Al Gore Jr. acted with honor and conviction in volunteering for service in a war he despised. ... To save the seat of his father -- a political warrior in the cause of peace -- is, in my view, an act of sacrifice and high patriotism, not hypocrisy. It is also a step few born to privilege would take, regardless of their convictions. And from all accounts, Gore made a good soldier. He was well liked by peers and officers, and respected by both. Bob Zelnick