From the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer:WASHINGTON --The chairman of the United Service Organizations defended its decision to pair with MoveOn.org to provide phone cards to U.S. troops after some USO board members were outraged by a partnership with a group that opposes the Iraq war.
At least one board member, Vietnam veteran John Gioia, called for USO President Edward Powell to be fired over his decision to accept more than $350,000 from MoveOn's members to buy phone cards for troops overseas.
In September, MoveOn angered opponents and even some supporters by placing an advertisement in The New York Times in advance of congressional testimony by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, about the status of President Bush's war strategy. The ad said, "General Petraeus, or General Betray Us?"
That's hardly a sentiment felt by USO board members, many of whom are retired military officers or Bush appointees.
There were rumblings of discontent over Powell's decision last month to accept MoveOn's offer to e-mail its 3.3 million members soliciting $15 contributions to pay for the phone cards.
"USO is partnering with an anti-war, anti administration organization that castigates the efforts of General Petraeus and our troops - past and present - who have served in Iraq," Gioia said in an e-mail to other USO directors and employees. "I am disgusted by this action."
Maybe the troops should accept the cards and use them to call the defeatists who want to pull the troops out before the job is done. Here are some phone numbers for starters:
Harry Reid (202) 224-3542
Nancy Pelosi (202) 225-4965
Barack Obama (202) 224-2854
Hilary Clinton (202) 224-4451
John Edwards (919) 636-3131
Chris Dodd (202) 737-3633
Dennis Kucinich (202) 225-5871
Hat tip: Michelle Malkin
