Posted on 07/20/2015 6:13:58 AM PDT by Hostage
Towards the end of the video where John McCain's betrayals are exposed By Vietnam Vets And POWs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hr37eE0nO8&feature=youtu.be
are found the remarks of former Congressman Dornan's which are accurate and highly plausible but are missing a vital part that deconstructs John McCain's character and the myth about his 'heroism'.
Here's the context with reference in italics to the Hanoi Hilton's POW Commanding Officer Admiral James Stockdale in his own words:
Admiral (then a USN Captain) Stockdale and all other POWs inside the Hanoi Hilton confirmed the only way to come home early was if Admiral Stockdale granted permission; there was no other way around it. There were very few early releasees. One was a Seaman Apprentice named Douglas Hegdahl III who had spent night and day memorizing the names of 256 aviators into a rhyme and jingle. He was ordered to be an early release because he had those names to pass on to his debriefer when he got home.
McCain was never ordered to early release although the enemy offered it to him. He refused because of the standing order given by his POW Commanding Officer James Stockdale. Many have construed this refusal as of his own volition. He did obey the order and the consequence of not obeying the order was well-described by Congressman Dornan.
From Admiral Stockdale's book p.254:
There was little concern in any American's mind about the possibility of the Vietnamese throwing anybody out to defame him; we now knew the Vietnamese well enough to be sure that any early releasee would have to buy his way out by groveling on his knees before the Communists, bad-mouthing America. I gave their new release program a name: FRP -- the "Fink Release Program," and that was the way it was to be known. I also issued an order that started on its way to the other cell blocks of Las Vegas and with subsequent movers to the camps elsewhere in the city and outside it: "No early release; we all go home together".
John McCain's betrayals Exposed By Vietnam Vets And POWs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3314642/posts
The Day John McCain Got Shot Down
With all due respect, you have to face the fact that this is untrue, and, that McCain has allowed this myth to circulate. It's sad I know, but it is becoming clear why so many do not like him.
Trump did not serve and it appears he evaded the draft. He chose a different path through life. But character-wise I see Trump as a greater force of good than either John McCain or John Kerry, especially now at this later stage of his life.
For whatever reason Donald Trump has decided to enter the fight and it strongly appears his heart is in the right place. I will pray God forgives him his past transgressions and I will overlook his past flaws as I continue to see the truth pour out of him. Because I believe there is one truth and it flows from many sources, some that appear unlikely. It’s never too late to turn your life around. I applaud Donald Trump for stepping forward now to come to the aid of his country.
Donald Trump now has an opportunity to make his future with the American people. He is given a clean slate.
John McCain has had many opportunities to make his mark, he’s had several clean slate opportunities in his life and he has squandered all of them and ended them by insulting the American people.
I have looked at John McCain’s military award citations. I see a young man driven recklessly under a legacy of a father and grandfather both of whom were 4-star Admirals. I see in his military citations words of exaltation but no ‘acts’ of specific heroism where he acted to save others. I see that he survived and did many acts to preserve himself. But I have looked everywhere for the ‘acts’ that would reveal his inner character as one to be emulated, and, I just can’t find it, I don’t see it. He served his country yes, but so did millions of others. He suffered in war yes, but so did millions of others. I am unable to find anything about him in his past that sets him apart from others and puts him beyond all doubt into an exceptional category of human behavior. He was not an ace pilot, he was not crucial to any military victories. He suffered longer than most and for that suffering he deserves sympathy. But respecting him as a human being is much more difficult.
But there is one that was with him who was truly exceptional:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3314592/posts
Stockdale is mentioned in the article you linked to. He was in charge of all the American POWs in North Vietnam.
///////
John McCain in the Crucible
New York Times
By JAMES B. STOCKDALE
November 26, 1999
[Excerpt:]
And I consider it blasphemy to smudge the straight-arrow prisoner-of-war record of a man who was near death when he arrived at Hoa Loa prison 1967: both arms broken,
left leg broken, left shoulder broken by a civilian with a rifle butt.
He was eventually taken to the same rat-infested hospital room I had occupied two years earlier, and, like me, he had surgery on his leg. By then the Vietnamese had discovered that his father was the ranking admiral in the Pacific Fleet, and he
received an offer that, as far as I know, was made to no other American prisoner:
immediate release, no strings attached. He refused, thereby sentencing himself to four more years in a cell.”
//////
Trump, in perfect health, spent those same four more years partying with his daddys millions.
Trump is losing ground everyday he refuses to be Presidential and apologize to the thousands of Americans who have been captured and tortured.
Again, with all due respect.
This has been covered, I think in this very thread. Nothing that Stockdale said positive about McCain is contradictory here. The point here is very specific. The legend of McCain, deciding to stay in that hellhole voluntarily and heroically is a myth. The call of duty here was to stay, and survive. He did his duty. All those poor kids did this duty.
In truth, people that lionize McCain for this specific 'heroic act' are the ones that are insulting all the other hundreds of POWs that also did the same. McCain embellished and allowed the myth to go on for years and now decades. Rode it in the District of Criminals. But he never should have been nominated for President.
If you read that article you'll see why they offered him release, it was to break the spirit of the others. He had to stay, for multiple reasons: orders, court martial, morale of the others, not to mention any future political plans he might have.
The myth is dead. He rode it into the Senate, and *then* shat all over the Constitution, and his oath, and all of us 'crazies'. What possible reason is there to allow him to use the POW years as a shield against his post-war treason?
What if McVeigh was in the Hanoi Hilton? What about Oswald? No, that is not a comparison to McCain, but at what point do we pull away the PC protective shield? I say there is no shield, because if you allow there to be any shield from one's military service then guess what the two corrupt parties will continually do? They'll nominate bulletproof candidates that cannot be questioned. Look at the success with the color shield the current occupant has against the (R)epublicrats.
As far as Trump losing ground, I have no clue where you are getting that. But you can believe what you want. His 'dodging' does not offend me. I wouldn't want him or anybody else that doesn't *want* to wear the uniform watching my back. I would prefer no draft ever and only professionals by my side. But that's another topic.
What happens if it is Trump vs O'Malley? Vote for the uniform?
Couldn't disagree more on this part.
Apologies show weakness. For (D)ummycrats it is usually a small thing. For (R)epublicrats it is usually fatal. Knowing that, why would you want him to apologize unless you want him to commit political suicide?
Apologizing for doing something right, like defending babies from abortion, or speaking against homosexuality is dumb and shows weakness
but
Apologizing for doing something wrong like attacking Americans who were captured and tortured is smart and shows strength.
Today Trump had a chance to attack Sen. Linsey Graham after the senator called Trump a jack ass. Instead of exposing the Senator’s RINO politics and his mentality of pro Illegal Immigrant....Trump acts like a 12 year old and calls him names then tells everybody the Senators phone number.....soooo Presidential. Is Trump serious? Everyday he makes his credibility worse and worse.
He is right on the issues and it is important that we get someone in the White House doing what he says need to be done....but does he really want the job?
STOCKDALE SAID:
“I consider it blasphemy to smudge the straight-arrow prisoner-of-war record of a man who was near death when he arrived at Hoa Loa prison 1967: both arms broken,
left leg broken, left shoulder broken by a civilian with a rifle butt.”
I agree with Stockdale.
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