Same can be said of all other POWs that were offered early release.
The implication in the headline and article is McStain would have left early if the order was not in place. That is quite a leap and questionable speculation.
Lot to attack McStain over but this is a low blow and unwarranted.
> “The implication in the headline and article is McStain would have left early if the order was not in place. That is quite a leap and questionable speculation.”
No it’s not a leap. McCain is on record that he was offered early release twice. On the first offer he said in his own words “I will need to think about it”. In the second offer as followup to the first he said in his own words “my answer is no”.
Admiral Stockdale’s words are clear:
“... 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.”
McCain had to “think” about that.