More a legal brief than book, but interesting read, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: jimmy smith (roswell, new mexico) - See all my reviews
Pre-election biographies tend to be puff pieces or hatchet jobs. Unfit for Command doesn't fit into either category. As a matter of fact, it is more a legal brief and indictment than biography.
This should come as no surprise as co-author and long-time John Kerry opponent John O'Neil is a trial attorney. He and co-author Jerome Corsi have used copious footnotes and lengthy interviews to lay out their case before the American public.
The results, while mixed, are fascinating.
Even though the documentation is ample, those sections that pertain to the medals the senator received in his brief stint in Vietnam are on the shakiest ground. After all, even if the information that led to the awards was flawed, the Navy did award them to Kerry.
The authors, however, draw blood in their exposure of Kerry's oft-repeated "Christmas in Cambodia" fable. So solid is this section of the book that the Kerry campaign has said the senator was "mistaken" in aspects of the story. This is hard to square with the senator's claim that this incident was seared in his memory. Historian and Kerry biographer Doug Brinkley reportedly is scrambling to "clarify" this "mistake," which throws Brinkley's Kerry biography Tour of Duty into question. What remains a mystery is why this trasparent tale wasn't challenged for three decades.
The latter half of the book hasn't received much scrutiny. The authors recount the senator's anti-war activities. Some are well known. Others, such as meetings with America's enemies, are not. What emerges is a portrait of a political opportunist who engaged in some questionable conduct. It is obvious that Kerry's post-service war criticism and activity led to the author's animosity towards him. O'Neil served in Vietnam and took over command of Kerry's boat after the senator left Vietnam. The John Kerry that emerges here is a frightening figure, but the author's bitterness may have led to a one-sided portrayal. Time will tell.
Since the reader is asked to serve as judge and jury, a lot of footnotes and excessively long interviews have to be endured. Yet like most trials, there are riveting moments that keep the reader transfixed.
Yes, the authors have an anti-Kerry point of view, and it shows. Yet the end result cannot be faulted as a bare bones criticism. The jury is out on whether it impacts the election--or even should, and exactly how much will prove true (although the Cambodia section already has), but Unfit for Command does make for a compelling if one-sided read.
Grave and specific allegations, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: G. Phillips - See all my reviews
The allegations contained in this book are very specific and may destroy Kerry's political future if proven true. I note Kerry's repeated 'Chrismas in Cambodia' claim over the last 30 years has recently been admitted to have been a lie by his campaign committee, and the deafening silence from major leftwing news sources such as The New York Times and Washington Post on the whole issue also speaks volumes.
For anyone who wants to know the alleged facts rather than personal attacks on the authors, this is the primary - and possibly only - mainstream source. Given that Kerry wishes to lead the most powerful country in the world I would suggest that everyone should make a point of reading it.
Finally - The TRUTH About John Kerry!!!, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: Scott Rachui "Scott Rachui" (Allen, TX USA) - See all my reviews
John Kerry has made his service in Vietnam a central issue in this election. He wants us to think he's this proud, patriotic war hero who's coming in to save us and fight a more sensitive war on terror (more sensitive? Isn't that a bit like doing surgery in which you don't cut the patient?). This book, which is one of the most well documented books so far put out in this campaign, gets right to the heart of Kerry's service and exposes him for the fraud he is.
The fact is that EVERY commanding officer of John Kerry has come out publically to say that John Kerry's statements about his service in Vietnam are lies. Over 200 Swift Boat veterans have signed documents stating that John Kerry is an opportunist who will say and do anything to get elected. And 60 of Kerry's fellow soldiers, who served right next to him during the Vietnam War, are showing in this book the real John Kerry. The Kerry who runs from fights, who insists that cameras film him as he "re-enacts" firefights after the fact (presumably so he can use the footage in political ads...), who wounds himself to get purple hearts, and who shoots fleeing enemies in the back to get his medals.
In fact, the critics of this book will say that none of the people contributing to it were in Kerry's swift boat. That's true. Instead, they were in all of the other boats that were riding alongside of Kerry's boat. But to say that these men and their eyewitness testimony isn't valid because they weren't on the boat is like a policeman at the scene of an accident saying to a witness "excuse me, sir, were you IN the car that wrecked? Because if you were just in a car in another lane I can't trust your testimony." It's ludicrous and any rational person knows it.
