Was John McCain Brainwashed While Imprisoned In North Vietnam? (he called U.S. vets "criminals")

examiner.com ^ | 2010-01-31 | Dave Gibson

[onyx]

You'd think he wrote for the NYT for all the attention and red font his stupid, vicious rant was given!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

There were Americans abandoned after the war, and the government went after anyone trying to expose the truth. I’ve met some of the men with personal knowledge about this travesty, they were not lieing and they were not crazy.

[exit82]

Onyx, how is the following not the truth? From the article at hand:

Eventually, McCain signed a letter claiming to be a war criminal and apologizing for the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. He also did many radio and television interviews, some with foreign correspondents which is a severe violation of the military code of conduct. Despite John McCain's years of painful torture at the hands of the NVA, he has been Hanoi's strongest advocate in the U.S. Senate. For years, he pushed for the normalization of relations with communist Vietnam, even though that country has never fully cooperated on the issue of American POW's. In 1992, John McCain was serving on the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. Vietnamese officials began to complain that American POW/MIA activists (mostly family members of the missing men) were causing too many problems and posed a threat to lifting the U.S. trade embargo on Vietnam. Incredibly, Senator and former POW McCain then went on a campaign against the POW/MIA activists and accused them of fraud. McCain once said of the families: "The people who have done these things are not zealots in a good cause. They are criminals and some of the most craven, most cynical, and most despicable human beings to ever run a scam." Sen. McCain demanded and received a U.S. Justice Department investigation of the two major POW/MIA activist groups. Of course, no fraud, as McCain alleged, was ever found. The families were left angry and mystified as to why McCain had betrayed them. McCain succeeded and the trade embargo against communist Vietnam was lifted, and there has never been a full accounting of North Vietnamese atrocities against American POWs. In 1992, NVA Col. Bui Tin, who interrogated McCain in the Hanoi Hilton, testified before the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. He told the Senators (including McCain) that Soviet officers regularly interrogated and tortured American POW's. During a break in the proceedings, Sen. McCain and Col. Tin enjoyed a hug and exchanged the kind of longing looks that a man would usually share with his long-lost father, or perhaps in McCain's case...His comrade?

Like I said in my previous comment, I won't judge the man on what he did as a POW. I certainly will judge what he did later. And what he did later is not normal, nor does it pass the smell test. Good men like Admiral Stockdale can vouch for the years in captivity, but they can't explain the acxtions of McCain since then.

McCain has a record of being pro-Vietnam. When a country and an ideology bash your brains in for six plus years, you don't go taking them to a dance, do you?

Calling POW/MIA families despicable and criminals? Accusing them of fraud and none ever proven?

McCain has a LOT to answer for.

[TigersEye]

Sen. McCain demanded and received a U.S. Justice Department investigation of the two major POW/MIA activist groups.

Talk about one sentence speaking volumes.

[onyx]

I’ve read that and I just read it again. I’m not trying to be obstinate, but I side with McCain on the issue. I’ve read about the MIA/POW’s extensively and for decades. I had a personal involvement.

[TigersEye]

I’m not trying to be obstinate, but I side with McCain on the issue.

I can't.

[exit82]

Thanks for all of the links you provided.

The Schanberg article from 2000 is especially damning to McCain.

I wish he had fought as hard to be President in 2008 as he did to keep secret the information about the men left behind in Vietnam as POWs.

[rabscuttle385]

It is a long article and well worth the read.

I agree.

[SoCalPol]

Interesting how some make McCain the enemy of America
when the real enemy, Al-Qaida, Ahmadinejad, Ben Laden,
etc, who have attacked and killed thousands of Americas. Attacked European and other countries and killed
thousands.

They have promised to attack again as they have declared war on America.

Some on FR could care less as their cult leader Ron Paul believes America deserved to be attacked and has stated, Iran and North Korea are not a threat.

In their sick minds, McCain is the enemy.

[xone]

McCain is a sh#tty representative of the people and a lousy presidential candidate. I think he was an average rep of the POWs from the Hanoi Hilton. I won’t vote for him again, but Manchurian Candidate?, with the current POS in the White House. Can’t do it.

[TigersEye]

Progressives are the enemy. You go out of your way to defend them.

[rabscuttle385]

Interesting how some make McCain the enemy of America when the real enemy, Al-Qaida, Ahmadinejad, Ben Laden, etc, who have attacked and killed thousands of Americas...Some on FR could care less as their cult leader Ron Paul...

It is quite interesting how many of your replies are naught but attempts to shut down discussion by trying to draw attention away from the topic at hand.

But hey, while we're on the topic that you have selected--Islamist terrorists--it is interesting that you accuse folks who think that "McCain is the enemy" of having "sick minds" while some of us can readily produce evidence from sources of repute of McCain's assistance to Kosovar and Albanian terrorists during the Clinton intervention in Kosovo...terrorists that committed unspeakable atrocities against Serbian and other civilians, under the U.S./U.N/NATO aegis, and who have been linked to al-Qaeda, the same group that later perpetrated terrorist acts against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2437888/posts?page=324#324

"He (McCain) did everything that we asked of him, including arming the KLA", said Albanian lobbyist Joe DioGuardi.

John McCain armed Kosovo Islamic terrorists

John McCain armed the KLA, Politika

Group tied to al-Qaida backs McCain for prez

KLA members suspected of 1998 war crime

Kosovo Albanian drug-boss admits friendship with al Qaeda leader

NATO Transported KLA Terrorists by Helicopter During Kosovo War

Kosovo Extremists Suspected in Attacks on Macedonian Police Stations

UN Discovers Human Remains in Kosovo Cave ("Non-Albanians" mass grave after NATO's takeover)

[SoCalPol]

Yeah, that is why I worked for Reagan when we first ran for Gov. here.

I have faced down in the streets groups of Code Pinkos,
over a hundred Hamas supporters, 50,000 Mexicans and more.

My ancestors have been in America over 386 years.
They have fought in every war. Some came home in boxes.
I have relatives in Afghanistan fighting the enemy now.

More than I can say for some on this thread who have
parents who came here to this country as newbies and have a lot to say when they know crap.

[TigersEye]

You can’t say anything for anyone on this thread but you’re arrogant enough to try. You are defending a Progressive.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I may not agree with his politics, but damned if I’ll second guess him on what he did while a POW. No way.

My feelings exactly. Thanks for saying it.

[SoCalPol]

and the PaulBots on this thread are defending an anti war,
loon who receives his support from 9/11 Truthers, StormFront
NeoNazies to NeoLeft anti war scum.

[SoCalPol]

[TigersEye]

You contribute nothing of substance. Insults, false accusations, character assassination, guilt by association. That’s all you’ve got. Not much of a testament of respect for Ronald Reagan to be such an empty vessel.

[TigersEye]

I forgot to mention that you just flat out lie. No one has mentioned Ron Paul other than you.

[SoCalPol]

You just described the PaulBots and their threads