Iraq War Watch: Destroying the Chicken Hawk Argument

The Boston Globe: Are you a ‘chicken hawk?’

“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?”

Sound familiar?

Remember…….

And whether you have fought for your country or never had that honor, you have every right to weigh in on questions of war and peace. Those who cackle “Chicken hawk!” are not making an argument. They are merely trying to stifle one, and deserve to be ignored.

And look at John Kerry, Al Gore and Wes Clark….all military guys who are WRONG most of the time on matters military and foreign policy.

But, then again, what does a dentist know?

Common sense goes along way……

McQ has some thoughts:

“Chicken hawk” is indeed a slur and its use is dishonest. Like political correctness, it is an illogical and mean-spirited attempt to stifle debate not encourage it. Those who use it hope to shame their opponents. Much like hurling charges of racist or homophobe in any argument containing elements of race or sex, they bank on their ability to shame their opponent into silence or into defending against the charge. When that happens, they win.

What those of us who might be tagged with this label have to do is reject it completely and utterly and point out that those who persist in using it that they are the dishonest ones.

Indeed…

Update:

Larry Elder has Born-again GI Joes

Do those who call non-military war supporters “chicken hawks” wish to confine the Iraq debate to only current and former members of the military? This excludes over 90 percent of living Americans. But, for the sake of argument, let’s confine the Iraq war debate to those who served in the military, active and reserve, current and retired. Polls show 70-80 percent of military personnel supported Bush’s re-election.

We are at war against Islamo-fascism. Reasonable people can debate the validity and prosecution of the war in Iraq. But reasoned debate and cheap shots are two different things.

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