Dunleavy's Open Letter To John Kerry

Steve Dunleavy, in this morning's New York Post, has written an open letter to John Kerry in support of George W. Bush's election (I refuse to use the term "re-election"). In the next few days, Dunleavy's son, Peter, will be reporting for duty in Iraq. Dunleavy's response to Kerry "making it look like those guys and gals are just victims — wrong war, wrong time, wrong place [a phrase he repeats three times in the letter]", sounds remarkably as though it were directly lifted from Rush Limbaugh's transcripts:

How dare he say that to our brave boys and girls? How dare he whisper it — let alone shout it to the whole world?

Now, I can see how someone with no particular vested interest in the Iraq war could be so deliberately blind to the faults of our current administration, but how can someone whose son is being sent to Iraq take this stance? How can you, at this point, deny that the U.S. invaded Iraq under false pretenses? Or question that this administration isn't coming close to spending enough money to protect our soldiers with simple things like body armor? And how can you possibly take the stance that if you are not in support of this war, you are not supporting our troops? If you are a mere armchair quarterback, like most supporters of this war, then it's understandable.



It is clear from the article that Dunleavy's son wanted no part of his Dad's political grandstanding:

Now I am somewhere in Oklahoma to see off Capt. Pete, 37, my eldest boy. I ask him what he makes of Kerry's talk. "Dad, we don't listen to politicians. We listen to our commanding officers," he says, growing bored already with the conversation.

Dunleavy goes on to call Jane Fonda "Kerry's soul mate." This struck me as familiar. This is mainly because linking Kerry with Jane Fonda is exactly what the Bush propaganda film Stolen Honor tries to do. What a coincidence.



As despicable as it sounds, I get the feeling that Dunleavy didn't even write this letter, or he was forced to write it, as it reads exactly like the piece of right-wing propaganda it is. The only thing missing is the "Americans are safer" tag.



I honestly feel that Army Capt. Peter J. Dunleavy is a victim, not only of this administration, but of his father's wicked exploitation.



Just how powerful is this Murdoch guy?