Staff of Idaho Republican Insults Iraq War Veterans

So, I am wondering if the media that made a big deal out of certain Edwards staff members saying things some Catholics might not like are going to pick up on the Idaho Sen. Larry Craig’s chief of staff tirade against Iraq War Vets.

From the Idaho Press Tribune:

Anti-war vets say Craig’s staff rude
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 6:01 AM EST

By Mike Butts - Idaho Press-Tribune

BOISE — Two veterans who belong to an anti-Iraq-war group claim Idaho Sen. Larry Craig’s chief of staff treated them inappropriately Tuesday in a meeting to discuss President Bush’s move to expand the number of troops in Iraq...

Army Reserve Capt. Jon Soltz, 29, and former 101st Airborne Division Sgt. Joe Kramer, 31, say Chief of Staff Mike Ware raised his voice or yelled at them and pointed at them during a scheduled meeting in Craig’s office.

The two soldiers and two other Iraq war veterans with the anti-war group VoteVets met with Ware and Craig’s legislative assistant for military affairs. Craig spokesman Dan Whiting said the men agreed to disagree before the soldiers left after about a 30-minute meeting.

But Soltz and Kramer said Ware went too far.

“It’s probably the most unprofessional thing I’ve ever heard from a chief of staff of a U.S. senator,” Soltz said. “I told him it was rather unprofessional to yell at a soldier who fought for our country.”

...Soltz said he ended the meeting when things got hot. Kramer said Ware shook his finger at the veterans and he and Ware raised their voices at each other.

“He got pretty loud and I got emotional,” Kramer said. “It really kind of blew me away.”

Republicans only respect the troops when they are dying for Halliburton. But God forbid those sodiers have an OPINION of their own!

A spokseperson from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition that includes VoteVets, had this to say:

“It is deplorable and unpatriotic that Senator Craig would tolerate his top aide treating these brave men who fought for their country in Iraq with hostility and disrespect,” said AAEI’s Moira Mack. “The actions tolerated by Senator Craig and perpetrated by his staff are an affront to all veterans and our troops all around the world. What message does it send to our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan when a U.S. Senator and his staff show such disdain and disrespect for the sacrifices of their fellow solders and veterans? The veterans who are part of VoteVets.org are committed to winning the war on terror but strongly disagree with President Bush’s failed strategy in Iraq. That Senator Craig would allow his top aide to treat our brave fighting men this way is a reflection on him and his lack of support for our troops.

“If Senator Craig wants to demonstrate his support for our troops, he will issue an immediate apology for the way his office treated these brave veterans and he will stop obstructing a debate and vote on Iraq policy in the Senate through his support of a filibuster.”

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