Veterans, Public Opinion, and the War in Iraq

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President Bush used this Veterans' Day to strike back at critics of the war in Iraq. He accused "some Democrats" of trying to "re-write history" with "false charges" about how the war began, and said American troops deserve to know their leaders support the war they were sent to fight. As American soldiers are returning from a war that's losing public support, how are they treated when they come home? Are they themselves skeptical about the mission they risked their lives for? Are they receiving medical and financial benefits commensurate with their sacrifice? We speak with several veterans, including one who returned from Iraq to successfully run for Congress in a district President Bush had carried in landslide proportion just a few months before. Making News: The Bush Veterans' Day Speech Speaking in Pennsylvania today, President Bush said critics of the war in Iraq are making "false charges" and trying to "re-write history." Richard Wolffe is Senior White House Correspondent for Newsweek magazine. Reporter's Notebook: The Changing Technology of Warfare The armistice that ended World War I went into effect in 1918, 87 years ago to the day. Armistice Day was declared a holiday in 1926, and it was changed to Veterans' Day in 1954. With the passing of many decades, the nature of warfare has changed. Two areas in which that is most obvious are technology and medicine. Historian Richard Kohn, former Chief of History for the US Air Force, considers the evolution of combat.
President Bush used this Veterans' Day to strike back at critics of the war in Iraq. He accused "some Democrats" of trying to "re-write history" with "false charges" about how the war began, and said American troops deserve to know their leaders support the war they were sent to fight. As American soldiers are returning from a war that's losing public support, how are they treated when they come home? Are they themselves skeptical about the mission they risked their lives for? Are they receiving medical and financial benefits commensurate with their sacrifice? We speak with several veterans, including one who returned from Iraq to successfully run for Congress in a district President Bush had carried in landslide proportion just a few months before.
  • Making News: The Bush Veterans' Day Speech
    Speaking in Pennsylvania today, President Bush said critics of the war in Iraq are making "false charges" and trying to "re-write history." Richard Wolffe is Senior White House Correspondent for Newsweek magazine.
  • Reporter's Notebook: The Changing Technology of Warfare
    The armistice that ended World War I went into effect in 1918, 87 years ago to the day. Armistice Day was declared a holiday in 1926, and it was changed to Veterans' Day in 1954. With the passing of many decades, the nature of warfare has changed. Two areas in which that is most obvious are technology and medicine. Historian Richard Kohn, former Chief of History for the US Air Force, considers the evolution of combat.

President commemorates Veterans' Day, discusses War on Terror

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Warren Olney