Saturday, September 6, 2008

Letter: Veteran criticizes John Kennedy

Original Link: http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/25493269.html

As a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, I have a fundamental problem with Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Kennedy.

I voted for Mr. Kennedy in his last election bid for U.S. Senate. Now Mr. Kennedy has decided to switch parties and does not think people will look at his party label.

Many people of Louisiana would like to know when this change of heart occurred. In 2004, Kennedy endorsed Sen. John Kerry and called the policies of President Bush “cold and mean” and said his tax policy was “nonsense on a stick.”

Apparently, Mr. Kennedy supports the failed policies of President Bush. This is most disturbing because of the current state of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the war in Afghanistan and his opposition of the Webb/Hagel GI Bill until he sensed defeat.

The Bush administration refuses to be accountable on the VA debacle. Veterans are not treated for post-traumatic stress disorder as a measure of cost savings. Treatment clinics receive bonuses on the basis of paying out the least in claims to veterans.

Soldier deaths in Afghanistan are now exceeding those in Iraq. This is a result of the continued Bush and McCain policy of retreat against Osama bin Laden and terrorist networks in Afghanistan. If we would have finished the job the first time, we would not have these problems. Wait, didn’t Mr. Kennedy support the opposite position at one time?

Mr. Kennedy will not be able to run from the failed policies he now supports. Veterans like me will not allow a continuation of the policies that have caused increased suicides and the destruction of families of those who served. We will not support half-finished work.

David Brignac
loss prevention
Baton Rouge

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