Retired military leaders say Obama is best choice

STAUNTON — Retired Navy Rear Adm. Jamie Barnett honors the POW and long military service of John McCain, but believes Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama will make a better commander in chief if elected the country’s next president.

Barnett, retired Army Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy and retired Marine Sgt. Maj. John Estrada stumped for Obama in Staunton on Saturday at the Staunton Public Library.

Barnett said Obama will have a much broader national security view as president, a view that will allow him to look at “diplomatic, financial and military options.”

“He understands the diplomatic process,” said Barnett, who said Obama is willing to sit down at the negotiating table with foreign adversaries.

Barnett last served as deputy commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, which has more than 9,000 sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A Northern Virginia resident, Barnett senses a frustration among the commonwealth’s 800,000 veterans with the national security and foreign policy of the Bush administration.

“They see the failed eight years of Bush policies,” Barnett said.

Gail Gitcho, a spokeswoman for the Virginia McCain campaign, said McCain “strongly disagrees with Barack Obama’s strong support for presidential summits with foreign dictators and state sponsors of terrorism. Barack Obama said that he will meet personally with leaders of Iran and other rogue nations without precondition. John McCain believes that such unconditional presidential summits would undermine multilateral diplomacy now underway.”

Estrada, who held the rank of sergeant major in the Marine Corps, the highest enlisted position, said Obama is committed to a strong national defense that includes adding 65,000 soldiers in the Army and 27,000 more Marines.

“I’m confident he will not use the military recklessly,” said Estrada, who said Obama will get the United States out of Iraq and force the Iraqis to take responsibility for their country.

Barnett said Obama’s commitment to replenishing the military with thousands of new members will help avoid such issues as the multiple rotations members have served in Iraq. “We have people serving their fourth and fifth rotations,” Barnett said.

Barnett said Obama would not only increase military readiness and retention, but would take care of veterans and their families. He described Obama’s commitment to veterans as “sacred duty.”

Clark Stevens, an Obama Virginia campaign spokesman, said Obama’s support includes voting for the new GI Bill, a zero tolerance for homeless veterans and “making sure men’s and women’s needs in uniform are a priority.”

Gitcho said McCain will enlarge the size of the armed forces to meet new challenges to U.S. security. Gitcho said Obama’s record does not show he is supportive of adding new members to the military.

“Obama’s own running mate, Joe Biden, has criticized Obama for refusing to vote for critical troop funding,” Gitcho said. “Barack Obama votes ‘yes’ on nearly every pork-barrel spending bill, but when asked to vote on a bill to fund American troops and the equipment they need to protect themselves while in harm’s way, Barack Obama unequivocally voted no. That’s not the leadership that America’s brave servicemen and women are looking for in their commander in chief. This is just one more example of Barack Obama being not ready to lead.”