A Female Vietnam Vet Weighs in on War and the Upcoming Presidential Election

Political analysts droll on and on about demographics. Presidential hopefuls spin rhetoric about platforms and causes. The war in Iraq in one of the hot topics again.

I interviewed one not-so-average American voter to get her opinion on the war and her choice for President in the upcoming election.

What is your name and age?
My name is Markey McCrae. I'm 55 years old.

Where do you live?
Indiana

Could you give a brief description of your military career?
I am a Vietnam Era Veteran.
I was one of the first female Jet Engine Instructors in the United States Air Force.
I was "U.S. Air Force Training Command Instructor of the Year" in 1976 and was "Instructor of the Month" several times at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois.

In his recent address to the nation, President Bush described his vision for the U.S. role in Iraq. What changes would you like to see in the way the war is being handled?
I would like to see more emphasis placed on the Iraqi's themselves taking more responsibility for driving the insurgents out of their country. If the people being oppressed were more vigilant in turning in suspected terrorists and standing up for themselves we would see major progress toward getting our troops home. It will be decades before we can completely pull most of our troops from Iraq. But, in light of the instability of the entire region, I do not believe there will ever be a time when we will completely be able to remove our military presence. Nor would it be prudent to do so.

What is your opinion about the troop build up in Iraq?
We must, at all cost, finish what we have started. We cannot cut and run. We should have learned from Vietnam and Korea that an unfinished job remains an unfinished job forever. Much is said by the media and the politicians about how unfair it is to the troops. We must remember that ours is an all-volunteer military. I believe that if the politicians would let the military run the war we would be closer to a victory than we are now.

When a soldier has to stop and think about whether he/she should follow orders or worry about some future criminal charges there is something wrong with the system. I am not advocating that our troops should perform illegal acts. However, when military hands are tied, when they are not allowed to fight a war, then we are not accomplishing anything at all. Right now, this war is being fought in the media. Not by the soldiers, who have been trained to do so.

Which of the presidential candidates do you feel has the best plan for the troops and the nation? Why?
Fred Thompson is the only candidate that has taken the time to find out what the American people want and expect in a presidential candidate. In my opinion, Fred is the grassroots candidate. He believes in the basic moral values that have made this country what it is today.

He has the fortitude and experience to bring back respect for our nation. He can bring a sense of unity. Other candidates tend to build their campaigns on differences instead of similarities. His senate voting record shows that he acts on his beliefs and represents the millions in the country that do not find the term "Conservative" offensive.