To: trouthead who wrote (18672 ) 10/7/2004 5:20:31 PM From: Sully- Respond to "List of attrocities: All of this is contrary to the laws of warfare, all of this is contrary to the Geneva Convention and all of this is ordered as a matter of written established policy by the government of the United States from the top down. And I believe that the men who designed these, the men who designed the free-fire zone, the men who ordered us, the men who signed off on the air raid strike areas, I think these men, by the letter of the law, the same letter of the law that tried Lieutenant Calley, are war criminals.....dev.siliconinvestor.com That is an outright defamatory lie. The South Vietnamese National Government had established and promulgated well-defined coastal-control zones to facilitate surveillance, illegal activity, and infiltration of enemy arms from seaward. Although our Swift Boats and Coast Guard cutters did diligently enforce the restricted areas, a boat or ship violating a restricted zone would not be fired upon unless attempting to escape inspection, and only after proper warning in accordance with U.S. Navy strict rules of engagement. implying that such zones authorized indiscriminate killing, in order to portray the U.S. military as unwanted, brutish conquerors in Vietnam. In truth, free-fire zones fell within the normal rules of engagement and authorized not an order to fire but discretion to fire first if threatened by, or when confronting, enemy forces. .....dev.siliconinvestor.com Only John and his “Band of Brothers” seem to have missed the point . That Army Officers, including Generals, would stand beside anyone making such claims brings dishonor on themselves. They are not the men we were made to believe they were back then.dev.siliconinvestor.com John Kerry thought that a “free-fire” zone meant “kill anyone you see....”. Not every person is a good combat commander. John Kerry was not a good combat commander. dev.siliconinvestor.com "Kerry seemed to believe that there were no rules in a free-fire zone, and you were supposed to kill everyone," .... The evidence shows John Kerry was a ruthless operator in the field, with little regard for life. One example is the sampan incident in An Thoi in January 1969.....dev.siliconinvestor.com
