With no message of their own on the Iraq War which has been weighing down their election hopes, Republicans seized upon Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry's message to students that "if you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well.  If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Since they have nothing beyond empty slogans about "Supporting the Troops" while not actually doing anything concrete to benefit our fighting men and women, this opportunistic nitpicking reaches new depths of hypocrisy.  After all, Mr. Kerry's statements reflect an undeniable truth:  Pentagon figures show that enlisted troops have considerably less experience less college experience than the general population:  about 10% compared to 56%.

This low figure does not demonstrate a lack of intelligence in the enlisted military as the Right-Wing insists Mr. Kerry implied; but rather, a lack of educational and occupational opportunities stemming from Republican policies.   To name a few: the vastly under-funded No Children Left Behind Act; vast tax cuts for the wealthy; the assault on affirmative action; and corporate tax loopholes that ship good jobs overseas.    Combined with burgeoning healthcare costs, insurance premiums and gas prices, the window of opportunity has closed for many—thereby making the military an attractive option for those who fall victim to deceitful recruiters.  These are the kids who are being sent to Iraq.

I doubt that Mr. Kerry, a combat veteran himself, meant to disparage those who envisioned military service as a means of improving their lot in life; but rather was directing criticism toward the hypocritical, cowardly politicians whose support of the troops is limited to slapping a yellow ribbon on their SUV.