Posted on 09/05/2004 11:13:26 AM PDT by Tacis
In an earlier posting, I laid out my thesis that Kerry is hiding the fact that the USN court martialed him or took some action against him terminating his service under other than honorable conditions and that he was pardoned in 1977 by Jimmy Carter under Proclamation 4483.
The facts are that Kerry served with distinction in Viet Nam in 1968 and 1969. There may be some quibbling about his self-promotion and whether he truly deserved the awards he received, but there is no question that his record for those months is one that any naval officer would proud of. Kerry’s military documents are available, in general, only through the early 70s. In 1978, Kerry was discharged from the USNR.
Kerry is asking American voters to assess his fitness to serve as CinC based on his record in-country. But, he refuses to release (Standard Form 180) his total military record so that we can judge the totality for ourselves. It is not that he is asking us to weigh the pieces of his record differently, he is saying, “You can’t see it, you have no right to see, take my word!” Always remember that Benedict Arnold had a wonderful combat record and reputation as a patriot until he tried to betray the cause by turning over West Point to the British.
Kerry and, probably, McAuliffe and Kerry’s evil handlers at the DNC have made a conscious decision. They are saying that the secret(s) in Kerry’s military file is so terrible, so horrible, that the damage that can be done by revealing it is greater than the damage that is done by burying it. Such an analysis might be sound considering the compliant, lap dog, left wing media that licks the boots of the ultra-liberals. But, around here, that don’t feed the bulldog! The left wing media won’t even ask the questions, much less follow up with the hinkey answers they’d get.
Thus, Kerry’s mendacity leaves no choice but for us to guess at what’s in his background that would cause even more voters to believe that he is unfit to be President (and, Senator, for that matter). My guess was that he had a major and formal blemish in his naval record that was cleaned away by a pardon from Jimmy Cater under his Proclamation 4483 and, if not under those provisions, under Carter’s Constitutional authority, some time in 1977. One respondent mentioned the "bad paper" discharges that Carter upgraded.
A number of responses have taken exception to my thesis. Some have pointed out that Carter’s pardon dealt with “draft dodgers” who violated the Selective Service Act. Others suggested that the terrible secret in Kerry’s file is that he was a snitch for the FBI and reported back on the anti-American, pro-Viet Cong groups with which he was associated. We all know how the flaming liberals in Hollywood feel about such patriots.
The fact is, I don’t know, I have no idea what the facts are. While Carter’s pardon does seem to apply to draft dodgers, I don’t know what else is in the Selective Service Act. But, I have to believe there were a couple of “catch all” provisions. Nor, do I know what charges might have been brought against Kerry. Remember, Nixon was Navy and might not have wanted a decorated Viet Nam hero tried for treason in war time. Some lesser, administrative charges may have been substituted.
Kerry a snitch? Sure, it is possible. But, it is also possible that he became a snitch only after the Navy convinced him that, Nixon good will or no, unless he cooperated, he’d spend a long time in some hard labor brig. In return for reporting back on what the Viet Nam Veterans Against the War (VVAR) were plotting (remember, at one time, they discussed the assassination of 6 sitting Senators), who knows, Kerry might have just been kicked out of the Navy rather than do brig time.
The juxtaposition of Carter’s Proclamation, Kennedy’s clout in a democrat administration and the date of Kerry’s discharge, coupled with the lack of other records immediately before or after the discharge leaves too much to coincidence for me. Even if Kerry’s possible offense did not follow under the purview of Carter’s pardon, it could have been swept through a compliant Department of Justice in a stack of other documents. It is just a thesis!
Others might suggest that Kerry must have had a clean record in 1973 because he applied to and was admitted to law school. Maybe. In March, 1970, Kerry dropped out of the primary race to be the democrat candidate from the Third Congressional District in Massachusetts. The notorious Father Drinan, Dean of Boston College Law School, became the candidate and, I believe, won. Kerry went to this same law school. Could the admission procedures have been adjusted to allow Kerry in despite a negative Navy record? Who knows, Boston’s politics are reputed to be arcane.
Am I accusing Kerry of being dishonorably discharged? Absolutely not. I simply don’t know the truth. And, that’s my complaint. Kerry has the ability to reveal all details about his total military record and refuses to do so. This allows me, us, to make any guess we can about his motivation. It also allows all Americans to draw conclusions about his claims of openness, honesty, integrity and candor and the charges he makes about integrity of others.
Again, it is indeed unfortunate that a man who would be President, so distrusts the American public and his own background that he hides the material information in his military records in the hope of hornswoggling the electorate, of tricking us into believing he is one thing when, in fact, he may be another.