The fact is that the DNC and its lawyers are doing everything they can to make sure that you DON'T hear what these brave men have to say. They want them silenced because their testimony is too damaging to their political candidate. This is Free Speech at its finest (take note those of you who would vote for John Kerry...free speech to a liberal means he gets to say what he wants, but reserves the right to sue you if you try and exercise your free speech rights).
I'll wrap up with one observation. John Kerry has said that he was in Cambodia during Christmas of 1968. He says the events of being in Cambodia while the President denied military were in that country is "seared" in his mind. Now we find out that Kerry's military records show that he WASN'T in Cambodia during that time. In fact, reporters are scrambling to say that it was JANUARY and not Christmas that Kerry was there! Now, if something is SEARED in my mind, do you think I won't remember when it happened? This is just another blatant Kerry lie exposed.
The American people are smart enough not to believe John Kerry's lies. They're smart enough that the DNC and their cadre of lawyers isn't going to be able to silence the truth this time. This book and it's popularity is definitive proof of that.
These boys are the real deal, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: Steven Cain (Nelson, BC Canada) - See all my reviews
I confess I'm basing my review on direct info about the book from Riverine/Navy Vet friends, but I have no reason to doubt them or the information the authors are providing. My book copy is only days away.
You don't have to be Einstein to figure out that any combat vet who manages to get 3 Purple Hearts and a Silver Star in the space of 4 months is a medal chaser.
I must have over thirty Vietnam Vet friends and the most heavily decorated among them are a Marine who was almost KIA in Hue City, Tet '68 and an Air Cav Snake Driver, who was almost KIA winning his DFC, providing fire suppression during a Huey rescue.
The other Vet friend was a Battalion Surgeon, who won the Bronze Star and the Soldier's Medal of Honor in 1969, for saving countless lives, along with his combat medics.
The common factors were extreme courage under fire and dogged persistence in the execution of their duty.
While I hate the idea of any combat vet's record being questioned, the Swift Boat Vets have a moral right to do so, in the case of Kerry.
Since he has made his platform on his Vietnam Vet status, he is surely fair game for the men who actually served with him to point out any exaggerations or untruths.
Yet while his 'Christmas Day in Cambodia' myth and his foolish beaching of the boat to recover a relatively insignificant rocket launcher, are certainly issues for the men who were there, they are not the real reason so many poeple, Vets and non-Vets are going after Kerry now.
As with any war, there were a lot of poor commanders and medal chasers in Vietnam, and if that were the only beef with John Kerry, I doubt if there would be a tenth of the opposition to him that there so clearly is now.
John Kerry blew it when he came home from Nam by aligning with the Stalinist flag burners and the Hanoi Jane crowd. While he was entitled to express the personal view that the War had been 'a mistake', which even MacNamara and, in a qualified form, David Hackworth, did in later years, it was the way he seemingly supported Hanoi and the false claims of atrocities by US troops, most of which were made by men who were provably fake Vets, that enraged so many real combat vets.
The icing on the cake was the way he moved to block any attempts to fully open up the POW/MIA issue with the Vietnamese, favoring trade at the expense of the 1,872 missing American service personnel.
Unfit For Command. A powerful title.
When decorated Navy Vets, including a Rear Admiral, get on board to this degree, you have to listen.
Simply The Truth!!!, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: Huge Viking (Nevada) - See all my reviews
Forget about "Fahrenheit 9/11", this is a real story by someone who has been around John Kerry, all written in black and white. John O'Neill speaks out about the real John Kerry and what it was like serving with him in Vietnam. O'Neill and co-author Dr. Jerome Corsi have pieced together the actual truth of a man who is in the running to occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Did John Kerry actually buck the system in "earning" those three Purple Hearts when his wounds were very minor, especially when one of his "wounds" came from grains of rice in a paddy incident?
Kerry only exaggerated about himself being a "hero" saving lives when he would flee at the sign of danger just to save his own skin. He had no regard for the lives of others he accompanied, putting their lives at risk, and this is a guy running for president??? Why did he only spend four months in Vietnam while everybody else served a minimum of a year? And did Kerry actually shoot a young boy in the back? This is why Kerry will not allow his military record to be released to the public. To me the public has a right to know, and if Kerry wants to continue to be a public figure, certain things cannot be kept as a private matter, but already this book has unveiled everything and from someone who has actually been with Kerry unlike "Fahrenheit 9/11" where Michael Moore has never been anywhere near President Bush.
