Chickenhawk (politics)

Chickenhawk (also chicken hawk and chicken-hawk) is a political epithet used in the United States as ad hominem argument to criticize somebody who strongly supports a war or other military action (i.e. a War Hawk), yet who actively avoided military service when of age.

Quotes

 * We know who the chicken hawks are. They talk tough on national defense and military issues and cast aspersions on others. When it was their turn to serve where were they? AWOL, that's where they were...the lead chickenhawk against Sen. Kerry [is] the vice president of the United States, Vice President Cheney.
 * United States Senator Frank Lautenberg, on the floor of the Senate, April 28, 2004