title:  Trump Accuses American Soldiers Of Stealing Millions Of Dollars Of Aid Money In Iraq (VIDEO)
text: From the very outset of Trump s improbable political career one thing has been abundantly clear: His contempt for the American soldier borders on pathological.While he occasionally gets goaded into praising the troops (with all the enthusiasm of a hostage held at gunpoint), the Republican nominee, who deferred his own military service in Vietnam a number of times, more often than not shows nothing but outright disgust for them. He famously accused John McCain of being a loser because he was captured and tortured by the North Vietnamese (while Trump was sitting out the war). He more recently used the military to avoid partaking in an uncomfortable primary debate and then refused to give veterans the money he raised until he was exposed.And now, in a moment that is sure to be Hillary Clinton s very next campaign ad, Trump accused unnamed Iraq War veterans of stealing millions of dollars from the U.S. government that was meant to help rebuild the war-torn country. If it s not immediately obvious, that would be a massive crime. Trump tossed around the accusation almost casually.Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump, ladies and gentlemen: Iraq, crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money? Millions and millions of dollars and handing it out? I want to know, who were the soldiers who had that job? Because I think they re living very well right now. Trump, as could be expected, offers absolutely zero proof that this took place. Another conspiracy to add to his vault full of them.In fact, the soldiers who returned home from Iraq are not doing  very well right now.  Having served their country in a war without a clear objective, they got back to discover that the Republicans who sent them there now had no interest in helping them. Struggling with war injuries both physical and psychological, high rates of suicide and devastating unemployment, the veterans of the most wealthy nation on earth were kicked to the curb.In 2014, Senate Republicans unilaterally killed a  sweeping $21 billion bill  that would have  expanded medical, educational and other benefits  for these troops. Their reasoning? It s an  entitlement  that we cannot afford.Republicans have charged the bill was too expensive and disputed the way it would be paid for with overseas contingency operations funds used to fund the war in Afghanistan. And that, Republicans argued, wouldn t amount to real savings, since the money wouldn t have been spent anyway with the war winding down by year s end.If there were baskets of money sent to Iraq. It certainly doesn t seem like the troops who served there came home with any.Kudos to Donald Trump. In a week where one might have assumed accusing the President of the United States of helping ISIS was the lowest thing he could do, he managed to dig a little deeper. It s a wonder he has any supporters left.UPDATE: As expected, Donald Trump s campaign has rushed to do damage control. Spokesperson Hope Hicks claimed Trump was referring to Iraqi soldiers, not American ones. A blatant lie given the exact quote (go back and re-read it), but undermined even further by the fact that, as Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs noted, Trump has previously made a similar claim about American soldiers stealing money (as far back as 2015).He also suggested that some American soldiers charged with distributing money to fund the Afghan and Iraqi government embezzled it instead.  I want to know who are the soldiers carrying suitcases with $50m?  asked Trump.  How stupid are we? I wouldn t be surprised if those soldiers, if the cash didn t get there. Trump doesn t even have the guts to stand by what he said. Sad!Featured image via Darren McCollester/Getty Images