Everybody knows John McCain knows what war is about. Do the other leading Republican candidates for president? They are certainly bellicose enough in current statements to make their stance clear on what the US should do now.   And in 2004, they enthusiastically trashed John Kerry's military record.

Well, let's see how they handled their own personal choices on fighting in the Vietnam War.

Per Salon: 20 July 2007

Guiliani:

Reached his 20's during the Vietnam War. At Manhattan College, then NYU Law School, he qualified for a student deferment. However, in 1968 he graduated, and his draft status changed to A-1. At that time he won a clerkship with Federal Judge Lloyd McMahon. So he quickly applied for another deferment based on his judicial clerkship. Selective Service denied the claim. So he convinced Judge McMahon to write to the draft board, asking for another deferment on grounds that he was an "essential" civilian employee. It worked. He got the deferment. In 1969, with the new lottery system, Rudy drew a high number.


Romney:

Student deferment also. But he left Stanford after 2 semesters, in 1966. Mormons in each state could select a limited number of young men to be missionaries. Romney's father was governor of Michigan at the time--no one knows if this had any influence. Between July 1966 and February 1969, Mitt was not enrolled in school. But the Mormons in Michigan selected him to be a missionary. He told the Boston Globe "I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam.." But instead he was a missionary--in France.