PS. "Kerry is no more responsible for what we call Vietnam than you or I." I agree, and I never claimed that. I claimed that Kerry smeared our military is what I am claiming. I'm not holding him responsible for the Vietnam conflict itself from 1965 on, that's silly.
PPS. "And, LBJ is responsible for Kerry." On that, we part company. we each are responsible for our own actions. Kerry could have disagreed with the conduct of the war in a decent way that didnt accuse the *whole* military of "war crimes" on every level of command, etc.
Ya know, I watched 68 happen between tours from Ft. Rucker, Alabama. I came of age then. In a strange sort of way I respected much of the anti-war crowd. I remember thinking, "what do I stand for?" I never waived a flag and said I was going to Nam and kill a commie for my country. I did my job. But people exercising their right to free speech, now that was something to me. And, even though I disagreed with what they said, I realized I was fighting for their right to say it. That has always made me proud.
Ninety Nine percent of the boys and girls in Iraq and Afghanistan probably feel somewhat the same as I did. They want to get their buddies and themselves out alive. They will decide later why they were there.
Kerry could have disagreed with the conduct of the war in a decent way . . .
I don't know what that means but I know what freedom of speech is.