We know atrocities occurred in Vietnam. Its not a secret. Not only have other US military personnel attested to the US atrocities committed in Vietnam, Vietnamese who have emigrated to this country have attested to the horrors committed by both the Viet Cong and the Americans. Is this an example of shooting one of the messengers?
Attrocities and war crimes occured in Vietnam. The majority of them where not commited by Americans, but it is true that some were. Kerry didn't just say that such things occured, or even that Americans did at some times and places commit them, he spoke of them being commonplace. He talked of "war crimes committed in Southeast Asia, not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command." He talked about frequently witnessing such crimes, and at one point he even talked about participating in war crimes.
Furthermore, if Kerry supported someone who was lying and Kerry did not know, how can you or anyone else condemn Kerry? Haven't you ever had someone tell you something that later you found out it was a lie AFTER you had told others? I have......it doesn't feel good but I don't want to be blamed for some else's dishonesty.
If the claims where lies and he actively supported the liews (introducing the liars at public events, supporting their stories in congressional investigations ect.) then he should repudiate them. He has not done so.
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"I was in An Thoi from June of '68 to June of '69, covering the whole period that John Kerry was there. I operated in every river, in every canal, and every off-shore patrol area in the 4th Corps area, from Cambodia all the way around to the Bo De River. I never saw, even heard of all of these so-called atrocities and things that we were supposed to have done.
This is not true. We're not standing for it. We want to set the record straight."
– William Shumadine
"I served in Vietnam as a boat officer from June of 1968 to July of 1969. My service was three months in Coastal Division 13 out of Cat Lo, and nine months with Coastal Division 11 based in An Thoi. John Kerry was in An Thoi the same time I was. I'm here today to express the anger I have harbored for over 33 years, about being accused with my fellow shipmates of war atrocities.
All I can say is when I leave here today, I'm going down to the Wall to tell my two crew members it's not true, and that they and the other 49 Swiftees who are on the Wall were then and are still now the best."
– Robert Brant
"I never saw, heard of, or participated in any Swift boat crews killing cattle, poisoning crops, or raping and killing civilians as charged by John Kerry, both in his book and in public statements. Since we both operated at the same time, in the same general area, and on the same missions under the same commanders, it is hard to believe his claims of atrocities and poor planning of Sea Lord missions.
I signed this letter because I feel that he used Swift boat sailors to proclaim his antiwar statements after the war, and now he uses the same Swift boat sailors to support his claims of being a war hero. He cannot have it both ways, and we are here to ask for full disclosure of the proof of his claims."
– James Steffes |
