Posted on 08/12/2004 7:13:16 PM PDT by wagglebee
**Exclusive**
TOUR OF DUTY author and John Kerry historian Doug Brinkley is rushing a piece for the NEW YORKER: to set-the-record-straight on Kerry's Christmas in Cambodia tale, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
Kerry has turned to author Brinkley for a "modification" after it was exposed that Kerry was not in Cambodia during Christmas of 1968, as he once claimed from the Senate floor.
The Brinkley piece for the NEW YORKER will now say that Kerry was not in Cambodia during Christmas, but rather in January, publishing sources tell DRUDGE.
MORE
Since the early 1970s, Kerry has spoken and written of how he was illegally ordered to enter Cambodia. Kerry mentioned it in the floor of the Senate in 1986 when he charged that President Reagan’s actions in Central America were leading the U.S. in another Vietnam. Here’s what he said as excerpted from the new book, UNFIT FOR COMMAND:
"I remember Christmas of 1968 sitting on a gunboat in Cambodia. I remember what it was like to be shot at by the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge and Cambodians, and have the president of the United States telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Cambodia. I have that memory which is seared--seared--in me."
John O’Neil’s, author of UNFIT FOR COMMAND, comments on the “clarification:”
“John Kerry describes Christmas Eve in Cambodia as a critical turning point in his life. We now know that his story is completely false. My question is how many people do you know have invented a turning point, one that is seared in his memory? While it makes sense for John Kerry to come clean about the Cambodia story, it is one of several tales that the Kerry campaign will have to face and clarify.”
“By claiming we were engaged in a war crime and crossing international borders, John Kerry damaged the credibility of all the commanding officers above him and insulted the sailors who served with him,” said John O’Neill, member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.”
Developing...
Yeah, what about being shot at by South Vietnamese who were celebrating Christmas? I guess they must have been good Buddhists after all - celebrating the Chinese New Year.
They have to change the story. How sad for them. Instead of admitting a lie, they seek to embellish it. The M.O for John F*ckin and today's Democrats.
Heh, heh! And he can claim another exaggerated rescue, like with Rassman.
Wake up, all you blood-thirsty VRWC members! Cambodians celebrate Christmas on JANUARY 25th! Geeeez. Kerry didn't lie after all. /sarcasm
But Mr Brinkley rejected accusations that the senator had never been to Cambodia, insisting he was telling the truth about running undisclosed "black" missions there at the height of the war.
He said: "Kerry went into Cambodian waters three or four times in January and February 1969 on clandestine missions. He had a run dropping off US Navy Seals, Green Berets and CIA guys." The missions were not armed attacks on Cambodia, said Mr Brinkley, who did not include the clandestine missions in his wartime biography of Mr Kerry, Tour of Duty.
"He was a ferry master, a drop-off guy, but it was dangerous as hell. Kerry carries a hat he was given by one CIA operative. In a part of his journals which I didn't use he writes about discussions with CIA guys he was dropping off."
First, Brinkley must supply some proof to base his assertions on. I have a feeling that these fantasies are part of Kerry's personal journals, which O'Neill has been pressing Kerry to release. Now it makes sense.
For what it's worth try this link:
http://www.vietnamwar.net/Kerry-2.htm
it has dates before Feb 17th. Guess someone forgot to purge this page.
I spent a fair amount of time on the Song Ong Doc.
I think it will open the door to some of the Swiftee's other claims. People might think if they caught him on one lie, maybe some of their other claims have validity.
How did he get command of that boat if he couldn't navigate a river? Columbus was a better navigator 500 years ago.........sheesh.
I think The Bandit has a copy of the purged January reports. That's why I addressed my original post to him.
I can't resist:
He swam upriver carrying a secret pouch that explodes and a cynide pill in his cheeck in the event he was discovered.
Compound a lie with a lie. The Kennedy Wing has been as Clintonized as the other wing of the party. The means justify the end and no means is too low to ensure political success.
I've been doing just that. See #150. Hopefully, this can be filled in with documentated dates and places to the point where this is no more wiggle room. Anyone who can send documentation on that, I would be most grateful! Have been scouring the internet, the Swifties site, etc.
You're dreaming! Why would they give an assignment like that to Kerry, who was already id'ed as being "unfit for command"??
If they collapse, at least Kerry has the skills to resuscitate them.
"Now thats funny, I don't care who ya are, that's funny" Larry the Cable Guy
Yeah...lots of vacations.
Teresa needs a rest, after that big blowup the other day.
---One member of Kerry’s crew -- Forward Gunner David Alston – suffered shrapnel wounds in his head. His injuries were not considered serious and he was sent to the 29th Evac Hospital at Binh Thuy. ---
Peck was in charge when this happened. It's doubtful that Alston was ever a member of Kerry's crew! This is huge. Alston gave a moving speech at the Convention on his service with Kerry. The Bandit did some excellent research on this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1189173/posts
bttt
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