From CBC.ca

"WASHINGTON (AP) - Angered by his administration policies they contend endanger national security, 26 retired U.S. diplomats and military officers are urging Americans to vote U.S. President George W. Bush out of office in November.

The group, which calls itself Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change, does not explicitly endorse Democrat John Kerry for president in its campaign, which will start officially Wednesday at a Washington news conference.

Among the group are 20 ambassadors, appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents, other former U.S. State Department officials and military leaders whose careers span three decades.

Prominent members include retired marine Gen. Joseph Hoar, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East during the administration of Bush's father; retired Adm. William Crowe, ambassador to Britain under former president Bill Clinton and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under former president Ronald Reagan; and Jack Matlock, a member of the National Security Council under Reagan and ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1987 to 1991.

The White House referred calls for comment to the Bush-Cheney campaign. Campaign spokesmen were not immediately available.

"We agreed that we had just lost confidence in the ability of the Bush administration to advocate for American interests or to provide the kind of leadership that we think is essential," said William Harrop, former president Bush's ambassador to Israel, and earlier to four African countries.

"The group does not endorse Kerry, although it more or less goes without saying in the statement," said Harrop.

Harrop said he listed himself as an independent for years for career purposes but usually has voted Republican.

The former ambassador said diplomats and military officials normally avoid making political statements, especially in an election year.

"Some of us are not that comfortable with it, but we just feel very strongly that the country needs new leadership," Harrop said.

He said the group was disillusioned by Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and a list of other subjects, including the Middle East, environmental conservation, AIDS policy, ethnic and religious conflict and weapons proliferation"

--- I must concur with them in that I feel an absolute sense of disdain for this current administration and its policies, only time will tell if Bush and Co. will be sent packing. From the depressing daily news on Iraq for many months, policies that seem to encourage torture, the ability to violate the rights of even American citizens, to a lack of courteous diplomacy in dealing with other nations, net loss of American jobs (outsourcing is good people) not to mention the brutalization of the English language by an American president unlike any other and I didn't even mention environmental policies, goes without saying where Bush stands on that subject.

Americans must wake up in November or Bush and the Neo-cons will have a renewed vigor come post elections to continue doing whatever they feel the need to, civil rights be damned my fellow Americans. God help us all if "they're" re-elected.

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