Posted on 08/23/2004 5:57:09 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
The explanation for Senator John Kerry that he was in Cambodia on Christmas 1968 is by now a famous if not humorous footnote to his overall portrayal of hi own Vietnam War experiences. It is seared in his own, and now our own, memories.
However the statement by John Kerry of his whereabouts at that time begs a very important question. Did Kerry in fact violate a secret oath, made official by his signature, under penalty of severe punishment?
William Shawcross, in his 1979 book Sideshow, detailing covert U.S. operations in Cambodia during the period of the Royal Cambodian government from 1965-70, and later overt and covert operations during the period of the Khmer Republic from 1970-75, made an interesting revelation. In part, he wrote as follows:
The (U.S.) teams entered Cambodia all along its 500-mile frontier with South Vietnam from the lonely, craggy, impenetrable mount forests in the north, down to the well-populated and thickly reeded waterways along the Mekong River. There was a quality of fantasy about the missions. They usually contained two or three Americans and they were enjoined to the strictest of secrecy; the release they had to sign subjected them to a $10,000 fine and up to ten years imprisonment for disclosing the details of the forays
We can come to only three conclusions, based on Senator Kerrys repeated statements throughout his career that he was on a secret mission into Cambodian territory, specifying time, date, location and method of infiltration with some level of specificity.
--A) Senator Kerry is a serial liar. He was nowhere near Cambodia on Christmas Eve/Day of 1968 nor at any other time. Therefore he has made a serious claim, which is a falsehood, de-legitimizing his self-described Vietnam War record and experiences. This point has been brought up in the Swift Boat veterans book. It has been stated Kerry was in Sa Dec, South Vietnam despite his claims.
--B) Senator Kerry is not a liar, but then perhaps he is a federal criminal, having revealed details of a sensitive program he may well have sworn to maintain as secret, under penalty of severe punishment.
--C) Senator Kerry was in illegally Cambodia but was not a part of US government covert operations. It means he was a participant in a mission similar to rogue, illegal and unauthorized efforts such as Project Cherry. During some of these missions, it is documented that unauthorized killings on Cambodian soil sometimes took place.
> Yeah, but in December 1968 Kerry was NOT assigned to An Thoi.
Actually he was at An Thoi December 6 to 13 (having been in Vietman since November 17 - wouldn't that be enough experinence for a super secret mission?)
RE:Access to Mekong/Cambodia via waterways? Much of the delta flooded at various times. What was dry land one week, was a waterway next week.
No expert here on Kerry's service. I served at other end of map. But I do know I walked through rivers/streams that were not on any map...
Also, some have questioned Kerry's service on PCF as being "safe." That is, not goin up inland waterways. In fact his second choice was PBRs. Not exactly a request for "light duty."
John F'n Kerry: Hero of Dien Bien Fubar.
Especially on a 50 foot long, 20 foot high, diesel-powered Swift boat. A Swift would undoubtedly be the LAST choice if someone wanted to do a covert insertion.
Yes, why would they pick a rookie with a history of complaining about the war to go on a Top Secret mission?
Why wouldn't the CIA use their own boats and men to complete the mission.
Kerry has no special talent or skills
was a rookie junior lieutenant just arrived
does not speak/read the languages
has no experience with the region/culture/topography/politics
has minimal weapons training and no infantry training
obviously had not be vetted for a security clearance
(based on the fact that he ratted out his buddies and government)
There is a real question as to whether Kerry got CIA agents killed (including the one who gave him his "lucky hat") by dropping them off (according to him) and then exposing them to the enemy while they were in combat.
Kerry had nothing to offer and brought nothing to the table, there was no common sense reason to "send him into Cambodia" as he claims.
also, notice how he typically casts himself as the "above it all" mentor for the CIA guys in that he was risking his life to get them in. (what a POS poseur!!)
What an insult this "4 month" wannabe is to REAL soldiers who had real training and conducted real mission, the least of which could beat the crap out of this whiner hippy without even breaking a sweat.
May I posit a 4th possibility? He is a liar who has repeated this "story" so often that he has come to believe his own lies.
I pick A. We know Kerry lied over 50 times that he was in Cambodia on Xmas Eve. Now that it is proven to be a bogus story, we have a new timeframe. He was lying about Xmas Eve and he is lying now about his forays into Cambodia. He is a serial liar.
I still am inclined to go with "A"; however lets see what additional spinning they come up with.
Click the logo to donate to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Great photo--look at that shifty left eye.
Kerry remembers being in Cambodia before he remembered he was not in Cambodia. The bottom line, "the liar who kept on lying." Busg/Cheney 2004
Just wait til Mom and Pop in Flyover Country find out that Kerry's photo is on the wall in some war memorabilia museum in Hanoi.
Might be a skizo too boot!! Maybe when he was an irishman he spent time in Cambodia?
I think he is. He's like Gore in the sense that he's had such a pampered and disconnected life that he's been able to just lie his way through the lower levels, but now that he's in the big leagues he doesn't know that he'll be outed. He may also be unable to separate fact from fiction when it comes to stuff that happened so long ago, or as you said, he "might be a skizo too boot!!"
"Disconnected" (mild) although I believe Kerry is a truly evil man bent on his place in history and writing it himself all the way. Fails so see how his actions in 1971 hurt thousands of people, failed to bring any closure to the families of the POW/MIA's and how he was ever appointed Chairman of the Senate Select Committee, since by his own admission he negotiated illegally with an enemy government, I will never know. Evil man!! No end to his boldness and treachery.
"Senator Kerry was in illegally Cambodia but was not a part of US government covert operations."
Not likely considering he was only in Viet Nam for a total of four months. Didn't Kerry have someone film the chopping of the pine Christmas tree?
Well, if we can figure a way to open up a F.O.I.A. quamire into this, that would be good. The guy's nutso, that's for sure. I don't think he nor his wife enough in them to take the next three months, if it is a matter of the TRUTH hitting them straight, every day hereafter.
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