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Kerry's Latest Vietnam Troubles
Opinion Journal ^ | 5/5/04 | James Taranto

Posted on 05/05/2004 12:48:19 PM PDT by pookie18

Edited on 05/05/2004 12:52:39 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

"A group of former officers who commanded John F. Kerry in Vietnam more than three decades ago declared yesterday that they oppose his candidacy for president, challenged him to release more of his military and medical records, and said Kerry should be denied the White House because of his 1971 allegations that some superiors had committed 'war crimes,' " the Boston Globe reports from Washington:

''I do not believe John Kerry is fit to be commander in chief," said retired Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann, who helped organize the news conference and oversaw all of the swift boats in Vietnam at the time Kerry commanded one of those crafts. ''This is not a political issue; it is a matter of his judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty, and trust--all absolute tenets of command." . . .

The senator's campaign has long weathered criticism from some Vietnam veterans over Kerry's actions in Vietnam and as an antiwar leader, but yesterday's event was unprecedented because it included nearly all of his commanding officers.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: jamestaranto; kerry; swiftboatveterans; swiftvets; unfit
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1 posted on 05/05/2004 12:48:19 PM PDT by pookie18
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To: pookie18
Well, well, Here is this story again. Keep it up. Maybe the major networks will have to cover this story eventually.
2 posted on 05/05/2004 12:51:35 PM PDT by BillyCrockett
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To: pookie18
I simply removed the piece of metal by lifting it out of the skin with forceps. I doubt that it penetrated more than 3 or 4 mm. It did not require probing to find it, did not require any anesthesia to remove it, and did not require any sutures to close the wound.

The wound was covered with a bandaid.

Say it ain't true, John!!!

3 posted on 05/05/2004 12:52:11 PM PDT by AFPhys ((.Praying for President Bush, our troops, their families, and all my American neighbors..))
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To: pookie18
When you figure Kerry was being wounded in viet Nam at the rate of once every 27 days, he's lucky they got him out alive.
4 posted on 05/05/2004 12:53:07 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: AFPhys; Mudboy Slim
Don't forget the Bacitracin!
5 posted on 05/05/2004 12:53:33 PM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)
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To: AFPhys
does anyone know if Kerry was in Nam?
6 posted on 05/05/2004 12:53:49 PM PDT by Republicus2001
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To: pookie18
''This is not a political issue; it is a matter of his judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty, and trust--all absolute tenets of command.".

But for some, “judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty, and trust” are no more important than character.
Oh, yea … they define character.

7 posted on 05/05/2004 12:55:35 PM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
he would need 10,000 paper cuts to bleed to death.
8 posted on 05/05/2004 12:55:40 PM PDT by RolandBurnam
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To: MEG33
In the words of the immortal Billy Jeff Clinton, "Better put some ice on that..."
9 posted on 05/05/2004 1:01:20 PM PDT by Tallguy (John F. Kerry: just taking another Purple Heart out of petty cash...)
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To: R. Scott
Even if the media refuse to cover it now, this letter is very bad news for J. F'ing Kerry. It will be a counterweight to the war story that Kerry wants to run on. Face it, he has nothing else--no legislative victories, no current economic plan, no executive abilities.

From now on, when Kerry touts his war experience and his Band of Brothers, this will haunt him.

10 posted on 05/05/2004 1:02:10 PM PDT by DJtex
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To: AFPhys
Kinda makes you wonder what kept it in the wound doesnt it? Seems like anyone with good sense would have brushed at it and knocked it out , or picked it out himself. Maybe he put it in the wound himself. Just doesnt make sense to me how it stayed there or why Kerry let it stay there. Well then again ,if you look at it in the light of going home after three of these wounds , maybe it does make sense.
11 posted on 05/05/2004 1:02:48 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (I aint wrong, I aint sorry , and I am probably going to do it again.)
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To: sgtbono2002
Kinda makes you wonder what kept it in the wound doesnt it?

Good point. For most people it would be a reflex reaction to brush foreign objects from the body. I guess he had to protect it so it wouldn't fall out.

12 posted on 05/05/2004 1:08:24 PM PDT by hobson
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To: pookie18
BUMP!
13 posted on 05/05/2004 1:09:44 PM PDT by jmstein7 (Real Men Don't Need Chunks of Government Metal on Their Chests to be Heroes)
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To: AFPhys
2-3 mm in diameter, 10 mm long, 3-4 mm penetrated. How did it stay in? If I had a half inch long piece of metal shoved an eighth inch into my skin like that, I would have pulled it out myself right away.
14 posted on 05/05/2004 1:11:02 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing. - Ann Coulter 4/1/04, How 9-11 Happened)
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To: jmstein7
BUMP!
15 posted on 05/05/2004 1:19:13 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: sgtbono2002
Three strikes and he's out.

He needed it documented, which is why he took it to the doc.
16 posted on 05/05/2004 1:21:56 PM PDT by tiamat ("Just a Bronze-Age Gal, Trapped in a Techno World!")
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To: Republicus2001
does anyone know if Kerry was in Nam?

Wouldn't know. You would think he would talk about it if he was.

17 posted on 05/05/2004 1:24:28 PM PDT by ladtx ( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
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To: KarlInOhio
"If I had a half inch long piece of metal shoved an eighth inch into my skin like that, I would have pulled it out myself right away."

Heh, agreed. Does seem odd, doesn't it? I initally wondered if he -put it back in- before going into the Doc's office, but discarded that idea. The wound was so shallow and insignificant it would have probably healed over within minutes of pulling out the metal. That's how sad this whole thing is.

Qwinn
18 posted on 05/05/2004 1:27:20 PM PDT by Qwinn
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To: KarlInOhio
could it be you are honest. not looking for an easy out???
19 posted on 05/05/2004 1:55:49 PM PDT by camas
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To: Qwinn
If you combine the commander's statement with the doctor's statement, it looks that way.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1129870/posts?page=59#59
20 posted on 05/05/2004 2:00:24 PM PDT by thackney (Life is Fragile, Handle with Prayer)
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