It never ends. Limbaugh:

During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq “phony soldiers.” He made the comment while discussing with a caller a conversation he had with a previous caller, “Mike from Chicago,” who said he “used to be military,” and “believe[s] that we should pull out of Iraq.” Limbaugh told the second caller, whom he identified as “Mike, this one from Olympia, Washington,” that “[t]here’s a lot” that people who favor U.S. withdrawal “don’t understand” and that when asked why the United States should pull out, their only answer is, ” ‘Well, we just gotta bring the troops home.’ … ‘Save the — keeps the troops safe’ or whatever,” adding, “[I]t’s not possible, intellectually, to follow these people.” “Mike” from Olympia replied, “No, it’s not, and what’s really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media.” Limbaugh interjected, “The phony soldiers.”

The hypocrisy:

Limbaugh denounced as “contemptible” and “indecent” MoveOn.org’s much-discussed advertisement — titled “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?” — critical of Gen. David Petraeus, but has repeatedly attacked the patriotism of those with whom he disagrees. For instance, on the January 25 broadcast of his radio show, he told his audience that he had a new name for Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), a Vietnam veteran: “Senator Betrayus.” A day earlier, Hagel had sided with Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in voting to approve a nonbinding resolution declaring that President Bush’s escalation in Iraq was against “the national interest.”

[...]

As Media Matters has also documented, on the August 2, 2005, program, Limbaugh repeatedly referred to Iraq war veteran and then-Democratic congressional candidate Paul Hackett as “another liberal Democrat trying to hide behind a military uniform” and accused him of going to Iraq “to pad the resumé.”

Conservatives like Rush don’t support our troops–they see them as convenient political props to advance their own agendas. As long as soldiers provide them a veneer of respectability and toughness, conservatives support them. But whenever someone in uniform speaks out against Republicans and their harmful policies, conservatives have no problem tearing them down.

Remember the attacks on Vietnam veterans John Kerry, Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel. Remember the attacks on four-star general and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark. Remember the attacks on the countless soldiers and generals who have spoken out against the Republican’s destructive Iraq policy over the years.

Sadly, this is business as usual for Limbaugh and his ilk–attack our brave soldiers who put their lives on the line because they disagree with you. I don’t think military leaders or soldiers are incapable of making mistakes or should be immune from criticism–if they make mistakes, if they behave badly, they should be dealt with appropriately. But there is no excuse, none at all, for attacking soldiers just because they disagree with your political views. Political opinions in no way mars, taints or stains the brave service of American soldiers, nor should it.

Your modern Republican Party–supporting our troops, as long as they keep their mouths shut. Shameful.

UPDATE: Just for the record, Limbaugh never served a single day in uniform–though he was eligible to be drafted during Vietnam since he dropped out of college, Limbaugh received a medical deferment  due to a Pilonidal sinus.