Replies

Military service doesn't exempt one from criticism for every action later in life, but there are some things that you will NOT understand if you haven't served in uniform, in combat or in Vietnam. Even though I've been in combat, I wasn't in Vietnam and there are issues that I am truly NOT qualified to judge intelligently.

I made this same point repeatedly to people questioning Bush's military record - if you didn't serve, there are some things that are outside your realm of knowledge. There are some things that those who never wore the uniform DON"T have the right to judge. Legally, for example, a jury of a soldier's peers consists only of others in uniform.

There are plenty of Vietnam vets who are questioning Senator Kerry on the Vietnam stuff, but I know I sure don't want folks who didn't go through it with me paasing judgment on how I performed my duty under fire.

"I know I sure don't want folks who didn't go through it with me paasing judgment on how I performed my duty under fire."

====

How about Kerry's commanding officer, is that good enough?

"When Kerry returned to his base, his commanding officer, George Elliott, raised an issue with Kerry: the fine line between whether the action merited a medal or a court-martial.

"When [Kerry] came back from the well-publicized action where he beached his boat in middle of ambush and chased a VC around a hootch and ended his life, when [Kerry] came back and I heard his debrief, I said, `John, I don't know whether you should be court-martialed or given a medal, court-martialed for leaving your ship, your post,"' Elliott recalled in an interview.

"But I ended up writing it up for a Silver Star, which is well deserved, and I have no regrets or second thoughts at all about that," Elliott said. A Silver Star, which the Navy said is its fifth-highest medal, commends distinctive gallantry in action.

Asked why he had raised the issue of a court-martial, Elliott said he did so "half tongue-in-cheek, because there was never any question I wanted him to realize I didn't want him to leave his boat unattended. That was in context of big-ship Navy -- my background. A C.O. [commanding officer] never leaves his ship in battle or anything else. I realize this, first of all, it was pretty courageous to turn into an ambush even though you usually find no more than two or three people there. On the other hand, on an operation some time later, down on the very tip of the peninsula, we had lost one boat and several men in a big operation, and they were hit by a lot more than two or three people."

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061603.shtml

but kerry is making his vietnam service a political issue--he is running for president on it. i am not judging kerry's service record, but if he is running on it, he should answer the questions and produce it.
something about the way cleland is answering the questions suggests that something is being hidden here.

>Military service doesn't exempt one from criticism for >every action later in life, but there are some things >that you will NOT understand if you haven't served in >uniform, in combat or in Vietnam.

I understand your point, but I feel that these two (Kerry and Cleland) are using it as an excuse to not show his record or discuss what he did there. HE is the one who continually brings it up. If he doesn't want it discussed, then shut up about it.