From: eyc@acpub.duke.edu (EMIL CHUCK)
Newsgroups: alt.rush-limbaugh,alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.clinton,talk.politics.misc,alt.politics.elections
Subject: Re: EDITORIAL: Bush wargames prove deadlier than Billy's Nerf football
Date: 28 Sep 92 02:28:16 GMT
Followup-To: alt.rush-limbaugh
Organization: Duke University; Durham, N.C.

This is my current reply to the editorial I typed up a few minutes ago.
Any suggestions and comments are helpful either for or against.


To the editors:

Eric Larson in his Sep 25 1992 editorial ("Bush wargames prove deadlier
than Billy's Nerf football") uses a rather unique approach in analyzing
the foreign policy experience of both Presidential candidates by using
the candidates' experiences with sports be indicative of their approach
towards war and perhaps extrapolated to their approach towards foreign
policy.

Although I am not sure of the historical validity of whether Bill
Clinton ever played football while in Arkansas under his grandparents'
care, I do have to take issue with his analogies that Clinton's
"football" experience indicates that he would be a better
commander-in-chief than George Bush is highly absurd.

The issue with military experience goes beyond whether or not Clinton
dodged service in Vietnam. What is at issue is the possibility that a
man not only with no military experience but also with a negative
attitude towards military service in controversial military conflicts
would be able to effectively lead our nation's military into military
conflicts. Please recall that Bill Clinton himself said during the
climax of the Gulf Conflict that "I guess I would have voted with the
majority if it was a close vote.  But I agree with the arguments 
the minority made." It seems to me it isn't only George Bush who "cares
more about winning a war and an election."

In any athletic competition, you must push your team to perform to the
best of its abilities. This is why there are "pep talks." Psychologically,
your team must think it will achieve its goals and victory. This was
also the case for Duke basketball games during last year. During the
Duke-Virginia game last year, Grant Hill who was substituting in the
point-guard position for an injured Bobby Hurley became injured during
practice. I sat outside in the front of the line and saw Grant Hill
walking in with a bandaged ankle and limping. Ask anyone in that front
part of the line: we were concerned. Yet when Bobby Hurley actually
practiced and substituted into the lineup, the crowd went hysterical.
Now, I doubt the coaches kept Hurley's entrance a secret intentionally,
but sometimes you don't always tell your troops everything so they can
concentrate on victory and not become distracted.

Being commander-in-chief is not like being a quarterback or even a
football coach. Every decision taken has the consequence that lives are
at risk and may be lost. Bush has seen lives lost among his squadron
during the heat of battle; Clinton has not even offered his life to fight
for his country.

In answering the question offered by Mr. Larson: Which is worse, acting
like a sixth-grader and treating a game like a war, or acting like a
President and treating a war like a game, both have their problems. Mr.
Larson thinks the latter choice is worse, but if our President
acts like a sixth-grader with respect to military conflict, then he will
not see the consequence of any action he takes. This sixth-grader growing
up in the South cannot understand how horrifying war really is. No sixth
grader can take his strategies using GI Joe models and translate them
into warfare; you can buy more models to play your game, but that
liberty is not offered in real war.

I admit Mr. Larson is likely writing his editorial in a tongue-in-cheek
fashion, but if Mr. Larson says that Bush's deployment of troops makes
Bush completely out-of-touch with the reality of war, then I wonder if
he would have any reservations about serving in the military should a
military conflict break out in a Clinton Presidency.

Mr. Larson likely thinks that selecting a President is much like rooting
for a sports team. Unfortunately, if this sports team disappoints you,
you can't jump ship.

-- 
Emil Thomas Chuck		DUKE BLUE DEVILS: 1992 ACC CHAMPIONS!
Biomedical Engineer 1993	1992 EAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!!
Duke University, Durham, NC	AND 1992 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!
August 31, 1992 - May 16, 1993	Taking life pretty seriously. NOT.
Xref: sparky alt.rush-limbaugh:6664 alt.activism.d:3577 alt.politics.elections:15364 alt.politics.bush:7909 alt.politics.clinton:8716 talk.politics.misc:49840 talk.abortion:40906