Kerry Denounced U.S. as 'The Real Criminal' in Vietnam

NewsMax.com ^ | Feb. 15, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

During his war protest days in the early 1970s, Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry once denounced the United States of America as "the real criminal" in the Vietnam War.

In comments first reported by the New York Times 33 years ago, Kerry condemned the entire country as "criminal" during a 1971 demonstration on Wall Street, a few weeks after the trial of Lt. William Calley.

"Guilty as Lieutenant Calley may have been of the actual act of murder, the verdict does not single out the real criminal ... the United States of America," railed the future Democratic presidential hopeful.

The damning comment was unearthed by the Baltimore Sun, which reprinted Kerry's outburst in its Saturday edition exactly as quoted above.

The Sun also revisited other anti-war comments by Kerry that have yet to receive significant exposure, including remarks Kerry uttered on NBC's "Meet the Press" a few weeks after the Wall Street protest.

"I committed the same kinds of atrocities as thousands of others," he told the network, "in that I shot in free-fire zones, fired .50-caliber machine bullets, used harass-and-interdiction fire, joined in search-and-destroy missions and burned villages."

Though NBC has the Kerry interview on tape, it has so far declined to broadcast his revealing comments.

The Sun also obtained reactions from two of Kerry's Swift Boat mates in Vietnam, who told the paper they were deeply disturbed by his anti-war activities.

Kerry crewman James Wasser said he was "absolutely upset" over his former commanding officer's claims that the U.S. committed wartime atrocities as a matter of course.

Saying he recalled no such war crimes, Wasser said of Kerry, "I felt betrayed."

Shipmate Bill Zaladonis was also offended by Kerry's claims. "I didn't like the idea [of Kerry condemning his fellow servicemen]," he told the Sun.

"I certainly didn't believe that all Vietnam veterans were baby-killing women rapers. Most people I know agree with me - they didn't see it."

While Wasser and Zaladonis remain troubled by Kerry's anti-war past, they're split over whether they intend to support him for president.

"I'm still studying it," Zaldonis told the Sun, while Wasser occasionally campaigns for the Massachusetts Democrat.

[jmstein7]

PING!

[spunkets]

bump

[hotpotato]

"I committed the same kinds of atrocities as thousands of others," he told the network, "in that I shot in free-fire zones, fired .50-caliber machine bullets, used harass-and-interdiction fire, joined in search-and-destroy missions and burned villages."

So how come Kerry was never brought up on war crimes charges?

[The_Media_never_lie]

Though NBC has the Kerry interview on tape, it has so far declined to broadcast his revealing comments.

Why doesn't NBC just report the news and let the chips fall where they may? Why must they protect Kerry? Shouldn't the election time be a time of the exchange of ideas through debate? Maybe Kerry still thinks the U.S. was the criminal in Vietnam and now thinks the U.S. is the criminal in Iraq? How will we find out if the mainstream media supresses the news?

[lilylangtree]

Where are the civil rights lawyers? They should be pursuing this free admission with all due haste.

[demlosers]

The Sun also revisited other anti-war comments by Kerry that have yet to receive significant exposure, including remarks Kerry uttered on NBC's "Meet the Press" a few weeks after the Wall Street protest.

"I committed the same kinds of atrocities as thousands of others," he told the network, "in that I shot in free-fire zones, fired .50-caliber machine bullets, used harass-and-interdiction fire, joined in search-and-destroy missions and burned villages."

Though NBC has the Kerry interview on tape, it has so far declined to broadcast his revealing comments.

Wow! stick foot in mouth. Little Timmy and et al are covering for Kerry.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Someone with military experience in general and Vietnam experience in particular can help me to understand how a guy staffing a patrol boat gets to see "free fire zones". Wasn't this a term which had meaning to aircraft, helicopter gunners, etc?

[Guillermo]

Well, this should endear him even further among the Democrat base.

Just browse DU for a few minutes, they blame America for all that's bad in the world.

[SandRat]

During his war protest days in the early 1970s, Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry once denounced the United States of America as "the real criminal" in the Vietnam War.

In comments first reported by the New York Times 33 years ago, Kerry condemned the entire country as "criminal" during a 1971 demonstration on Wall Street, a few weeks after the trial of Lt. William Calley.

"Guilty as Lieutenant Calley may have been of the actual act of murder, the verdict does not single out the real criminal ... the United States of America," railed the future Democratic presidential hopeful.

We need to make sure that this gets in front of every VFW, DAV, AUSA, USAA, USAMA, American Legion, NCOA, Navy League, AFA, AOC, etc. meeting and to every member.

Then I think Kerry will be lucky to get his own vote come November.

[demlosers]

Kerry crewman James Wasser said he was "absolutely upset" over his former commanding officer's claims that the U.S. committed wartime atrocities as a matter of course.

Saying he recalled no such war crimes, Wasser said of Kerry, "I felt betrayed."

Not only is PMSNBC covering for Kerry, he's lying about war crimes he didn't commit. This guy is a real piece of work.

[tomahawk]

John Kerry: POS, sleazebag, opportunist, gigalo.

[demlosers]

Then I think Kerry will be lucky to get his own vote come November.

And it's only February...Kerry wait until you get the Rat nomination before you implode.

[my right]

I would like to see some historian do a comparitive study on the impact of what the war protesters had on the lives of the south vietnamese people. How many deaths (civilian and domestic military) these people caused by their cowardness, concealed as humanitarnism.

I'm at a loss of words for people that have respect for scum like Kerry.

[ChadGore]

Bush was serving his country, wearing the uniform with pride, and supporting the troops in the early 70s. What was kerry doing ?

[SandRat]

I would like to see some historian do a comparative study on the impact of what the war protesters had on the lives of the south Vietnamese people. How many deaths (civilian and domestic military) these people caused by their cowardliness, concealed as humanitarianism.

Remember most of the "historians" that would do this would come from academia and this a field of "learning" from the College of LEBERAL Arts. The end result would be about as fair and accurate as Peter Arnett interviewing Baghdad Bob.

[angkor]

He thinks of himself as a "war ciminal." I guess that was some perverse mark of honor among his 70's milieu.

But the Vietnamese-American newspapers in Northern Virginia have this week been calling him a "phan boi" (traitor) and "mat con ngua" (horseface).

I guess those won't work on today's campaign trail.

[demlosers]

Bush was serving his country, wearing the uniform with pride, and supporting the troops in the early 70s. What was kerry doing?

Ingratiating himself to the maggot infested types with lies.

[Toespi]

Sadly, we are also painfully aware of how the actions and the attitudes demonstrated by the U.S. government over the past three years have threatened the goodwill earned by presidents of both parties over many decades and put many of our international relationships at risk. (From Kerry's open letter to Iranian newspaper 2004)

"Guilty as Lieutenant Calley may have been of the actual act of murder, the verdict does not single out the real criminal ... the United States of America," railed the future Democratic presidential hopeful.(New York Times, 1971)

There is one thing Kerry has not waffled on in the past 30 some years and that is his hatred for his own country.