Bushs military records destroyed...hmmmm, and no backup copies????

[reeds]

Bush military records destroyed


"Mr Bush trained as a pilot in the National Guard
Documents that could have decided a dispute over President George W Bush's days in the military 30 years ago have been destroyed, the Pentagon says.
Microfilm containing the pertinent payroll records for the Texas-based Air National Guard had been damaged and could not be salvaged, it said.

Democrats have accused the president of ducking the draft call to Vietnam in favour of less dangerous duties.

The White House has released some records in a bid to refute the charges.


'No back-up copies'

The destroyed files included President Bush's pay records for two three-month periods in 1969 and 1972, a Department of Defence statement said.

"Searches for back-up paper copies of the missing records were unsuccessful," it added.

The 1969 period is not contentious for Mr Bush, as it is already known he was training to be a pilot at the time.

But in 1972 he moved to Alabama to work on a political campaign, and opponents say he failed to turn up for guard duties during this time.

'Beyond doubt'

The lost records might have thrown some light on whether he fulfilled his legal commitment.

Doubts were first raised nationally about Mr Bush's service during the 2000 presidential campaign and the issue has resurfaced as Mr Bush fights for re-election.

Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has said Mr Bush must come clean on what he did.

A White House spokeswoman has said the documents already released prove beyond doubt that President Bush "fulfilled his duties in the National Guard at the time".

'Inadvertent destruction'

The microfilm containing the records apparently disintegrated as staff were trying to preserve it from decay.

The loss was announced by the Pentagon's Office of Freedom of Information and Security Review in letters responding to media demands for full access to Mr Bush's records.

"The Defence Finance and Accounting Service has advised of the inadvertent destruction of microfilm containing certain National Guard payroll records," said the letter, signed by the office's chief C Y Talbott.

It added that in 1996 and 1997 the microfilm records of "numerous service members" from the first quarter of 1969 and the third quarter of 1972 were ruined - Mr Bush's among them.

Mr Bush trained as a pilot while a member of the Texas and Alabama air national guard but never flew in combat.

He left the national guard in 1973 with an honourable discharge to attend Harvard Business School. "



Here is the JOKE about this board..not ONE republican in this room will think this is a big deal or even an issue...but sure as hell, if it were Kerrys records lost..oh my god, it would be like Bill and Monica all over again....

[dude1394]

Please tell me why it is?

And more so what proof do you have that it was "destroyed on purpose" which is what you are implying.

[mavsman55]

Reeds, this is absolutely pointless. Does there even need to be military records of what went on? The real records are in people's heads. It's not like nobody has any idea what went on.

[reeds]

100% exactally the responsed I was certain I would get..

Its pointless because its your god almighty President Bush..if it were Kerry, the world would be coming to an end...

[dude1394]

Still curious why you feel this is important?

[reeds]

im still curious why you do not??

[dude1394]

Because he was honorably discharged, flew a fighter pilot and many,many people have either vouched for him or remember him. It's all political reeds. Although it's nice that our leaders have served in the military (in fact I think all should) it's not critical.

It's only being brought up because the dems feel that the more they can draw attention to kerry's military record, the less people will pay attention that he was a war criminal.



I brought that last one up to get under your skin. However since he called all of the soldiers war criminals then he is as well.

[Mavdog]

wow, what stellar logic. who needs records?
I can see it now, their standing and saying "records? we don't need no stinkin' records.."

This is an easy concept one would think for a Bush supporter, he talks about it all the time.
It's called accountability.

I don't believe the military service of Bush should be an issue, unless something more egregious than a few missed days/weks come out.

But this should be information that is archieved, and the destruction raises more questions than were there before.

[dude1394]

No one says "who needs records". Yes the destruction does raise more questions from the grassy noll crowd. But as you mention it just isn't that big a deal since

I don't believe the military service of Bush should be an issue, unless something more egregious than a few missed days/weks come out.

So either
1. You think there is a vast conspiracy to get rid of these records.
2. You think bush should also be responsible for his 20 year old records (that he doesn't control).
3. I think it's all a bunch of politics. I'm okay with that, politics is a rough and tumble business. But I was responding to reeds intimation that I would ONLY say this because I'm a blind partisan because

but sure as hell, if it were Kerrys records lost..oh my god, it would be like Bill and Monica all over again

Of course none of this should be an issue but the Dems and Terry McCauliffe and Michael Moore want to make it one. Ok, fair game, but I'm not too impressed by it.

I'm not exactly sure that kerry's wifes' taxes have been released, nor his divorce papers, not that I really care. But if you are going to throw stones better not live in a glass house.

I'm not even sure if all of his military records have been released to be honest, I seem to remember some brohaha about it earlier, that died down. Go figure, huh.

[Mavdog]

Originally posted by: dude1394
No one says "who needs records".

see post above with just such an absurd concept.

Yes the destruction does raise more questions from the grassy noll crowd. But as you mention it just isn't that big a deal since

So either
1. You think there is a vast conspiracy to get rid of these records.

I am skeptical of any malfeasance by GWBush during his miltary time. I am not so confident of the manner in which the records were "lost".

2. You think bush should also be responsible for his 20 year old records (that he doesn't control).

no, they have the people in records to do that.

3. I think it's all a bunch of politics. I'm okay with that, politics is a rough and tumble business. But I was responding to reeds intimation that I would ONLY say this because I'm a blind partisan ....Of course none of this should be an issue but the Dems and Terry McCauliffe and Michael Moore want to make it one. Ok, fair game, but I'm not too impressed by it.

If the records proved nothing either way, it shouldn't be an issue. why these records disappeared shows a very negative character flaw of those in the administration tho

I'm not exactly sure that kerry's wifes' taxes have been released, nor his divorce papers, not that I really care. But if you are going to throw stones better not live in a glass house.

I'm not even sure if all of his military records have been released to be honest, I seem to remember some brohaha about it earlier, that died down. Go figure, huh.

why you would try to move the discussion away from an act (destroying the records) to fanciful questions on a spouse's tax return, or Kerry's miltary records (which I'd bet haven't been destroyed) is revealing. it shows that there is no defense for these records being destroyed.