Urbandale, Iowa (CNN) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry accused Barack Obama of caring more about politics than American troops on Wednesday, blasting the president for not planning a major parade to welcome home soldiers from the war in Iraq.
The last combat troops left the country last week, after nearly nine years of fighting.
“This president wouldn’t welcome home our many heroes with a simple parade in their honor,” the Republican presidential candidate told a packed house at The Machine Shed restaurant in Urbandale.
“Maybe it’s because this war isn’t popular with the Democrats, I don’t know," said Perry, who has tacked to the right in a final campaign push before next Tuesday's Iowa caucuses. "But Mr. President, our soldiers come first. It comes before party politics. We need to welcome our soldiers home. Give them that parade. Give them that pat on the back.”
Perry, an Air Force veteran, repeatedly mentioned the Armed Forces during his morning remarks and twice appeared to choke up when talking about the the sacrifices made by members of the military and their families.
From CNN Politics
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He's a REPUBLICAN politician with Big Oil ties. He's part of the reason the troops there to begin with and If he had his way the troops would still be there guarding the oil fields for his petro-pal$. After all, having our oil companies hire BLACKWATER to take and hold the Iraq oil fields would have cut into their profits. It was much more fiscally wise to waste US Tax dollars and US MIlitary lives to do it.
Can they get home, spend time with friends/family for a minute before worrying about a parade? ...and we all know if the President even mentioned the word parade this quickly, he'd be blasted for not taking their service seriously.
As a retired Air Force colonel, let me say that Perry, an Air Force veteran, is a complete buffoon.
Perry is done as a candidate but he is right about Obama. He does not care about anything above politics including the people that protect us. There is a lot of unfortunate truth to it being a democrat thing to always look down on our armed forces. I came in after college and served for 14 years and saw a lot of elitist liberals with open disdain for the military.
hhahaahahahahaahahaha... OMG... ahahahahaha thank you thank you thank you for proving what is a priority for the republicans. Forget the fact that our troops are no longer in Iraq, of course that means nothing, Obama is against the troops because he hasn't given them a parade. What a great great great comment and one that truly captures todays republican party.
is this guy still talking? REALLY? he is just one big joke. And the joke gets funnier the more he talks. he can only talk about what or how the PRESIDENT should've done something AFTER PRESIDENT OBAMA has DONE IT. Typical rethug. The fact that the troops are home is wonderful and I'm sure their families and loved ones are thrills beyond words. So merry perry lets hear what your plans are for the USA.
And if there was a parade Perry and others on the right would complain about the cost.
Obama 2012 – Because intelligence matters!
Perry cares more about ILLEGALS than he does AMERICAN citizens. Perry wants to educate ILLEGALS for free at the AMERICAN TAXPAYERS expense but wants Americans to pay full tuition, Perry has his head on backwards. No parade for the Vietnam Vets, no parade for the Iraq vets. Both of thes wars should not have happened. We did the Afghanistan war wrong, had we done it correctly, there would be no Afghanistan today. that country would be barren. Please vote Republican so we can send more American Treasure and our Young soldiers to Iran.
Why would there be a parade? Many of these soldiers will be going to Afghanistan. What is there to win and what was there to win in Iraq? When was the last parade held to honor soldiers coming back from war – sure wasn't Vietnam. Obama has always placed soldiers first! Perry, get back to Texas so you can continue to collect your "retirement" and governor's paycheck, only something a selected few can do in the state of Texas.
translated.."obama cares more about power" than US troops. What else is new, Perry?
The afgan war is not over. Why don't we wait since both wars were fought under the same principle and have a welcome home parade for both. Would not seem fair to include one but not the other right now
shut the crap up......we're all glad they are finally home.....we need jobs not parades.....besides why the hallabaloo over a parade for our troops, did America give the Vietnam Vets a parade?.......this is trivial crap from the GOP to try to make Obama look bad............get with the program......everytime you GOP open your mouths to run the President down it only takes you futher down in the gutter.
Give me a break. Um, isn't the fit that Obama brought the soldiers home proof that he cares about them? Sounds like Perry is the one playing politics.
You a lier Perry ....President Obama and first lady been with the US Troops for a long time.
Stop lying on the president trying to get vote.
When does Texas have their's planned? That's where a majority of our military taxes go. Or will Rick only honor the memory of his Confederate Bretheren??
You mean this war is/was popular with republicans? This guy takes pandering to a new level. Rick...buddy....there's no parade because there's no victory lap here, okay? Obama is pulling the US out of Iraq because military personnel will lose their immunity within the Iraqi justice system as of 1-1-12. Up until now, the US military has disciplined it's own – the way it should be. In my mind, Obama has already given the US armed forces a huge thank you by pulling them the heck out of there.
Parade. Like that's the best way to honor the soldiers. How about proper health care for those coming home with catastrophic injuries? Or financial assistance for those losing their homes because the family breadwinner was deployed overseas?
What a simpleton.