I absolutely LOVE the Shinseki pick for VA Chair

[RollWithIt]

When a President selects a VA chair he should immediately take two things into account.

Does the individual understand the hardships and care that our Veterans expect and deserve?

Does the individual understand the longterm costs associated with current combat troops in the field and future deployment concerns from a longterm perspective.

It speaks volumes to Obama's commitment to change to select the one General who stood up in front of Congress during the leadup to the Iraqi war and TOLD THE TRUTH. He didn't mince his words. He didn't subscribe to the short term thinking of the Neocons. He got up there and under oath he calmly said that we would need hundreds of thousands of troops to quell the postwar violence. That shows his forward thinking.

Fantastic selection.

[firedupdem]

1. I think he's an absolutely great pic for that position! n/t

[grantcart]

2. It is brilliant and it will also be a signal to all in the military that Obama wants

straight talk and not a bunch of yes people.

As always its absolutely brilliant.


Even those in the military who didn't support him will love this appiontment.

[Ilsa]

3. He is a fantastic choice, and I am pleased that he has agreed to take

this job for PE Obama. Another good choice would have been Rick Noriega, the Democrat that ran against John Cornyn's Senate seat in Texas. Noriega has fine military credentials, but Shinseki is the best to lead.

[rockymountaindem]

4. It's nice to see someone be rewarded for being right

Because all too often it seems that people who screw up all the time are saved by their good connections. A few people have made whole political careers out of it...

[scytherius]

5. Fantastic! n/t

nt

[silverweb]

6. Agree completely.

No one better for the job.

Experience, brains, commitment, and compassion for the people who now need his leadership the most.

[Vattel]

7. great pick

that pick and Susan Rice are my favorites so far.

[eleny]

8. Shinseki finally gets a "thank you" from the highlest level of our government

[RollWithIt]

12. Ironic, don't you think?

Only took 5 years. But ya. Brilliant.

[eleny]

15. That certainly wasn't lost on Obama

A nice poke in the eye to Bush/Cheney. Two bastards with one jab.

[RollWithIt]

18. The part I love the most...

It's basically like saying, "Fuck you, you got everything wrong. We're nominating the guy who was right and had a brain. BTW, fuck you."

[ProSense]

9. Shinseki is a great choice.

The media will not mention in their current reports the extent to which they went in 2004 to denounce John Kerry's claim that Shinseki was forced out.

Forced to Retire?

Kerry claimed, as he had in the first debate, that the Army's Chief of Staff, Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, was forced to retire for saying before the invasion of Iraq that many more troops were needed than the administration was planning to send.

Claim: Kerry said that former Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki was forced out for comments on Iraq troop levels.

CNN Fact Check: Kerry implies that Shinseki was forced to retire as a result of his comments about troop levels in Iraq, which is inaccurate. Shinseki served a full four-year term as Army chief of staff, and did not retire early. Since World War II, no Army chief of staff has served longer than four years.

link

Well, at least they are now acknowledging the facts:

Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, belittled the estimate as "wildly off the mark" and the army general was ousted within months. But Shinseki's words proved prophetic after President George W. Bush in early 2007 announced a "surge" of additional troops to Iraq after miscalculating the numbers needed to stem sectarian violence.

link

[opihimoimoi]

10. A 2 Fer....it also is a slap on Donald Rummydummy

[FrenchieCat]

11. Gen. Shinseki was also seriously wounded while serving tour in Vietnam......

Shinseki served in a variety of command and staff assignments in the Continental United States and overseas, including two combat tours with the 9th and 25th Infantry Divisions in the Republic of Vietnam as an artillery forward observer and as commander of Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment. During one of those tours, he stepped on a land mine, which blew off the front of one of his feet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Shinseki

He is also a native of Hawaii.

[RollWithIt]

13. The man is a warrior with a mind....

I wish we had more like him.

[HughMoran]

14. I agree - excellent choice IMO

This guy needs to be rewarded for his willingness to tell the truth at the expense of his job. I couldn't be happier about this pick. Clearly he understands the sacrifices that were required prior to going into Iraq.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. I was truly hoping that he would be acknowledged for his wisdom!

This position more than vindicates him...

It's a great pick!

[Bluenorthwest]

17. Excellent choice

Without a doubt.

[Uzybone]

19. Its another great pick

Obama is picking an excellent cabinet minus the odious but understandable presence of Bob Gates.

[lebkuchen]

20. Jim Nicholson was the worst VA sec. on Earth

abysmal. There will be a lot of cleaning up to do after the nitwits who roamed the executive branch for much too long take their money and run.

[uponit7771]

21. K&R

[happychatter]

22. I spent the week prior to the Iraq Invasion at the local VA.... did an informal survey

I just asked everyone I chatted with... all Veterans,

"Do you think we should go to Iraq?"

Not ONE person out of a hundred (approximately) thought it was a good idea.

not one... they all said "We'll do what we're told to do. We always do."

But no one thought it was a "good idea," or even "necessary."

[BeyondGeography]

23. It's poetic

And I'm sure Shinseki will do a great job.