Most veterans, particularly Vietnam-era veterans, know the pain their fellow Americans inflicted on those who fought that war. The "antiwar movement" - no matter how lofty its intentions - essentially blamed that war on the warriors and left deep scars on many of them. It has taken decades for those who choose military service to regain the respect of all of their countrymen. In the current presidential race, how a candidate proposes to deal with Iraq matters a lot to veterans and for them national interest trumps party affiliation.