DURING THE 2004 presidential campaign, Republicans went out of their way to disparage the war record of Senator John Kerry. George W. Bush tepidly distanced himself from these comments with a smirk, and continued to release his attack dogs.
Has Jeff Jacoby ("Democrats, the military, and McCain," Op-ed, July 13) bought into the adage that members of the GOP who are in the military are patriotic by nature whereas Democrats who are in the military somehow have to prove their patriotism?
The foolish uproar over General Wesley Clark's comments a few weeks ago is a case in point. Democratic critics of Senator John McCain haven't said anything that isn't true. General Clark did not take away from McCain's service, he was just (if you'll excuse the expression) engaging in a little straight talk of his own.
The real problem is this: Military service has been thoroughly tainted by politics.
Perhaps we should take the advice of Senator Jim Webb of Virginia and keep politics out of the military and military service.
RAHUL SIVAPRASAD
Portsmouth, N.H. 
