Kirk defends his war time record in Iraq and Aghanistan

Dear Friend:

The negative campaign being waged against my 21 years of service in the United States Navy Reserve turned from dirty to ridiculous. Yesterday, WFLD allowed a partisan surrogate for Alexi Giannoulias to make ludicrous accusations without challenge or correction.

According to Giannoulias’ surrogate State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora), I should “apologize to all the veterans especially the veterans during the Vietnam era because that’s when he supposedly served.” I was 13 years old when the Vietnam Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973.

Rep. Chapa LaVia was on a roll. She also said “allegations are starting to come out where he falsified that he served in Iraq and Afghanistan too.” I served over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch in 2000 and twice served in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Watch the clip below:

These are just two of many misleading assertions now emanating from Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign. At this point, it’s hard to take what he or his representatives say seriously.

Our state and this nation face serious issues: high unemployment, a soaring federal debt and the tragedy in the Gulf. After Broadway Bank’s collapse and massive losses in the Illinois Bright Start college savings program, Treasurer Giannoulias and his campaign surrogates will tell you anything to change the subject.

In the end, we will win this election because our ideas are better. We want a brighter future for Illinois families based on lower taxes, less spending, clean government and private sector job growth. We also want a brighter future for America with a strong national defense and unwavering support for democratic allies like Israel. And the people of Illinois do too.

I want to thank you all – especially my fellow veterans – for standing with me. Working together, we will return this Senate seat to its rightful owners – the people of Illinois.

Very truly yours,

Mark Kirk

Member of Congress