I never thought Sarah Palin could say something that would leave me totally speechless, but this time, she's done it. Reports Politico:
Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday accused President Barack Obama of not acknowledging the sacrifices made by the men and women in the U.S. military.
"There's been a lack of acknowledgement by our president in understanding what it is that the American military provides in terms of, obviously, the safety, the security of our country," Palin said during an interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren. "I want him to acknowledge the sacrifices that these individual men and women - our sons, our daughters, our moms, our dads, our brothers and sisters - are providing this country to keep us safe."
Hasn't acknowledged their sacrifices? Seriously? What's this look like?
It looks, to me, like more than the last President did.
This president also fought for, and got passed and signed advanced funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, so that we can honor the sacrifices from our troops and veterans, by properly taking care of them. Advance Funding has been a top priority of all veterans groups for a while. President Obama made it into law.
The president ended the Stop Loss policy, which involuntarily extended troops in theater past their commitment - one of the most offensive policies to troops who made incredible sacrifice. The President ended the ban on photos of the return ceremony for the fallen at Dover Air Base and other ports of entry, allowing families to decide if their loved ones casket could be shown. Now, all of America can join in the solemn return ceremony, and see those who made the ultimate sacrifice be honored.
This president also ordered his Pentagon to re-prioritize their funding requests, to move away from high-end, unneeded weapons systems, and towards on-the-ground equipment that our troops in the field right now desperately need. One of those big ticket items, funding for more F-22s, was finally ended under the Obama administration, while funding for more desperately needed on the ground Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (MRAPs) was increased. Who opposed ending F-22 funding? Palin's party. I had a throwdown with a GOP Congressman on TV about it.
Where was Sarah Palin, saying Phil Gingrey wasn't acknowledging the sacrifices of our troops? I just checked my cell phone records, and no, she definitely didn't call me to say she stood with the troops on that issue.
Afghanistan? Yes, I want the President to make a call as much as anyone, and wish he could have started to formulate a new strategy earlier. But, at the end of the day, I'd much rather him take time to get the strategy right than just roll the dice on a gut feeling and hope for the best. Making sure the strategy in Afghanistan is right, and that we have what we need to get it done and leave, is much more respectful of our troops and the sacrifices they make. Only someone who had no concept of their sacrifice would shoot first, ask questions later.
Of all people, Sarah Palin knows what sacrifices troops make - her son is one. That none of the above even remotely registers in her mind can mean only two things - either her mind exists on an entirely different planet, or she knows she's being completely disingenuous for political reasons.
It seems many military people have made up their mind. As my colleague Richard Smith reports, prior to Palin's visit to Ft. Bragg, book stores couldn't give her book away. Wonder why? |
