His comments were an assault on our troops

Sen. Edward Kennedy’s comparison of Iraq to Vietnam will live in the minds of thousands as an egregious assault on the lives of our armed forces personnel for the barely covert purpose of promoting the Democratic Party’s bid for the White House.

Iraq is not, by any stretch of the imagination, comparable to Vietnam. The casualty rate, the reasons for the conflict, the mechanisms leading to a democratic, independent Iraqi government, are all quite totally different from Vietnam. Delusional remarks like Kennedy’s serve only to divide Americans and put the enemy in a position to exploit that division. Just like Jane Fonda, John Kerry and his ilk have contributed to the succor and encouragement of the enemy in a time of war. Edward Kennedy has shown that he, too, is on the wrong side of the American people.

Yes, there is a wrong and a right side. Free speech is well and fine, but it comes at a price to the speaker. That price may not be calculated in legal terms, but it is and will be determined in moral terms. Edward Kennedy isn’t willing to pay that price. He exposes his own callous political motivations by shiftily transferring his long overdue balance to the soldiers in Iraq, while pretending to be concerned about their welfare. Our soldiers are already paying the ultimate price for Edward Kennedy’s freedom; they shouldn’t have to suffer for his outrageous political lust.

Everett

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