Posted on 07/31/2004 12:51:04 PM PDT by Interesting Times
John Kerry, reporting for duty.
Cheesy. Theatrical. And, as staged at this week's national Democratic convention, certain to energize groups of Vietnam veterans who bitterly oppose Kerry's anti-war activism.
"It's not so much what Kerry did in country -- though his three purple hearts were for scratches -- but it was what he did when he came back home," says retired Army Col. Jack Peevy of Alpharetta. "He lied about my soldiers. . . . What he told were baldfaced lies, and he has never apologized to us in the military."
Peevy, a 30-year veteran who served in the Central Highlands of Vietnam as an airborne rifle platoon leader, was shot seven times in a firefight with North Vietnamese regulars.
Veterans such as Peevy are incensed at Kerry. They think his anti-war activism caused harm to comrades left behind in Vietnam and contributed to turning public opinion against them at home. Kerry testified before the U.S. Senate on April 22, 1971, that his group, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, had investigated and found that "war crimes committed in Southeast Asia [are] not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command."
It's a view Kerry holds today, as he confirmed in an interview just before the March presidential primary in Georgia.
"Do you still believe," I asked, "the testimony that you gave in April of 1971 that atrocities were commonplace and that they occurred with the knowledge of the officer corps?"
His reply:
"Yeah, they did. I mean they just did. I never blamed individual soldiers for it. . . . You know, it's not pretty but it's the truth, and it's something we have to deal with. . . ."
"So you still believe that those atrocities that you described in that testimony occurred?"
"I know that they did. It's not a question of whether I believe that they did. I know that they did, and there are individual soldiers all across America that know that they did."
The Internet has become the information network uniting Vietnam veterans deeply offended by Kerry's characterizations of them. One group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (www.swiftvets.com), posts a 1969 photo of Kerry and 19 of his fellow Swift boat commanders. Touch the screen and only those who support him remain visible. Only two remain. Four commanders were not present. "Only two of John Kerry's 23 fellow Swift boat commanders from Coastal Division 11 support his candidacy today," the group declares.
Another Web site, of an organization called Vietnam Vets for the Truth, is www.kerrylied.com. The group's president is retired Navy Capt. Larry Bailey of Mount Vernon, Va. "John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam," Bailey writes. "Now, 33 years later, we will tell America the truth."
Bailey's group, and others, are organizing a remembrance rally on the west front of the U.S. Capitol for 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12. "This is NOT a Republican or pro-Bush rally," writes Bailey. "Our gathering is to remember those with whom we served, thereby giving the lie to John Kerry's smear against a generation of fine young men."
Still another is the extensively documented www.wintersoldier.com, a Web site "dedicated to the American veterans of the Vietnam War, who served with courage and honor."
The Web site states that, despite the testimony of Kerry and others, war crimes in Vietnam were the exception, not routine. The 1971 Winter Soldier tribunal Kerry helped moderate "turned out to be, in the words of historian Guenter Lewy, 'packed with pretenders and liars.' "
"There were a few cases that some atrocities were committed," agrees Peevy. "But I feel assured that they were punished and they were not widespread. He [Kerry] is the single-most [dominant] source of whatever negative image the Vietnam warrior has."
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Jim Wooten is the associate editorial page editor. His column appears Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays.
I still like the line I have seen about Kerry "reporting for duty" in his acceptance speech.
Will he serve for 4 months and then cut and run? THAT'S part of his Vietnam service record, too.
"Do you still believe," I asked, "the testimony that you gave in April of 1971 that atrocities were commonplace and that they occurred with the knowledge of the officer corps?"
His reply:
"Yeah, they did. I mean they just did. I never blamed individual soldiers for it. . . . You know, it's not pretty but it's the truth, and it's something we have to deal with. . . ."
"So you still believe that those atrocities that you described in that testimony occurred?"
"I know that they did. It's not a question of whether I believe that they did. I know that they did, and there are individual soldiers all across America that know that they did."
free dixie,sw
Candyass Kerry was a loose cannon who staged his Viet Nam heroics knowing he was going to be a freaking politician. His fellow swift boaters think he is a dirt ball.
That salute and comment were SO childish. Hard to believe the man is 60 years old and that he's reliving 4 months from many years ago. Real heroes like my husband have long forgotten most of what they did and saw in Vietnam and don't flaunt Purple Hearts either. The same thing with my father in World War II, who was on the USS Nevada in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. And my uncle, whose helmet is in the Smithsonian for his bravery at Guadalcanal. REAL heroes are not tedious like that and never have to tell anyone, it's a part of their character.
BTTT!!!!!!
should a self-confessed war criminal (AND TRAITOR to his compatriots-in-arms!) be a candidate for POTUS???
i think NOT.
free dixie,sw
LOL!!! And
T-T-T-Terry is nuts......
Thanks for ping.
68 - more ammo for you for the other thread,
but IMO, that poster is not worth the trouble.
Nice touch. Did you do that? That's a keeper....
Heck, even my green/libertarian Mom doesn't like sKerry. (and that is saying something!)
free dixie,sw
free dixie,sw
You must be ready for a cold one! I'm buying!
One group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (www.swiftvets.com), posts a 1969 photo of Kerry and 19 of his fellow Swift boat commanders...
Another Web site, of an organization called Vietnam Vets for the Truth, is www.kerrylied.com...
Still another is the extensively documented www.wintersoldier.com, a Web site "dedicated to the American veterans of the Vietnam War, who served with courage and honor."
You sir, should be absolutely beaming!
Regards,
TS
I was just watching FNC and notice that Kerry has absolutely no originality. He just imitated one of the president's gestures
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