As troubling is the fact these are questions and issues so apparent that an objective, heck, a competent media should have explored them long ago. Kerry’s arrogance and his willingness to lie to America may, in fact, be supported by the fact that he has gotten away with this deception for more then 25 years. The Boston media, like the national media, appears to have no interest in looking behind the representations of liberal or democrat politicians.
Yes - Kerry was courtmartialed for 'DERELICTION OF DUTY', THAT SAYS IT PRETTY MUCH ALL! Therefore, it is important to Kerry NOT to release his complete file, there are too many skeletons in his closet. Now that the Navy is investigating, maybe some of his lies will come forward, and doom will follow Kerry.
amen.. if he is really a war hero who did no wrong, it will only help him. As long as he evades, he looks as though he is hiding something.
REMEMBERING VIETNAM: The MacNeil/Lehrer Report -- January 21, 1977
If someone is court martialed, are any of their awards (medals) revoked? What dates did he first get updates on his awards?
Are there online records to this effect? If so, please provide the link.
Carter Library link
http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/
Why not just do your research, in fact, the most basic research, and find out what is in the selective service act before any additional speculation?
Thanks for the addition to your earlier post. I agree there is definately something in the records he doesn't want to get out. Whatever it is, it is bound to be damning.
I'll never run for any kind of office, yet I couldn't give a rats ass who sees my military records. I'm proud of every page in it. Why isn't Kerry???
Source: The provisions of Executive Order 11967 of Jan. 21, 1977, appear at 42 FR 4331, 3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 91, unless otherwise noted.
The following actions shall be taken to facilitate Presidential Proclamation of Pardon of January 21, 1977:
1. The Attorney General shall cause to be dismissed with prejudice to the government all pending indictments for violations of the Military Selective Service Act alleged to have occurred between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973 with the exception of the following: (a) Those cases alleging acts of force or violence deemed to be so serious by the Attorney General as to warrant continued prosecution; and (b) Those cases alleging acts in violation of the Military Selective Service Act by agents, employees or officers of the Selective Service System arising out of such employment.
2. The Attorney General shall terminate all investigations now pending and shall not initiate further investigations alleging violations of the Military Selective Service Act between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973, with the exception of the following: (a) Those cases involving allegations of force or violence deemed to be so serious by the Attorney General as to warrant continued investigation, or possible prosecution; and (b) Those cases alleging acts in violation of the Military Selective Service Act by agents, employees or officers of the Selective Service System arising out of such employment.
3. Any person who is or may be precluded from reentering the United States under 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(22) or under any other law, by reason of having committed or apparently committed any violation of the Military Selective Service Act shall be permitted as any other alien to reenter the United States.
The Attorney General is directed to exercise his discretion under 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) or other applicable law to permit the reentry of such persons under the same terms and conditions as any other alien.
This shall not include anyone who falls into the exceptions of paragraphs 1(a) and (b) and 2(a) and (b) above.
4. Any individual offered conditional clemency or granted a pardon or other clemency under Executive Order 11803 or Presidential Proclamation 4313, dated September 16, 1974, shall receive the full measure of relief afforded by this program if they are otherwise qualified under the terms of this Executive Order.
http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/codification/executive_order/11967.html
This really isn't about GWB. He couldn't stop this if he tried.
I have a great deal of anger towards kerry because of his anti-war actions. my father was in Vietnam and My life was rather dificult as a youngster because of it. I can imagine the anger toward kerry from Vietnam Vets. He was an officer and he betrayed all of them. What I can't imagine is the horrible feeling when those swiftboat vets heard the lies that were being said about them specifically.
Make no mistake this isn't about revenge, this is a reckoning.
kerry could put a stop to most of this. The swift boat vets have offered him an out. If he just tells the truth about what happened, they have offered to go away.
GWB is little more than a spectator here.
I'd bet that the tape of Nixon talking about him.
Easier said than done?
The following from http://www.sss.gov/PDFs/MSSA-2003.pdf
To determine the corresponding MSSA section to each U.S. Code section listed, subtract 450 from the Code section. Therefore, for example, Code section 451 is section 1 in the MSSA; Code section 453 is section 3 in the MSSA; Code section 462 is section 12 in the MSSA. Exceptions: Code section 471(a) converts to MSSA section 22; Code section 472 converts to MSSA section 23; and Code section 473 converts to MSSA section 24. Note: The MSSA, as published in 50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq., can be found (with notes and the legislative history of amendments at the end of each section) at http://uscode.house.gov/usc.htm.
Now why would a President of the USA bother with some anti war nobody?
or
Nothing will come of this unless the Clintons really need it.
Some people were posting about all of this on another site. Check out Doug Thompson...
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/Ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=34;t=000652
He wasn't a nobody. He had just testified to the Senate committee & Nixon was concerned, as he knew a decorated Vet would be believed more than the normal rabble rousers against the war.
Quite interesting IMHO.
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