Considering that our country continues to engage in a trillion dollar war, running twice as long as the Revolutionary War or the War in Vietnam . . .
and considering our new foreign policy of Mutual Assured Lunacy, I was curious how many politicians have had military experiences.
Twenty-six of forty-five US Presidents served in the military . . .
and by "served", it appears that most Internet lists are including "service" as General of the Army to "service" as Rich-Daddy-Minimal-Inconvenience-Stay-Out-Of-The-Draft-Token-Placement.
A few of the Presidents who did not serve in the military, include all six presidents from 1909 to 1945: Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, and Roosevelt.
During the last war with a military draft, Clinton, Obama, and Trump did not serve because one of them was placed on a series of student deferments by using political connections to obtain special favors, one of them was 14 when the war ended, and one of them had ouchie feet with a transitory sort of ouchieness . . .
although, as indicated above, the other president elected during that time has a dubious record of actual service.
Seven US Presidents served during the American Civil War: Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, and McKinley.
Eleven US Presidents were generals including two Generals of the Army: Washington and Grant. Buchanan served as a private during the war of 1812.
All US Presidents from 1945 to 1993 served in the military.
Seven served during WWII: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and H.W. Bush.
Truman served during WWI and Carter graduate from the United States Naval Academy one year after WWII ended.
According to Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44762 Membership of the 115th Congress:
102 members or 18.8% of the 115th Congress served in the military compared to 64% of the 97th Congress (1981-1982) and 73% of the 92nd Congress (1971-1972).
In 2002, one Republican and 20 Democrats in the Senate voted against the Use of Military Force against Iraq.
Hillary, who has said she attempted to join the marines after law school, voted for the war but now calls it a mistake.
One of the many low points was when Karl Rove, Iraq War colluder, and Vietnam War avoider (by student deferments and creatively misplaced letters), attacked Senator Cleland (a triple amputee Vietnam Veteran) for opposing the invasion of Iraq.
H.W. Bush recently blamed Donald "Known Unknowns" Rumsfeld and Dick "I Had Other Priorities and Therefore Avoided the Vietnam War" Cheney for W. "I'm The Decider" Bush's spectacular war blunder.
#Military #War #Peace #Politics
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