Posted on 10/29/2004 1:02:46 AM PDT by kattracks
MANCHESTER—Members of the Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth came to New Hampshire yesterday, bringing their attack on Sen. John Kerry for his post-Vietnam War activities.
The veterans said they feel the anti-war statements Kerry made as a leader of Vietnam Veterans Against the War bother them more than any questions that their group has raised about his war medals.
They say his work helped the enemy and caused prisoners of war greater distress, prolonging their captivity when he alleged that U.S. servicemen committed atrocities against Vietnamese civilians.
Democrats dispute the claims, saying Kerry at the time spoke for many vets who were disillusioned with the war. They say the Swift Boat group is blatantly political, founded and funded primarily by John E. O'Neill, a key supporter of President Bush.
Andy Horne, a Houston, Texas Navy veteran who served on Swift boats, denied that he is driven by party politics. "We never did a political litmus test on membership in this group. I can tell you there are Republicans, Democrats, independents, and then there are guys who don't give a flip about politics, politicians or elections," he said.
Horne served on Swift boats but did not serve with Kerry. He said Kerry's anti-war work while troops were still in the field and in prison camps leave him unfit to serve as commander in chief.
But Kerry supporter Jim Rassmann, whose rescue during a 1969 Swift Boat battle earned Kerry a Silver Star, responded yesterday that he was impressed when Kerry testified before the Senate Foreign Relations committee in 1971.
"I did not feel ill toward him at all. I was struck by how eloquent he was," he said. "It was not until years later that I began to see the war for what it was: A series of fantastically big mistakes on the part of political and military leaders," he said.
He said former POWs have told him Kerry's statements did not affect their captivity.
Kevin McManus, a former Air Force pilot, spent nearly seven years in a prisoner of war camp after being shot down outside Hanoi in June 1967. He said he contacted the Swift Boat group after seeing its anti-Kerry ad.
"His actions specifically extended our stay in Hanoi, and the potential for peace, for two years," said McManus, who lives in Oakton, Va.
He said Kerry's testimony before Congress also hurt the wives and families of servicemen.
His wife, Mary Jane, said that a families group launched an ad campaign to pressure North Vietnam to allow Red Cross camp inspections in February 1971, but the pressure it was meant to create was thwarted two months later when Kerry testified.
Rassmann said he is saddened to see Vietnam being fought all over again.
"I thought I had tucked it away, but it's out again," he said, predicting disputes about the war may outlive those who fought it.
"All of these guys in the Swift boats served honorably, they were all courageous, and saw a lot more combat than a lot of Marine and infantry units saw. Conditions were pretty bad — awful — and these guys performed very well," he said.
Tell it to your pal, kerry. He's the one who brought it up.
John O'Neill voted for Al Gore in 2000, and has said he would have supported a ticket with Lieberman or Gephardt this year.
"It was not until years later that I began to see the war for what it was: A series of fantastically big mistakes on the part of political and military leaders," he said. <<<--- Yup!!!..and those politicians were all Democraps!
Yes Kerry did speak for many vets, he had to, they only spoke Vietnamese.
This, boys and girls, is what is known as a LIE.
L - I - E. Lie.
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