[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

I didn't need to research military history to figure that out. This thread is way out of proportion. FR is bringing CBS News to its knees. Now it's being turned on some guy who gave an opinion. He didn't forge documents. He's not an "expert" on CNN. And he's not running for President. He's just some guy who changed his name and doesn't want his privacy invaded. And you people are trying to destroy him. This is abuse and abuse of power pure and simple and I've reported it as such.

[gcruse]

. This is abuse and abuse of power pure and simple and I've reported it as such.

Reported it to whom?  The Ministry of Posturing?

[StayAt HomeMother]

Relax a bit. I am not saying anything about his political opinions. As I wrote earlier, "I think what we are trying to do is determine this man's validity. If he was a SEAL, and later changed his name, OK, that's his right."

Nobody is trying "to destroy him," but vets, and especially SEALs, don't like posers. (Obviously I am not and never have been a SEAL, nor have I played one on TV.)

How is attempting to check the validity of someone's self-proclaimed credentials an "abuse and abuse of power pure and simple?"

[mabelkitty]

He has put himself in the public domain and is representing himself as authority based on his membership to a very exclusive military arm. That does not inoculate him from scrutiny, but rather creates the opportunity for such.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Wrong!

AP is the source of the lie!

AP "Claims" this "five year Navy SEAL" is supporting Kerry, attacking Bush's records, implying Bush (who DID serve honorably in very dangerous fighter pilot position during the war!) chickened out and hid in the National Guard.

"WE" in FreeRepublic, are trying to find out if this "AP WITNESS" could have served 5 years in Vietnam as a Navy SEAL.

If not, then AP is lying. Again.

[an amused spectator]

This thread is way out of proportion.

No, it's not. The SEAL vets don't maintain their verification site for giggles.

[Travis McGee]

Look, I could care less if some old braggart likes to tell lies about being a Navy SEAL (with 5 years in Viet Nam) in his corner bar.

But when he spins this lie to the national media, where it's printed in dozens of newspapers, that's a different matter.

He's "stealing the valor" of genuine Viet Nam era SEALs to boost his persona and put in a gratuitious slam on the president.

So I have no regrets about slamming this liar down, hard.