Miami Vietnam veteran attacks Kerry's anti-war statements

Kansas.com (Knight Ridder) ^ | September 10, 2004 | FRANK DAVIES

[tgslTakoma]

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Dexter Lehtinen, well-known Miami lawyer and former U.S. attorney, has become one of the most prominent Vietnam veterans in a vociferous campaign against Sen. John Kerry.

Lehtinen, who plans to speak at an anti-Kerry rally here Sunday, separates himself from a group of swift boat veterans who attacked the Democratic nominee's war record.

"What happened in combat is disputed," Lehtinen said. "What John Kerry said and did later is beyond dispute - that our Army was reminiscent of Genghis Khan's, that officers like me routinely let their men plunder villages and rape villagers."

Lehtinen, an Army Ranger and platoon leader, was severely wounded in 1971. Temporarily blinded, his left cheekbone shot away, he was in a hospital when he heard others talking about Kerry's famous Senate testimony denouncing the war.

"His position was outrageous, that soldiers routinely committed atrocities," he said. "I think he has no moral standing to be president."

Kerry defends his role as a leader in Vietnam Veterans Against the War. He said earlier this year that some of his rhetoric was "over the top" but stuck by his main point - that U.S. civilian and military leaders were behind policies that led to atrocities in Vietnam.

Lehtinen, whose wife is Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, has made at least two trips to speak out against Kerry, and last month paid $9,200 for a full-page ad in Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

The ad asks people to help "expose Kerry's lies" by attending the Sunday rally on Capitol Hill. The event is sponsored by Vietnam Vets for the Truth, headed by Larry Bailey, a former Navy SEAL.

Bailey said the group's "unique focus" is on Kerry's record after the war. But one of the scheduled speakers at the rally, John O'Neill, is the leader of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, whose ads and book, "Unfit for Command," dispute Kerry's war record.

To counter the broadsides against Kerry, another advocacy group called the Veterans Institute for Security and Democracy plans a news conference Sunday featuring retired Gen. Merrill McPeak, former Air Force chief of staff and a Kerry supporter.

[tgslTakoma]

FYI to all...

(the following info is from the Vietnam Vets for Truth website)

John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam. Now, thirty-three years later, we will tell America the truth. Join us at the rally we call:

KERRY LIED . . . while good men died

A gathering of Vietnam veterans from across America

Where: Upper Senate Park, Washington, D.C. It is easy to get to, shady and pretty, with a great view of the Capitol dome in back of the speaker's platform. THIS IS A NEW LOCATION AS OF 7/17/04

When: Sunday, Sept 12, 2004 2:00-4:00 PM (EDT)

Why: To tell the truth about Vietnam veterans. To counter the lies told about Vietnam veterans by John Kerry

All Vietnam veterans and their families and supporters are asked to attend. Other veterans are invited as honored guests.

NOTE: Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. None will be provided.

PLEASE NOTE: WHILE THIS RALLY IS CONDUCTED IN HONOR OF AND ON BEHALF OF VIETNAM VETERANS, EVERYBODY IS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND! PLEASE COME AND BRING A FRIEND!

[Clemenza]

Dexter's a character (do NOT piss him off). Happy to hear that he is behind this. I wonder if his wife (congresswoman from Miami and the Keys) will be there.

[coconutt2000]

This keeps on building... Kerry is toast.

[GailA]

mcpeak..a perfumed general vs Dexter...no contest.

[xzins]

Gen. Merrill McPeak, do you honestly agree that our american officers in Vietnam routinely turned a blind eye to rape, pillage, atrocity and torture?

[Mach9]

And DESPISED when he was Chief of Staff.

[Mach9]

No--he really hadn't noticed. He was too busy concentrating on how the Air Force uniform needed to be updated (which he remedied as Chief of Staff).

[xzins]

Is he the numbnutz with the blue BDU's?

Useful when falling out of airplanes and outlined against the sky? Do falling airmen blend right into the wild blue yonder???

[F16Fighter]

Good news...

And why shouldn't Viet Nam Vets grab their lanterns and pitchforks and gather from ALL over the country to make the SOB Kerry eat his lying words?

[Travis McGee]

The event is sponsored by Vietnam Vets for the Truth, headed by Larry Bailey, a former Navy SEAL.

Uh oh! Kerry is about to get a whole new can of Whoop-A$$ opened up on him!

[Squantos]

Get some ..........HAH !

[Mach9]

HE's THE GUY!

[xzins]

Blue BDUs.

It's too stupid for words.

[tgslTakoma]

As of right now, a check on CSPAN's schedule for Sunday shows that they will be covering this rally LIVE. (see earlier FR thread "C-SPAN TO SHOW KERRY LIED RALLY LIVE ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 12, 2 P.M. EDT")

I read an update the other day that stated that Rolling Thunder was on board for the rally.

MSM is mostly ingoring the rally (and keeping the story from folks without internet and FR). I know that a lot of Vietnam vet Freepers are going to attend; and many non-vet Freepers will also be there, supporting our veterans.

[Gucho]

"His position was outrageous, that soldiers routinely committed atrocities," he said. "I think he has no moral standing to be president."

http://ice.he.net/~freepnet/kerry/index.php?topic=Documents

[tgslTakoma]

On one of the RNC convention live threads, somebody said (after Zell Miller's speech?) that the floor of the convention hall was littered with empty Whoop-Ass cans.

I hope that the rally is a great success, for all the Vietnam vets who served with honor (many who didn't come home) and were maligned and dishonored by Kerry and his ilk.

[Travis McGee]

Ping

[Mach9]

The one sentiment I don't want lost in all the (cautious)celebration . . . Thanks for the reminder!

[maica]

Lehtinen, whose wife is Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, has made at least two trips to speak out against Kerry, and last month paid $9,200 for a full-page ad in Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

%%%%%

I have always liked to see his wife appear on the talking head shows. She is articulate and passionate.

Looks like they both married well!

Freee-dame and I are going to the rally tomorrow. Now I am off to Towson for a celebration of Michael Phelps achievements - today is the only day he is available for Baltimore, as he is 'controlled' by Disney for the next few months.

[Travis McGee]

Sounds like a great weekend! Phelps was a member of the NBAC, correct?