'Chickenhawk'

Boston Globe ^ | July 23, 2006 | Jeff Jacoby

[West Coast Conservative]

``IT'S TOUCHING that you're so concerned about the military in Iraq," a reader in Wyoming e-mails in response to one of my columns on the war. ``But I have a suspicion you're a phony. So tell me, what's your combat record? Ever serve?"

You hear a fair amount of that from the antiwar crowd if, like me, you support a war but have never seen combat yourself. That makes you a ``chicken hawk" -- one of those, as Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, defending John Kerry from his critics, put it during the 2004 presidential campaign, who ``shriek like a hawk, but have the backbone of a chicken." Kerry himself often played that card. ``I'd like to know what it is Republicans who didn't serve in Vietnam have against those of us who did," he would sniff, casting himself as the victim of unmanly hypocrites who never wore the uniform, yet had the gall to criticize him, a decorated veteran, for his stance on the war.

``Chicken hawk" isn't an argument. It is a slur -- a dishonest and incoherent slur. It is dishonest because those who invoke it don't really mean what they imply -- that only those with combat experience have the moral authority or the necessary understanding to advocate military force. After all, US foreign policy would be more hawkish, not less, if decisions about war and peace were left up to members of the armed forces. Soldiers tend to be politically conservative, hard-nosed about national security, and confident that American arms make the world safer and freer. On the question of Iraq -- stay-the-course or bring-the-troops-home? -- I would be willing to trust their judgment. Would Cindy Sheehan and Howard Dean?

[AdvisorB]

FDR and Lincoln never served in the military. I don't think James K. Polk had military credentials and he increased the size of America by 50% much of it through armed conflict.

[RedRover]

And, on the other hand, Jimmy Carter served in the military and gave us the mullahs in Iran.

[snowman1]

Yeah, but JIMMAH"S stuck on stupid. And to call shooting yourself in the ASS with rice like JFINGKERRY and get a purple heart is total BS.

[TWohlford]

Strangely, those in the military are almost unanimous in their opinion that we're doing the right thing in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that the MSM has it all wrong.

Funny that the Left disqualifies opinions from "Chicken Hawks" but is also deaf to those in the military whose opinion doesn't match theirs.

[AdvisorB]

Touche!

[xzins]

While the "veteran" claim can be as Ann Coulter has pointed out "an argument from 'human shield'" it is also true that veterans, and especially war veterans, do have a perspective that needs to be heard.

When doing agricultural policy, it's good to get all the politicians and their budget and science folks in the room.

But occasionally someone should ask a farmer for his opinion.

[WayneM]

Using the chickenhawk argument, one should never call out the police if he or she has not served as a police officer.

[RedRover]

And only people who grow food should eat (as I believe Victor Davis Hanson said recently).

[Graybeard58]

I served and hereby give my exalted permission to anyone who hasn't, to have an opinion./s

That's why we served isn't it?

[Dreagon]

I'm a chicken hawk. While soldiers shoot terrorists in the Middle East, I go to left wing websites and pick on chickens. Just doing my little part :)

[Marius3188]

Lincoln served a total of 90 days, his first 30 day enlistment as a Captain and the other two as a Private, he had amazing insights in the operations of War, that would be obvious later.

Polk attained the rank of Colonel and served in the Calvary.

[angus 4man]

Ditto for this ex-USAF vet. Is not civilian control of the military guaranteed by our constitution?

[jiggyboy]

Using the chickenhawk argument, one should never call out the police if he or she has not served as a police officer.

Nah, worse than that: you shouldn't even be in favor of police responding to any crime, anywhere.

[TVenn]

``Chicken hawk" isn't an argument. It is a slur -- a dishonest and incoherent slur.

Dear Mr. Chicken hawk,a.k.a. Jeff Jacoby,
Please contact your nearest military recruiter.
Your nation is at war.

Jeff Jacoby

[AdvisorB]

I stand corrected. What regiment did FDR serve in?

[Marius3188]

Nada. He fell in love with the Navy(Sec. of the Navy) and did a hell of a job with them.

I think having served as the Sec of the Navy really did prepare him for the War.

[vbmoneyspender]

I salute you for your efforts at moderating the chicken population.:-)

[Mamzelle]

I think Jacoby should have left this one alone. He just sounds sensitive and offended and defensive.

When I hear Bill Kristol spout off about "hegemony" I sometimes hear clucking in the background.

But my gripe with the neocons comes from what happened in the Balkans and how they never seem to have to answer for their helpfulness to Wesley Clark, Biden, Albright, McCain in turning over so much territory to the Muslims.

The jibe of "chickenhawk" has sticking power--if it didn't, the neocons wouldn't be so intent on playing jocksniffer to John McCain. His war record gives them cover.

[AgThorn]

As usual, the left has gotten it upside down again. I would think that 'chickenhawk' is most appropriate for those that never served and currently critize the military, or the war in Iraq, etc. NOT those that support our military, or our current fight against terrorism OR those that critize Kerry for his 'fake' service and his stand AGAINST the brave 'real soldiers' of the vietnam conflict. He is a sorry excuse of a wannabe veteran, nothing more.