February 11, 2004 | Daily Mislead Archive
Bush Still Refuses To Release Military Documents
On Sunday, President Bush pledged in the Oval Office to release any and all
documents related to whether he fulfilled his Vietnam-era National Guard
duty.1 And yesterday, the White House claimed the documents it released
fulfilled that Oval Office pledge. However, just hours after that
declaration, White House communications director Dan Bartlett "confirmed
that Bush's complete personnel file is being forwarded to Washington from an
archive in Denver" but only "for review"2 by the White House - not
necessarily release to the public.
Military experts said records like those being "reviewed" by the White House
could definitively prove where Bush was, unlike those documents released
yesterday, which do not. But records such as those being "reviewed" by the
White House "cannot be released without Bush's authorization," a process
that would simply require the president to sign release forms.3 To date
"Bush has not consented, despite his claim that he made public all his
records in 2000."4 Without that authorization, the government has denied
Freedom of Information Act5 requests seeking relevant documents.
The White House claimed the documents it released yesterday show "President
Bush fulfilling his duties in the National Guard"6during Vietnam. However,
the documents released actually showed that Bush "did not receive military
pay from May to September of 1972" - a five month gap in service where Bush
also "refused to take his annual physical and was grounded as a pilot."7
White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to say whether Bush actually
showed up for service, only saying that Bush was paid. In all, the records
"do not show the exact nature or whereabouts of Bush's service during that
period."8
In a year spanning 1972 and 1973, Bush claims to have served in the Alabama
National Guard and in Houston, but the White House cannot produce a single
human being to validate that claim. While Bush says there is "no evidence"9
to prove whether he did or did not show up for service, that is not true -
those who would have overseen his service specifically report that he was
absent. In Alabama, the commander of the unit Bush would have been in said
today, "He never did come to my squad. He was never at my unit."10
Additionally, in a signed report, commanding officers in Houston said Bush
"has not been observed."11
Meet the Press, 02/08/2004.
"Guard Records On President Are Released", Washington Post, 02/10/2004.
National Personnel Records Center.
"New Bush Guard records raise new questions", Salon, 02/11/2004.
Freedom of Information Act Response to Martin Heldt, 7/19/00.
White House Press Briefing, 2/10/04.
"New Bush Guard records raise new questions," Salon.com, 2/11/04.
"Guard Records On President Are Released", Washington Post, 02/10/2004.
Meet the Press, 02/08/2004.
"Bush met military obligation, aide says," Birmingham News, 2/11/04.
"Guard Records On President Are Released", Washington Post, 02/10/2004.
http://www.misleader.org/daily_mislead/Read.asp?fn=df02112004.html
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