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  • Another USN skipper blasts Kerry as Unfit

    Unfit for Office

    By JOHN O'NEILL
    May 4, 2004; Page A20

    HOUSTON -- In 1971, I debated John Kerry, then a national spokesman for the
    Vietnam Veterans Against the War, for 90 minutes on "The Dick Cavett Show."
    The key issue in that debate was Mr. Kerry's claim that American troops were
    committing war crimes in Vietnam "on a day-to-day basis with the full
    awareness of officers at all levels of command." Now, as Sen. Kerry emerges
    as the presumptive Democratic nominee for the presidency, I've chosen to
    re-enter the fray.

    Like John Kerry, I served in Vietnam as a Swift Boat commander. Ironically,
    John Kerry and I served much of our time, a full 12 months in my case and a
    controversial four months in his, commanding the exact same six-man boat,
    PCF-94, which I took over after he requested early departure. Despite our
    shared experience, I still believe what I believed 33 years ago -- that John
    Kerry slandered America's military by inventing or repeating grossly
    exaggerated claims of atrocities and war crimes in order to advance his own
    political career as an antiwar activist. His misrepresentations played a
    significant role in creating the negative and false image of Vietnam vets
    that has persisted for over three decades.

    Neither I, nor any man I served with, ever committed any atrocity or war
    crime in Vietnam. The opposite was the truth. Rather than use excessive
    force, we suffered casualty after casualty because we chose to refrain from
    firing rather than risk injuring civilians. More than once, I saw friends
    die in areas we entered with loudspeakers rather than guns. John Kerry's
    accusations then and now were an injustice that struck at the soul of anyone
    who served there.

    During my 1971 televised debate with John Kerry, I accused him of lying. I
    urged him to come forth with affidavits from the soldiers who had claimed to
    have committed or witnessed atrocities. To date no such affidavits have been
    filed. Recently, Sen. Kerry has attempted to reframe his comments as
    youthful or "over the top." Yet always there has been a calculated coolness
    to the way he has sought to destroy the record of our honorable service in
    the interest of promoting his political ambitions of the moment.

    John Kennedy's book, "Profiles in Courage," and Dwight Eisenhower's "Crusade
    in Europe" inspired generations. Not so John Kerry, who has suppressed his
    book, "The New Soldier," prohibiting its reprinting. There is a clear reason
    for this. The book repeats John Kerry's insults to the American military,
    beginning with its front-cover image of the American flag being carried
    upside down by a band of bearded renegades in uniform -- a clear slap at the
    brave Marines in their combat gear who raised our flag at Iwo Jima. Allow me
    the reprint rights to your book, Sen. Kerry, and I will make sure copies of
    "The New Soldier" are available in bookstores throughout America.

    Vietnam was a long time ago. Why does it matter today? Since the days of the
    Roman Empire, the concept of military loyalty up and down the chain of
    command has been indispensable. The commander's loyalty to the troops is the
    price a commander pays for the loyalty of the troops in return. How can a
    man be commander in chief who for over 30 years has accused his "Band of
    Brothers," as well as himself, of being war criminals? On a practical basis,
    John Kerry's breach of loyalty is a prescription of disaster for our armed
    forces.

    John Kerry's recent admissions caused me to realize that I was most likely
    in Vietnam dodging enemy rockets on the very day he met in Paris with Madame
    Binh, the representative of the Viet Cong to the Paris Peace Conference.
    John Kerry returned to the U.S. to become a national spokesperson for the
    Vietnam Veterans Against the War, a radical fringe of the antiwar movement,
    an organization set upon propagating the myth of war crimes through
    demonstrably false assertions. Who was the last American POW to die
    languishing in a North Vietnamese prison forced to listen to the recorded
    voice of John Kerry disgracing their service by his dishonest testimony
    before the Senate?

    Since 1971, I have refused many offers from John Kerry's political opponents
    to speak out against him. My reluctance to become involved once again in
    politics is outweighed now by my profound conviction that John Kerry is
    simply not fit to be America's commander in chief. Nobody has recruited me
    to come forward. My decision is the inevitable result of my own personal
    beliefs and life experience.

