Second thoughts

One of the keys to the GOP "winning" the 2000 presidential election were overseas ballots from military personnel. Bush was able to "gain" enough of a margin through those ballots that Florida called the state for him.

However, close to 700 of the military ballots were improper, according to the New York Times. Military ballots are viewed as favoring Republicans so they were probably responsible for the 500-plus "win" by Bush.

"Citing the Florida Department of State's web site, the Times reports that without the overseas ballots counted after election day, Gore would have won Florida, and thus the White House, by 202 votes."

So four years later one has to wonder how many of those soldiers are having second thoughts

In a Knight Ridder story (registration required) one soldier put it "I don't have any idea of what we're trying to do out here. I don't know what the (goal) is, and I don't think our commanders do, either. I feel deceived personally," Staff Sgt. A.J. Dean.

Another added "A lot of times I look at this place and wonder what have we really done. When we first got here, we all wanted to change it and make it better, but now I don't (care)," he said. "What am I here for?"

Sounds like Democrats should do better at the polls in 2004. In 2000 the Bushies "won" on military ballots (well actually the Times found that it was more like Republican military ballots, a number of which shouldn't have been counted) so you have to wonder this time whether the Bushies will decide to limit the number by saying "only legal ballots should be counted"?