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Politics : The TRUTH About John Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DizzyG who wrote (1232)	5/4/2004 3:40:30 PM
From: JakeStraw	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1483

Vietnam Vets Slam Kerry May 4, 2004 By Richard Tomkins Sen. John Kerry's accounts of his service in Vietnam and his statements that he witnessed atrocities were attacked as fabrications and political opportunism today by a group of Vietnam veterans who served with him personally or in the units affiliated with him during his short tour of duty in Southeast Asia. The veterans, including some of Kerry's former commanders and shipmates, have formed an organization called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" and called on the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to authorize release of all his service records, including medical records. "We feel it is very, very important that the American people get the actual truth about that three or four months Kerry served in Vietnam since he has made it a centerpiece of his biography," said John O'Neill, who took charge of Kerry's boat and crew after Kerry left Vietnam. "Second, we resent very deeply the false war crimes charges he made coming back from Vietnam. ... We think that those have cast aspersion on those living and dead. "We think he knew he was lying when he made them. We think they are unsupportable. We intend to bring the truth about that to the American people. Third, we believe that based on our experience with him, he is totally unfit to be commander in chief." Kerry, who commanded a river patrol boat, served about four months of a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam and won the Silver Star and Bronze Star. He requested and received reassignment to the United States after receiving three Purple Hearts for combat wounds, allowed under Navy regulations. The circumstances and merit of one of those awards has come into question in the campaign against President George W. Bush, leading to acrimonious mudslinging and a resurrection of the turmoil the conflict inflicted on American society [see Insight's report posted April 12, "Purple Hearts: Three and Out"]. Following his return and then discharge from the Navy, Kerry became a prominent antiwar activist and testified before Congress that he had witnessed U.S. forces committing atrocities and war crimes. "I do not believe John Kerry is fit to be commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces," said retired Rear Adm. Roy Hoffmann, chairman of the organization. "This is not a political issue. It is a matter of honesty." Hoffman said Kerry had recently telephoned him and spent 45 minutes attempting to convince Hoffman of not proceeding with the formation of the organization, which Democrats have attacked as a shill for Bush. Hoffmann, who debated Kerry on television in 1971 over Vietnam allegations, denied any ties to Bush or the Republican Party. The Swift boat veterans held differing political and social views, he said. "There is only one issue we all agree on, and that is the issue of John Kerry." In a letter to Kerry signed by more than 200 Swift boat veterans, they wrote, "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). "Further, we believe that you have withheld and/or distorted material facts as to your own conduct in this war. "We believe you continue this conduct today, albeit by changing from an antiwar to a 'war hero' status," the letter said. The veterans were vociferous in denying they had seen or had participated in wartime atrocities. They also questioned why, if Kerry had indeed observed atrocities, he didn't report them as he was required to do. One veteran choked back tears as he related how his wife and daughter had read about the alleged war crimes Kerry spoke about in Douglas Brinkley's Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War, and asked him if he had committed them. Spokesmen for the Kerry campaign were not immediately available for comment, but the Democratic National Committee put out a statement attacking the public-relations company used by the veterans group as having Republic Party connections. The veterans made no comment on the allegations. Kerry has admitted a poor choice of words in his testimony before Congress in 1971 but says he served with honor in the war. insightmag.com

To: DizzyG who wrote (1232)	5/4/2004 3:44:26 PM
From: JakeStraw	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1483

Kerry Was a 'Loose Cannon' While in Vietnam 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. "He 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." townhall.com

To: DizzyG who wrote (1232)	5/4/2004 5:00:58 PM
From: American Spirit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1483

O'Neill is a long-time extreme rightwing political operative posing as a credible vet. He waged the same slanderous attacks versus McCain in 2000 and Cleland in 2002. He's been around every since he was part of Nixon's dirty tricks squad working for Charles Colson doing black bag political work. Remember how Nixon and Colson decided to "destroy" Kerry in 1971 per the Watergate tapes? O'Neill was one of the low-life sneaky bastards they called to do their dirty work. He has absolutely no credibility and is about as disconnected from Cheney-Bush as Enron was. In other words, he's bought and paid for.