    Today, America is engaged in a new war, against the militant Islamist
    terrorists who attacked us on our own soil. Reasonable people may differ
    about how best to proceed, but I'm sure of one thing -- John Kerry is the
    wrong man to put in charge.

    Mr. O'Neill served in Coastal Division 11 in 1969-70, earning two Bronze
    Stars and additional decorations for his service in Vietnam.

    URL for this article:
    online.wsj.com/article/0,...76,00.html

  • #2
    Kerry's former CO terms him 'self absorbed-devious'

    Kerry Was a 'Loose Cannon' While in Vietnam, Says Ex-Commander
    By Robert B. Bluey
    CNSNews.com Staff Writer
    May 04, 2004

    Washington (CNSNews.com) - John Kerry's former swift boat commanders and colleagues on Tuesday described the presumptive Democrat nominee as a self-absorbed and devious sailor during the Vietnam War who was there merely to advance a future political career.

    A group of 18 veterans gathered in the nation's capital asking Kerry to authorize the Department of the Navy to independently release his military records, including medical information, about his service during the Vietnam War. Many said Kerry was unfit to be commander-in-chief of the U.S. military.

    More than 200 veterans have signed a letter from the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth seeking the release of records. Retired Rear Adm. Roy Hoffmann commanded the swift boat force during Kerry's tour of duty. Today he serves as chairman of the veterans' group.

    "[Kerry] arrived in country with a strong anti-Vietnam War bias and a self-serving determination to build a foundation for his political future," Hoffmann said. "He was aggressive, but vain and prone to impulsive judgment, often with disregard to specific tactical assignments. He was a loose cannon.

    "In an abbreviated tour of four months and 12 days," Hoffmann added, "and with his specious medals secure, Lt. j.g. (junior grade) Kerry bugged out of Vietnam and began his infamous betrayal of all United States forces in the Vietnam War."

    Several other speakers also criticized Kerry for speaking out against the war. They said his association with Vietnam Veterans Against the War in the 1970s was disrespectful to the men and women who serve in the U.S. military.

    "It is our collective judgment that, upon your return from Vietnam, you grossly and knowingly distorted the conduct of the American soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen of that war (including a betrayal of many of us, without regard for the danger your actions caused us," the letter states. "Further, we believe that you have withheld and/or distorted material facts as to your own conduct in this war."

    Kerry's campaign quickly fired back, organizing a press conference in which four Vietnam veterans disputed the allegations.

    "Senator Kerry has asked the United States Navy for his entire official record. The United States Navy sent his entire official record," said campaign spokesman Michael Meehan. "All of these documents are available on the World Wide Web. You can go on to JohnKerry.com and look at everything the Navy sent to Kerry as his official record."

    But according to one of Kerry's commanders, retired Lt. Cmdr. Grant Hibbard, questions remain about the three Purple Hearts that Kerry was awarded for injuries in Vietnam. Based on Hibbard's recollection, one of Kerry's injuries didn't appear to warrant a medal.

    "He showed me a scratch on his arm and a piece of shrapnel in his hand that appeared to be from one of our own M-79s," Hibbard said. "He later received a Purple Heart for that scratch, and I have no information as to how or whom."

    Another officer, retired Capt. Charley Plumly, said Kerry was under his command for two or three naval operations. He criticized Kerry's attitude and behavior.

    "Kerry would be described as devious, self-absorbing, manipulative, disdain for authority, disruptive," Plumly said, "but the most common phrase you would hear [was] 'requires constant supervision.' "

    Comment


    • #3
      I am losing track. Who has amassed the most character witnesses ? Kerry or his opponents? What is total number of witnesses needed to win or lose the election?
      at

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Trooth
        I am losing track. Who has amassed the most character witnesses ? Kerry or his opponents? What is total number of witnesses needed to win or lose the election?
        If you're lost allready, you might as well forget trying to keep up, this has all just begun.
        No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
        I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
        even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
        He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

        Comment


        • #5
          Kerry must be a real piece of work. Glad I only know of him politically.
          No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
          I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
          even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
          He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

          Comment

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