why does a five-times deferred asshole address West Point grads???

[Skittles]

AND WHY THE F*** DO THEY APPLAUD HIM ?????
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/26/politics/main2855402.shtml

[Captain Angry]

1. Because he is 1st in line to being their Commander in Chief

And is the one behind the scenes actually pulling the strings.

Furthermore, one thing you learn at the service academies is to show respect to the leadership, even if they're a blithering idiot.

So, this is nothing special. The kind of stuff these kids went through to get into an academy was enough to teach them they have to kiss butt when expected to.

That doesn't mean they won't go home and take a shower while screaming UNCLEAN, but they won't do it in uniform.

[Skittles]

3. I was in the military

I would not have applauded that chickenhawk piece of SHIT if they held a GUN TO MY HEAD

[Captain Angry]

4. Fair enough.

My brother's Army and was in the room when they did the fake turkey bullshit in Iraq a few years back with Bush.

My dad's Air Force and worked for the Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon in the Reagan years.

I got the distinct feeling from both of them, that it was best to smile and look pretty while the "important" person was there, or you'd find yourself in extremely bad assignments.

[Skittles]

5. displaying respect by not verbally assaulting the SOB is one thing

WILDLY APPLAUDING a guy who flat-out said he had BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN SERVE HIS COUNTRY but has no problem starting illegal and immoral wars is f***ing SICK

[Captain Angry]

7. That is absolutely true.

I didn't watch the Cheney video because I like my computer. I'm not going to do something that will cause me to start violently kicking it.

My brother is stuck on convoy protection, and is doing double duty because he is apparently good at sniffing out ambushes. So now other groups get him to go along.

It's about this time that I'd like him to get (temporarily) good at crystal-meth or being gay so that he can come home safely.

[sarge43]

14. Your feeling is dead on

and a nasty assignment is the best the messenger can hope for.

[Erika]

2. Pathetic, isn't it

Cheney had "better" things to do than fight wars according to him. West Point should have snubbed him completely.

[quiet.american]

6. Excellent question -- this reminds me of the garden club scene from The Manchurian Candidate. n/t

[krispos42]

8. Did they treat them like they treat Bush?

Applause at the beginning, applause at the end, and dead silence in between, even at the so-called 'applause lines'?

That's more telling, I think.

[NJCher]

9. I don't know but I had to post to tell you

I loved your thread title. This sort of thing is why I come to DU.



Cher

[leftofthedial]

10. because we're fucked

[shenmue]

17. Uh-huh

That about covers it.

[LibDemAlways]

11. I would be willing to bet that if you asked

the average cadet in the West Point graduating class of 2007 about Cheney's military service, they wouldn't have a clue that he's a draft dodging sob. Most would probably guess that he served in the Vietnam era.

Ignorance is a huge part of the problem. If they knew the coward sought multiple deferments and is on record as having said he had "other priorities" those graduates would have sat on their hands.

Whoever invited him to speak owes the cadets an explanation and an apology. They deserve better.

[sarge43]

12. Whoever had no choice.

The Point isn't a private university. It's funded by our taxes and staffed by active duty officers who have to follow orders. Whoever was told the Dickster would speak and that was that.

You're right about the ignorance. Those kids are two generations removed from Nam. At most they studied Nam as a tactical problem; the social problems, unlikely. "Draft? What's a draft?"

Those grads have a much better solution than sitting on their hands. They're going serve their minimum commitment and then split. Check out the stats on the Army's junior officers bailing. They're being realistic in a cynical situation.

[liberal renegade]

20. more than likely

he invited himself, just like he invited himself to be "GW Dipshits" VP...

[no_hypocrisy]

13. Yeah, equivalent of how a corporal from WWI ended up commanding the German

military machine, ignoring career officers, and who almost ended up conquering all of Europe. Corporal Schikelgruber became the Fuhrer. Nobody laughed at Hitler once he was in charge. Same thing with Cheney, with this difference: Hitler rushed to enlist, experienced combat, and was temporarily blinded by mustard gas, whereby he understood the experience of war. Cheney used every device to avoid it.

[formercia]

19. Hitler served his country

at least the military at the enlisted level respected him. he was a messenger and did a lot of crazy shit that would have been the death of most. he earned that Iron Cross.

On that note, he also deserved to be publicly hanged for his crimes against humanity, instead, he took the coward's way out and killed himself.

As far as Fearless Leader is concerned, he doesn't even deserve an National Defense Service Ribbon.



Red is for the blood we never shed.
Blue is for the seas we never sailed.
White is for the bandages we never wore.
Yellow is for who we are.

As for Cheney, I won't even waste my time.

[MGKrebs]

15. Perhaps the only Univ. where he could go and not get booed.

[formercia]

22. One of the few places he could retaliate

against anyone who did.


Classic Bully.


I be he would whimper like a child if sent to Gitmo.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Because he's white and well-connected.

He's the "IT" in Stephen King's novel.

[KansDem]

18. Why does a military deserter COMMAND those troops?

:shrug:

[ncteechur]

21. Because the commandant is a tea bagger?

[rodeodance]

23. because the powers that be are screwed up!!

[onenote]

24. because he's vice president?

And its pretty much the rule for the graduation speech at West Point to be given by the president or vp. Cheney spoke in 2003, in fact. And Bill Clinton also spoke at West Point.

Give it a rest.