...best led, best equipped fighting force.....

US Presidental candidate John Kerry gave a speech in Seattle, Washington on May 27th, 2004. During that speech, he made the following statement, "As president, on my first day in office, I will send the message to every man and woman in our armed forces, this commander-in-chief will ensure that you are the best led, best equipped fighting force in the world, and you will be armed with the right weapons, schooled in the right skills and fully prepared to win on the battlefield."

I think that politicians around the world make statements like this because most nations hold their military in high regard, so saying that you fully support the military is a way of "wrapping yourself in the national flag" so to speak. But John Kerry's voting record while serving as a Senator does not jive with his rhetoric. During the 1990s, he voted against every major weapons platform. He voted against bills that funded the purchase of the M1A1 Abrams tank, the Bradley fighting vehicle, the F14, F15, & F16, plus the B2 stealth bomber. These are all important weapons platforms for the United States military. I just can't see how John Kerry can make a statement like this when his actions don't correspond with his words.