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Aug 24, 2004 Summer is almost gone, the elections for a new American president are only some two months away. President Bush and Senator Kerry are getting on steam and nervous. They canīt afford a misstep anymore, so they operate very carefully, not saying a word too much. Meanwhile, their supporters are throwing mud at each other, claiming their candidate was the bravest during the Vietnam war. Hello American people, that war ended 30 years ago! Thereīs something I donīt understand about current American politics. Why is the past more important than the future? What does it matter whether Senator John Kerry doesnīt have five decorations as he claims, but only two, three or four? So he lied. It wasnīt smart of him to make good cheer that way if it isnīt true in the first place. What importance is there in 2004 to know whether President Bush did join the army during the Vietnam war or that he was able to avoid it in a sneaky way as the story goes? He should just have been open about it from the start should he not have joined the army. What does it matter anyway? I wouldnīt let my decision of whom to vote for depend from such trivial subject. Itīs an easy conclusion to say these are not the issues the election campaigns must deal with. To quote former president Bill Clinton: īItīs the economy stupid.ī Yes, itīs the economy, the war against terrorism, the environment, the ever growing unbalance between rich and poor and so on. What was the Vietnam war after all, compared to the war against Al Qaiīda nowadays? A local conflict in Asia the USA have never been able to win. When you look at it that way, neither President Bust nor Senator Kerry should make much fuss about their Vietnam years. Osama is much smarter than the Vietcong ever were. He disposes of a lot of money, dangerous (nuclear/chemical/biological?) material and a network of fanatic supporters. The war on terrorism canīt be fought the way the Vietnam war was. How President Bush and Senator Kerry acted during the Vietnam war is therefore of no importance. Decorations donīt say anything about the present capability of fighting Osama. Possibly avoiding National Service those years doesnīt tell a thing about being able to lead a war now. Let the American people decide who they want as their overall leader by just looking at who they think is most fitted for the job now, judging the current facts. Not who would have been most fitted 35 years ago, during a totally different era. ------------ About the author: Johan Peters is a freelance journalist from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He has a great interest in international politics, is not anti-American, but has the meaning things are going totally wrong since the Bush administration has entered the White House. He's glad he can state this meaning in all freedom, also with thanks to the Americans of long ago. See for more information about me my site www.johanpeters.net (partly in English). Email Johan Peters: johan.peters@johanpeters.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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