In February, President Bush told a national television audience that he
would "absolutely"[1] authorize the release of all records pertaining
to his military service after questions had arisen about whether he
fulfilled his duty. Days later, the White House claimed it released
everything, with Bush campaign spokesman Terry Holt telling Fox News the
documents were "black and white proof that the president served in the
National Guard."[2] But, as Associated Press now reports, the White House
has only released "partial documentation" and has refused to comply with
the news service's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the
rest of the public record.[3]

As AP notes, "records released so far do not put to rest questions over
whether Bush fulfilled his National Guard service for a period during
the Vietnam War."[4] Just last week, the Pentagon claimed that key
records still not made public about where Bush was were "inadvertently
destroyed."[5] While the White House did acknowledge the missing records in
February, AP reports that the President still has not authorized the
release of copies of destroyed records that are legally required to exist
at the Texas state archives.[6] That is why the news agency has had to
file a FOIA request.

In its legal brief demanding the President release the documents he
promised to release, AP wrote, "A significant, ongoing controversy exists
over the president's military service during the Vietnam War,
specifically whether he performed his required service between May and October
1972...The public has an intense and legitimate interest in knowing the
facts concerning the president's military service. Reviewing the
microfilm copy of the personnel file at the Texas Records center could well
answer the questions that have been raised." AP said full disclosure
would give the public the whole story and also answer questions about
"allegations that potentially embarrassing material was removed from Bush's
military file in 1997."[7]



Sources:

1. "Transcript for Feb. 8th Guest: President George W. Bush," MSNBC
News, 2/13/04, http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47062.
2. "White House Releases Bush Military Pay Records ," Fox News ,
2/10/04, http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47063.
3. "AP Continues Push for Bush Military Records," Editor & Publisher,
7/16/04, http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47064 .
4. Ibid., http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47064.
5. "Pentagon Says Bush Records Of Service Were Destroyed," The New York
Times, 7/09/04, http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47065.
6. "AP Sues for Bush Guard Records," Editor & Publisher, 6/22/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47066.
7. "AP Asks Judge to Order Quick Release of Bush Military Records,"
First Amendment Center, 6/23/01,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1214970&l=47067.

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