UPI Report: Kerry Met With 'Viet Cong' Leaders In Paris in 1971

United Press International ^ | March 9, 2004 | United Press International

[solicitor77]

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040309-122413-8660r

Another site, Wintersoldier.com, places records from Sen. Kerry's anti-war protests online, including the transcript of the full question and answer session before a U.S. Senate committee, where the young Vietnam veteran detailed, among other activities, his trip as a civilian to the Paris Peace talks involving the U.S., South Vietnamese and North Vietnamese governments.

"I have been to Paris. I have talked with both delegations at the peace talks -- that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government," Kerry said during testimony on April 22, 1971, before the Foreign Relations Committee, according to the transcript posted on the site.

Wintersoldier.com also features audio sound bites -- in the MP3 format -- of Kerry describing what he did in Vietnam, both in testimony before the Senate and in an interview.

"Yes, I committed the same kinds of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed," Kerry said in the sound bite. "I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages."

[solicitor77]

The Presumptive Nominee of the Democratic Party for President of the U.S. Met With Communist Leaders of the Viet Cong during the Paris Peace Talks, Unauthorized Diplomacy.

[BobFromNJ]

Bump!!! Unbelievable anti-American Kerry!!

[thoughtomator]

The "foreign leaders" who support Kerry have been found!

[oceanview]

The Manchurian Candidate - its not just a movie....

[BrucefromMtVernon]

Let's stop calling Kerry anti-war. He's pro-war so long as there's a Communist victory possible.

[dc-zoo]

Hitlery must be diggin' deep into kerry's FBI file.

[edwin hubble]

Kerry going for the foreign vote... even way back then.

[Arkinsaw]

The hits just keep on comin.

[BobFromNJ]

Bump!!

[Will_Zurmacht]

Sweet Criminy, and to think a few years ago some sensible Dems were nervous to run a draft dodger.....heck, my how times have changed?

Clinton must be scratching his head, " Yeah, I lied under oath, helped others, hid evidence, got impeachead for it...but even I didn't have the gall to meet with our enemies for unauthorized negotiations during wartime....this Democrat is Awsome!"W.J. Clinton

[eeriegeno]

Hitlery must be diggin' deep into kerry's FBI file.

That's the way I see it too. Probably explains why most who are trying to tie Kerry to the 'conspiracy to assassinate UN senators' are demoncrats?

[Lokibob]

I predict that Kerry will not be the Democratic nominee by the middle of June.

[BobFromNJ]

Bump!!

[syriacus]

Sounds like UPI has been reading Freerepublic or GOPUSA.

See The Rest of the Kerry Transcript... (published freeper article)

For example, when asked for a recommendation about possible courses of action for Congress to pursue, Kerry stated that in Paris he had "talked with both delegations at the peace talks, that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government..." - in other words, Hanoi and the Vietcong. No mention of the other two interested parties; South Vietnam and the United States. Kerry went on to speak in support of "Madam Binh's points." Madam Nguyen Thi Binh was at that time the Foreign Minister for the PRG. Kerry was careful to emphasize the key PRG talking point -- that once the U.S. set a withdrawal date American prisoners of war would be returned.

[oprahstheantichrist]

What, you expect this will be page one of tomorrow's NYT? Sorry, no one will pick this up. "Not newsworthy," you know....

[ironman]

I was just shocked when channel surfing and CNN was running a story on Kerry and the 1971 assassination plot.

[Jagman]

I don't think you understand. These comments are Kerry's bonefides among the antiwar left. They energize his base. The only danger to him is from the great unwashedmoderatemiddle, but they appear to be ready for anything at this point.

[Alberta's Child]

Arizona Senator John McCain defended his longtime Senate colleague against any suggestion that it was somehow improper for Kerry to meet with enemies of the United States at the time.

"Yeah, well . . . I probably would have met with those g00ks, too," he said angrily through clenched teeth.

[dagnabbit]

Was Kerry still in the Navy or the Navy Reserve at the time of his contacts with enemy officials?

Also, I assume these weren't one-way conversations, with Kerry hearing what the N. Vietnamese and Viet Cong had to say. Surely they had questions for Kerry too. So what did the future senator tell them? Did he describe the plans of the "antiwar" movement? Did he offer to coordinate his activities with NVN/VC activities? Did he describe what he knew of U.S. military plans or strategy? Did he divulge U.S. military secrets? Did Kerry encourage the N. Vietnamese to take a tough stand on the POWs and to keep holding them until the USA met their/Kerry's goals?

I think some right thinking journalist needs to get out to Hanoi ASAP and look up the various Vietnamese officials who met Kerry. There's more to this story.

[donnalee]

Were the POW's going to be released before Kerry got involved? I thought I had read someplace that they were going to and that Kerry was angry, that the VC would lose a bargaining tool. I have wondered if he could have asked them not to release any POWs while in Paris.

I can't remember where I read that, or when but if true, how many may have died if he was responsible for longer imprisonment.

It is going to be a long..... 8 months. My husband is a Vietnam Vet and all the anger is coming back - no Kerry on our TV! The problems that veterans' had was not the "war" so much as the trauma caused by protestors. I think some vets may have joined the VVAW just to fit back in with the misguided American public, others dropped out and kept their mouths shut. Finally after the first Gulf War, there was some measure of respect for Vietnam Vets, they started joining veterans organizations in bigger numbers and began to be rightfully proud of their service. Now it's going to go back to teaching a new generation that they were "baby-killers". Makes me laugh, Kerry accuses Bush of dividing the country, Kerry is the one that is opening old wounds and he is going to split this country wide open!

I'd love to know if business has picked up at the VA clinics during this presidential campaign. I know it had when the bombing first started last March. My husband had a routine yearly physical that week. They were sending people away as they had so many emergencies to deal with - two heart attacks ( one in a Wal Mart) and the nurse mentioned everybodies blood pressure seemed to be higher than normal. If Kerry "truly" cares about veterans like he says, he should drop out of the race. But , I think we know how he really feels about vets!