Posted on 08/08/2004 10:54:18 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Former Iraq war commander Gen. Tommy Franks said Sunday that Sen. John Kerry is qualified to be commander-in-chief, rejecting criticism from more than 200 Vietnam veterans who served with Kerry and say he's unfit for command.
"I'm not a fan of hyperbole whether it is for or against Sen. Kerry," Gen. Franks told ABC's "This Week."
Asked specifically about allegations that Kerry fabricated some of his combat record, Franks said, "Yeah, I think it is hyperbole."
"For some reason we've fallen pray to a notion that says there has to be vitriol on order to simply say, I support Sen. Kerry, I support George W. Bush to remain president for the next four years."
Asked point blank if Kerry was qualified to be Commander-in-Chief, Franks said, "Absolutely."
The Iraq war chief was adressing allegations by Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, a group of Vietnam Veterans who served with Kerry who have chronicled evidence of his misconduct as a swiftboat commander in the new bestselling book, "Unfit for Command."
Gen. Franks said he was proud of being "fiercely independent" in his politics, but he told "This Week" that he's leaning towards supporting President Bush and acknowledged he's in talks with GOP planners for a possible address to the Republican Convention on Aug. 29.
Seems like everyone is "Cashing In" by writing books. Its money and no other reason. You can make some real good money writing a best seller.
Yeah, I enjoyed those parts of the book. He really does a devestating job of mocking the whole news media establishment, including their reliance on TV generals.
The exception, of course, was the "embedded reporter" program. I think everyone agrees that programs was a smashing success at getting real information out to the public.
One thing is funny about his mockery of the press -- he notes how press errors sometimes gave him heartburn, while other times the errors were quite helpful.
One reporter said we had 16 AC-130's attacking an objective in Afghanistan. Franks said he was thrilled -- it was tough for them to put more than one AC-130 on any target, and now the enemy would think we could supply 16 at a time! Remember all that bogus reporting from Iraq about how our forces were "paused" and "bogged down"? The Iraqis heard those reports and believed them -- giving our forces a great opportunity to kill them from the air while they took their own opportunity to "pause" and re-group as well.
Everybody is running scared from the Swiftboat Veterans. Kinda makes you think they're on to something. Even the Fox panel says this will be a non story by Labor Day.
Franks is way off on this one. Kerry is not fit, unless Franks thinks putting the US military under the control of the blood for oil money club is somehow a good thing.
Now there's no need to be mean here. Of course he was "allowed" into the theatre and he did great work.
Since he was the overall commander of land, sea and air forces, he was also carefull to give subordinate commanders (like Lieutenant-General McKiernan, the ground forces commander) the freedom to do their jobs right.
I saw the interview as well. Franks said he had not decided who he was voting for but was leaning towards GWB.
I kinda figure those who don't want Kerry's closet dug into too deeply probably don't want theirs dug into too deeply either...
imo
Yeah, I remembered he is retired after I posted that. Thanks.
The convention starts August 30.
I can't believe some think Franks ought to be drawn into personally bashing Kerry or explicitly backing or denouncing the vets. So he says he thinks it's hyperbole. So what? If Kerry's records get released he'll be positioned, if asked AGAIN, to say how stunned he is.
Wait a monute....I hear him say last week that IF Kerry is telling the truth about his status as Vietnam War Hero, he's qualified. You mean he Franks didn't use that caveat this time?
He is backing Bush and may speak at the Republican convention.
What did he say here that indicates he's blaming Republicans for a damn thing?
Keeping options open speak. Taking a position agianst Kerry would (1) preclude him from speaking to the convention, (2) by that lack of a grandstand speech on record lessen chances of work with post election Bush administartion, and (3) almost absolutely preclude any chance of working with a Kerry Admin if -- G-d forbid -- Kerry was elected.
Someone else who wasn't there supervising Kerry saying that those who were are mistaken - he and McCain should start a club........
No, he couldn't. He's with Bush and being circumspect about it. There is no way he'd ever back Kerry. My goodness. Some have an impression of Franks based on one appearance/Newsmax article and draw all kinds of erroneous conclusions. Some of us have observed Franks for years and have a more sound evaluation of the man.
And I hope you aren't using the "we" bashing Kerry as tying the Bush campaign to the Swift Vet group. Two different entities that are not tied and the media has not succeeded in doing so. I know most freepers see the difference. It's important that ALL do.
Obviously, the Fox panel has never served under Navy officers. These Swifties believe in what they're doing and they're not going to just disappear.
Hey, Hey!
Ho, Ho!
Kerry, sign the 1-8-0!
Yeah, if you call Kerry bleeding all over the floor "going nowhere". LOL
They have hit the mark and that was just the first volley.
Hang on. You ain't seen nothing yet. These men aren't done having their say.
I agree. KNOWING that he supports Bush and knowing he consistantly says that Kerry is fit for CIC ONLY if he's telling the truth, I lean toward this being a misquote. Don't forget there are a lot of anti-war types allegedly on the right, and several of them write for Newsmax.
"The General paused. His eagle like eyes swept over the hillside. He said with pride, "There is one great thing that you men will all be able to say after this war is over and you are home once again. You may be thankful that twenty years from now when you are sitting by the fireplace with your grandson on your knee and he asks you what you did in the great World War II, you WON'T have to cough, shift him to the other knee and say, "Well, your Granddaddy shoveled shit in Louisiana." No, Sir, you can look him straight in the eye and say, "Son, your Granddaddy rode with the Great Third Army and a Son-of-a-Goddamned-Bitch named Georgie Patton!"
All who served in WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait and Iraq did not shovel sh't somewhere.
Franks is also qualified. Franks would also not want to be cheap shotted if he decides to run. Franks sees there is plenty reason to whack Kerry for what he did when he returned. However Kerry was in uniform, he was at the front, he risked his life and he was lucky the near misses didn't get him in the head or blow his limbs off. At a Vet I think criticism for front line service is pretty thin political gruel. So does Franks and McCain.
I saw that, too.
Too bad so many freepers, who should know better, make vast pronouncements based on representations in a Newsmax article.
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