Tom at Functional Ambivalent concludes a fine analysis of patriotic criticism of one’s country with this:
I was raised to respect veterans, to honor their service and listen to their voices. Jean Schmidt clearly was not. She could have made her point without insulting the service of a brave man. She could have explained in passionate words the importance of the war to this country and the world. But she didn’t. Instead, in the service of politics, not patriotism, Schmidt said what she said. Make no mistake about why she said it, and how little it had to do with patriotism.
Go read the whole essay.