‘Bush wasn’t up to scratch’

WASHINGTON – The White House released memos Wednesday night saying that George W Bush was suspended from flying fighter jets for failing to meet standards of the Texas Air National Guard.

The Vietnam-era memos add new dimensions to the bare-bones explanation of Bush’s aides over the years that he was suspended simply because he decided to skip his annual physical exam. With national security and the war on terrorism looming large on voters’ minds, supporters of Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry are attacking each candidate’s Vietnam War records.Republicans have accused Kerry, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, of fabricating the events which led to his five medals.Democrats point to gaps in Bush’s stateside Air National Guard service in 1972 and 1973 to say Bush shirked his duty.On Tuesday, the Defence Department released more than two dozen pages of records about Bush and his former Texas unit.They showed Bush flew for 336 hours in military jets after his flight training and ranked in the middle of his class.- Nampa-APWith national security and the war on terrorism looming large on voters’ minds, supporters of Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry are attacking each candidate’s Vietnam War records.Republicans have accused Kerry, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, of fabricating the events which led to his five medals.Democrats point to gaps in Bush’s stateside Air National Guard service in 1972 and 1973 to say Bush shirked his duty.On Tuesday, the Defence Department released more than two dozen pages of records about Bush and his former Texas unit.They showed Bush flew for 336 hours in military jets after his flight training and ranked in the middle of his class.- Nampa-AP