Republicans support the troops...

...Not!

Republicans like the troops... to do what they're told and then they should STFU or else they'll will be called traitors. We must not question Dear Leader.

As ReddHedd at FDL reports:

In today's NYTimes, James Webb, former Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan Administration and former Marine platoon and company commander in Vietnam, calls the attacks on Jack Murtha for what they are: a baseless political smear, coordinated by a group with deep ties to the far right of the GOP.

And he calls those behind the attacks for what they are as well:

The political tactic of playing up the soldiers on the battlefield while tearing down the reputations of veterans who oppose them could eventually cost the Republicans dearly. It may be one reason that a preponderance of the Iraq war veterans who thus far have decided to run for office are doing so as Democrats.

A young American now serving in Iraq might rightly wonder whether his or her service will be deliberately misconstrued 20 years from now, in the next rendition of politically motivated spinmeisters who never had the courage to step forward and put their own lives on the line.

Republicans don't get to say they are for veterans, while simultaneously attacking any vet who criticizes them, firing those military personnel who dare to put their men's safety ahead of the political expediency of the moment, by cutting veteran's benefits, and decimating the reserves and national guard through piss poor planning decisions.