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 it’s 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 Kerry’s 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.
Can't we all just play along with this aspiring movie star as he tries out for his role on The West Wing? His script is just "marvelous", don't you think?
I SHOULD have said that at Christmas 1968 Kerry was not assigned to An Thoi.
I like that "seared - seared in me" part. Turns out that particular memory should have been described as "poached - poached in me".
There is no record of any commander over Kerry thinking enough of him to entrust him with such a mission. All of them think he was a problem.
a junior Lt being given a mission that his whole chain of command didnt know about?
roflmao.
He will come out as a High American and promote legalization of marijuana...he'll do anything to take over America and create his Amerika.
He's a traitor and should be tried and punished in a speedy trial...or pardoned by President Bush exiled to France. Unless he'd prefer his comrades in communist Vietnam...
Yep. Thurston Howell III definitely went dinky dau over the hash pipe in the boonies over this one. There will be some explanation for it. I think huge crowds of former Vietnamese refugees should also turn out at Kerry rallies, and give him a loud reception. SENATOR KERRY, YOU HELPED TAKE AWAY OUR COUNTRY. Fly the yellow flag with three red bars.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.