This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate Peter Clemens says a new mailer by Rep. Rob Bishop literally invites war with Islamic State group terrorists and shows he is irresponsible.
Bishop's new mailer with a picture of an F-35 fighter says on one side, "ISIS is good at making threats. But Republican Congressman Rob Bishop and the 23,000 Air Force personnel at Hill Air Force Base have a message for them … BRING IT ON."
The reverse side says Bishop is a longtime defender of the base and, as a senior member of the House Armed Service Committee, he helped it to attract the new F-35.
Clemens, a retired Army Reserve captain and doctor, said the mailer is "a reckless piece of propaganda that is irresponsible at best and has the potential for dire consequences."
He added, "Inciting terrorists to violence with a chicken-hawk boast of 'bring it on' does not reflect responsible stewardship. ... Instead, the inflammatory nature of this postcard places our military at risk of retaliation."
Clemens said former President George W. Bush "foolishly stated 'bring 'em on' when taunting Iraqis who were attacking American-led forces in Iraq. This was one of the few statements he ever admitted regretting, when he said in 2006 that this 'kinda tough talk sends the wrong signal to people.' "
Clemens said it's time for Bishop, a former high school history teacher, "to learn from the recent history right in front of his nose."
Bishop's campaign manager, Andy Pierucci, said in response to Clemens, "Rob is extremely proud of the work the military and civilian workforce do at Hill Air Force Base. They are integral in defending this country against our enemies, which is a message Rob is constantly sharing with his colleagues in Congress."
He added, "Unfortunately people like Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton purposefully downplay threats against our country so they can try and justify further cuts to our military. Rob, however, sees through their falsity and will always be a strong and unwavering supporter of our military and Hill Air Force Base."