WaPo calls McHenry an Iraq War veteran

Or he claimed to be. One or the other. I saw it first in the Dallas Morning News. The article says the Washington Post and McClatchy contributed. That reminds me of the Fox news penchant for labeling disgraced Republicans as Democrats!

It was corrected in the Post's online edition but has appeared in other papers that ran the story like the Indianapolis Star, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Arizona Republic, The Birmingham News, the Honolulu Advertiser and Albany NY's Times-Union.

It's in an article about Petraeus' House testimony:

Leading Democrats rejected Gen. Petraeus' vision.

"Removing a brigade is nothing but a political whisper, and it is unacceptable to the American people and a majority of Congress," said Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which sponsored the hearing with the House Armed Services Committee.

Republicans, in contrast, seized on the plan as a political lifeboat after months of being forced to vote against measures repudiating Mr. Bush's policy.

"Let the generals in the field dictate," said Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, an Iraq war veteran.

I'm sure McHenry wishes he was a veteran. I'm sure he presented himself as if he were a veteran. Great reporting, national media. What boneheads!

This is what McHenry said last month when asked by a constituent why he hasn't served and has no relatives serving in Iraq:

Shelby resident Betsy Wells asked about the Iraq War. She mentioned her nephew, who joined the Army after 9/11, and is on his third tour of duty in Iraq. She explained that this young man had changed his life goal because of the threat to the country. She asked, with your constant support of George Bush’s requests for the War, why aren’t you in uniform fighting in Iraq?

McHenry's response: My life's plan in my 20s did not include that. I serve my country in other ways. I wouldn't want to say that my sacrifice is near what the troops have sacrificed.

Betsy: Are any of your brothers or sisters in Iraq? McHenry: No.

Betsy: Do you have family or cousins in Iraq? McHenry: Yes, (but he did not elaborate).

Betsy: “Would you support a withdrawal date for removing troops from Iraq? McHenry: Emphatic No. "That would mean we lose." He said, it's better to fight them over there than here.

Betsy: “Why are more Congressman’s children not serving?” McHenry: "I don’t have any children, yet." He said he hopes to have children some day "after I meet the right woman."

He said he's looking forward to the General Petraeus report.

He told citizens that he want the bi-partisan bickering to stop. Failing to distinguish between parties, he went on to say that the situation gone on for too long. The only thing to fix it, is "throw the bums out."