Wednesday, October 2, 2002

William Fielder's recent letter to the editor in support of Saxby Chambliss' bid for the United States Senate left out one critical fact: Saxby Chambliss is a chickenhawk (a term often applied to public persons who urge military solutions to political problems, yet have personally declined to serve in uniform during wartime).

Rep. Chambliss graduated college in 1966. When his country asked him to serve, Chambliss begged off, citing "bad knees." Bad knees have not kept Rep. Chambliss from his lifelong passion for all outdoor sports (hunting and fishing).

Lack of service didn't keep Chambliss from casting doubt on the patriotism of U.S. Sen. Max Cleland (a dedicated war veteran who lost limbs in Vietnam). Chambliss specifically accused Cleland of breaking his "oath to protect and defend" the Constitution and the nation in a 1997 Senate vote on an amendment to the chemical weapons treaty.

Perhaps the New Hampshire Gazette summed it up best when they referred to Saxby Chambliss as a "belligerent draft dodger."

Bob Jensen

Peachtree City