candidate for, hold, or exercise the
functions of civil office except as authorized in paragraphs 4.2. and 4.3.,
below.

4.1.2.3. Participate in partisan political management,
campaigns, or conventions (unless attending a convention as a spectator when
not in uniform).

In her piece for The Coloradoan, Lindsay Renick Mayer, makes the following
point as well.

… The directive also states that in ambiguous cases,
active-duty soldiers are to avoid any activities that seemingly associate
the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security directly
or indirectly with partisan political activity.

The Larimer County Republican organization said that
because it merely honored the soldiers instead of requiring their participation,
they did not violate the code. …

There is nothing about the Republican Lincoln Day Dinner that is remotely \”ambiguous.\”

Honoring troops is a wonderful tradition of both parties. Trotting them out
like mascots only happens with Republicans.

Let's also remember what
has happened to our military through Bush and the Republicans who control
Congress. Look at the history Republicans have of smearing soldiers who don't
stand silent and subservient. They smeared John McCain, Max Cleland, John Kerry
and now Jack Murtha. It's what they do to veterans who dare talk back. Need
I also mention the grunts being the scapegoat for Abu Ghraib, while the bosses
who invented the torture got off clean?

Honoring the Iraqi war veterans?

Republicans must mistake today's Dems for the Democratic Party before blogs
were born.

The Bushies are busted and we've got art to prove it. Oh, and speaking of art,
if there's nothing wrong with what went on, just why did Republicans scrub
the shot that showed Musgrave
with the soldiers? Hmmmm.

UPDATE: In the put your money where your mouth is department, Barbara Boxer just put in legislation to double Veterans' Mental Health Care. Bob Geiger has more.