Want to know the truth about Kerry? Read this book and find out.
Honest Appraisal, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: Jayson Breezley (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
I am not one who buys into the notion that one cannot question a veteran's behavior simply because he served. If that were the case we all owe William Calley a big apology and we should get off the backs of those kids at Abu Gharaib.
John Kerry's (oft-changing) story about his service in Vietnam demands some honest questioning -- especially as he seems to offer few other reasons why he should become President. In this book we find sixty people who worked with Kerry who put themselves, their names and their reputation on the line and their stories are compelling.
(Note should be made that in an effort to undermine the strong cases made in this book the Kerry campaign has taken to a line of trickery. When they say these people didn't "serve with" Kerry they are as disingenuous as saying that the New York Giants defense didn't "serve with" the offense. Yes, perhaps they weren't under the direct command of the "quarterback" but they did eat, sleep, socialize, train and engage in combat together on a regular basis.)
This book is clearly written, unambiguous and powerful. Simply attacking the authors or trying to keep them from being heard is NOT an argument against the veracity of these men and their points. In fact the lack of rebutal to the FACTS of the book seems to imply that the book is completely true.
So far what we know for a fact, such as the Swift Boat Veterans' claim that Kerry was never in Cambodia as Kerry claimed repeatedly -- including in testimony on the Senate floor -- has been proved true.
Anyone who takes seriously America's safety and the future of this country needs to give fair and serious consideration to this important book.
True Heroes, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: F. W. Cowart "neo cop" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
First of all, the brave men who contributed to this book should be commended. To put themselves on the line so that we might see the truth behind this (...), John Kerry, is worthy of our thanks. When I see the disrespectful treatment of these men by shreiking, line-towing, liberal "journalists" (Chris Matthews and James Carville I'm looking at you) it makes me ashamed. Not to mention those baseless legal threats by Kerry's attack lawyers. These men already fought once and earned the right to speak the truth -- they must be heard! The Swiftvets are proving their bravery again by walking through the fire of these political hitsquads who are trying desperately to slander and discredit them. But the truth is no match for their well-crafted lies. Swiftvets -- don't let them silence you, your message is getting out there.
By the way, if this is all a pack of lies, as Kerry's apologists would have you believe, why are they so upset and desperate to keep it silenced? Hmmmm? Kerry's already conceeded to one of the Swiftvets claims (that Christmas in Cambodia was a lie). I wonder what's next?
He's on the run now and his story is going to eventually crumble around him. Democrats are going to be feeling pretty sorry come November, when they have to hold their noses while pulling the lever for this dog. But, hey, "Anybody but Bush", right? You're going to put that slogan to the test with John Kerry as your candidate!
A Must Read Book, August 13, 2004
Reviewer: Dennis V Damp (Robinson Township, PA) - See all my reviews
The media has questioned John O'Neil's, credibility. Many news shows have insisted that Mr. Kerry's awards were well documented by the Navy and none could question their merit. Remember Jayson Blair, the NY Times writter, who was fired for writting over 30 plagerized articles. I suppose by the media's criteria everything Jayson Blair wrote, because it was in print, had to be true until he was exposed and fired. I'm uncertain that the entire truth was exposed in this well written and documented book, however, it did open my eyes.
Colin Powell wrote in 1995 in his autobiography "My American Journey" about Vietnam era awards. He said, "Awards were piled on to a point where writing the justisfying citation became a minor art form." No matter what side of the fence you are on this is a must read book. At least give the majority of the Swiftboat sailors an opportunity to tell their side of the story.
EXCELLENT - A MUST READ, August 12, 2004
Reviewer: Mama Kate (ATLANTA, GA USA) - See all my reviews
I now KNOW that John Kerry cannot be President. There is too much at stake. We cannot afford to have someone who gave aid and comfort to our enemies after his tour in Vietnam as Commander and Chief. And the fact that there is a shrine to him in Ho Chi Min City next to the likes of Castro simply blows my mind. No wonder the terrorists want him to be the next president of the US.
Thanks to these brave men who came forward to tell the truth.
Thanks for posting the ephemeral reviews.