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On August 17, 2007, [[Tony Perkins]] of the Family Research Council wrote:<ref name="FRC"/>
:"Last year, Pete formed an organization called Vets for Freedom, whose growing influence is the feature of a lengthy article in today's Washington Times. Pete says he started the group because he felt the 'pro-mission vets' voice,' was not being heard in the debate."
In a July 17, 2007, article published by Military.com, Christian Lowe wrote that, in 2006, Pete Hegseth "was leading Soldiers in combat, tamping down the flames of the sectarian bloodletting that erupted after a massive explosion demolished the so-called 'Golden Mosque' on his home turf of Samarra, Iraq ... Despite the danger, he saw value in his mission of stabilizing Iraq and fighting terrorism. ... But his fight didn't stop upon his return to high-intensity civilian life in New York City - just the tools he'd use to wage it."<ref>Christian Lowe, [http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,142577,00.html "Vet Group Plans Pro-War Blitz,"] Military.com, July 17, 2007.</ref>
Lowe then wrote:<ref>Christian Lowe, [http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,142577,00.html "Vet Group Plans Pro-War Blitz,"] Military.com, July 17, 2007.</ref>
:"So Hegseth teamed with former Marine infantry leader [[Wade Zirkle]] and other Iraq and [[Afghanistan]] war vets to muster troops to their cause. They started Vets for Freedom in 2006 hoping to energize like-minded vets of recent combat deployments into a fifth column will help influence the war debate."
Although both accounts make a nice news story, story it may well be, since Hegseth's name was not associated with Vets for Freedom before May 9, 2007, when Hegseth, described as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. National Guard, appeared on [[Chris Matthews]]' MSNBC show [[Hardball]] as a VFF spokesman.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18592814/ Transcript: ''Hardball'' with Chris Matthews], MSNBC, May 9, 2007.</ref> At the time, Hegseth's name did not appear on the VFF website.<ref>Verified May 9, 2007.</ref>
In a May 21, 2007, posting on ''Power Line'' Blog, Hegseth announced that he had became VFF's Executive Director<ref>[http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/017704.php "More time, please,"] ''Power Line'' Blog, May 21, 2007. Includes Hegseth quote from Minneapolis ''Star-Tribune''.</ref>, replacing VFF co-founder Wade Zirkle.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060712151720/www.vetsforfreedom.org/about/ About], Vets for Freedom, archived page from July 2006.</ref>
SW: →Criticism: This segment is an editorial that unduly smears the subject.
==Criticism==
==On abuse of detainees at Gitmo==
