Reagan admitted POW's left behind

Newsmax | July 1, 2002 | Carl Limbacher

[JDoutrider]

With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff For the story behind the story...

Monday, July 1, 2002 9:15 AM EST

Reagan Admitted Hundreds of POW's Left Behind

A top aide to President Reagan who is today a member of Congress told NewsMax that Reagan admitted to him that hundreds of American POWs were left behind in Vietnam and were still alive as late as 1988.

The former Reagan aide recounted to NewsMax his last private meeting with the president in the Oval Office.

When the aide said he was concerned about the possibility that American GIs were left behind after the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam, Reagan responded: "We know that there are hundreds of POWs still alive. But these guys are leading very different lives, they have local wives, and we just don't want to shed light on them at this point."

The former aide said he was shocked by Reagan's comments, and it was clear to him that Reagan had been snookered by aides who had convinced him that for some reason the POWs didn't want to return to the U.S.

The congressman said it is widely believed that Vietnam keeps dozens, if not hundreds, of American POWs as leverage to insure that the U.S. lives up to pledges it made.

At the conclusion of the war in Vietnam, the U.S. agreed to pay billions in aid to North Vietnam to rebuild.

The money was never paid because Vietnam re-started hostilities, but the Vietnamese still have made claim to the money.

[JDoutrider]

We knew, now we know...

[ClearCase_guy]

Is this coming from Bob Woodward's interview with Casey? Or someone else just trying to imitate the master?

[ClearCase_guy]

I mean, Reagan is in no condition to dispute the incident.

[BlueLancer]

"...Reagan is in no condition to dispute the incident."
And the aide is "unidentified".

How conveeenient!

[NC_Libertarian]

[ladyinred]

Why would this person keep this a secret for so long?

[dighton]

Sounds fishy to me. / I mean, Reagan is in no condition to dispute the incident. / How conveeenient!

The same fishy smell has wafted here.

Absent this alleged source's name, I'll treat the article as fishwrap.

[buccaneer81]

There are 222 Republicans in the House. How hard can it be to check how many were part of the administration in the '80s?

[Mr. Bird]

Well, a "top aide" to Reagan who is now in Congress? Can someone with some time on their hands do a quick search of the 535 members? Can't be too many that fit that profile....

[Boonie Rat]

At the close of the war, when nixon and kissinger were saying "all American POWs" are home, an NSA analyst named Mooney was tracking over 500 LIVE POWS. Mooney testified before congress regarding this. I have a copy of the Congressional report that ADMITTED live POWs were left in captivity. My fervent prayer is that nixon is in a very hot place awaiting kissinger.

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[BlueLancer]

"Why would this person keep this a secret for so long?"

Probably so that there would be no one left to dispute his tale.

[JDoutrider]

Good Question Lady...

President Reagan is at the top of my Hero list. Why this story was floated at this time is baffling...

[drjimmy]

Dana Rohrabacher

[JDoutrider]

What they must have meant was "All the "0" grade POW'S have been released"...

I believe only a few enlisted POW'S were released at the time. As you know, being with MACV and all, most enlisted men were not captured, but killed, as they didn't have the "trade value" an officer had.

JDoutrider

PhuBai/Ashau Valley/Laos

Hundred and Worse

Pukin Buzzard grunt

[Mark17]

My fervent prayer is that nixon is in a very hot place awaiting kissinger.

Not to mention LBJ, who is most likely also in that same hot place. Bien Hoa, 70-71.

[JDoutrider]

Better for all Hell to break loose, than to let those heros rot in that Hell!

Damn Bill Clinton! My hate for that man is so visceral my teeth are being ground down to the nub just knowing the harm his legacy continues to plague us with...

[Poohbah]

I'd love to know who this unidentified congressperson is.

How many Reagan "top aides" are now in Congress? Sounds like two very small sets with minimal congruency.

[Ditto]

Read the David Hendrix testomony before the Senate. It may well be that most returned home secretly while some did in fact choose to stay behind.