Kerry & his Vietnam Buddies

Avatar for schifferle
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Kerry & his Vietnam Buddies
131
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 9:52am
A perspective from Vietnam Vets who served with Kerry. Few Swift Officers support him. "Of 19 Swift boat skippers pictured other than Kerry" in the photo the Kerry campaign featured in an advertisement released in May titled Lifetime. "11 consider him unfit, 4 are neutral, two have died, and 2 are working with the Kerry campaign. Four other officers were not present for the photo session; all oppose Kerry."

http://www.swiftvets.com/

Senator John Kerry has made his 4-month combat tour in Vietnam the centerpiece of his bid for the Presidency. His campaign jets a handful of veterans around the country, and trots them out at public appearances to sing his praises. John Kerry wants us to believe that these men represent all those he calls his "band of brothers."


But most combat veterans who served with John Kerry in Vietnam see him in a very different light.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been formed to counter the false "war crimes" charges John Kerry repeatedly made against Vietnam veterans who served in our units and elsewhere, and to accurately portray Kerry's brief tour in Vietnam as a junior grade Lieutenant. We speak from personal experience -- our group includes men who served beside Kerry in combat as well as his commanders. Though we come from different backgrounds and hold varying political opinions, we agree on one thing: John Kerry misrepresented his record and ours in Vietnam and therefore exhibits serious flaws in character and lacks the potential to lead.

We regret the need to do this. Most Swift boat veterans would like nothing better than to support one of our own for America's highest office, regardless of whether he was running as a Democrat or a Republican. However, Kerry's phony war crimes charges, his exaggerated claims about his own service in Vietnam, and his deliberate misrepresentation of the nature and effectiveness of Swift boat operations compels us to step forward.

For more than thirty years, most Vietnam veterans kept silent as we were maligned as misfits, addicts, and baby killers. Now that a key creator of that poisonous image is seeking the Presidency we have resolved to end our silence.


The time has come to set the record straight.


(cont.)





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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 4:04pm
That's how your pick for President spoke of his band of brothers...if this disturbs you, take it up with him!
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 10:54pm
I may have the web address incorrect.

I read about it in a newspaper article a while back.....didnt save it though.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-12-2004
Fri, 07-30-2004 - 3:55am
great post, thanks for that!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 10:39am
The problem I have with this is that while Kerry said what he felt was the truth in what 1971 or 1972, these people are only coming out NOW to say that they are in disagreement. I think it would have been more effective maybe 30 years ago? Ok I will even give them 10 or 20 years becuase I am nice! Point is to date they still have not proven anything.

Here is also some good reading by Ted Sampley, that I am sure you will just enjoy and get into. He is a veteran who goes after Kerry and McCain, saying both are liars and greedy and that both are responsible for "burying the MIA/POW's"...

http://www.usvetdsp.com/ker_keating.htm

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 11:08am
Time to set the record straight?

Yeah, we got yet more people dug up to discredit Kerry (Still waiting for someone in Alabama to even acknowledge Bush's very existance!) when one thing is very clear:

Kerry bled for this country.

Kerry killed for this country.

Compared to someone who used his family name to skip DUTY and didn't wake up until age 40, I don't think the record can be 'Straightned out' much more.

Quit running your mouths and start running the country!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-30-2004
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 1:35pm
BravO!! You hit the nail on the head! Kerry served and unlike Bush who avoided by using his family name. I don't remember any Viet Cong flying over TX, nor was there a HO CHI MINH trail in Crawford, TX.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 3:44pm
Kerry enlisted in the navy because his deferments to go through college were over, and he didn't have the clout amid all the other kids from Boston to get another one (unlike say Bill Clinton). It was enlist in the Navy or be drafted into the Army. Kerry initially was on a ship which spent most of it's time at sea, where boredom was the major problem. Kerry tried to get out of that, and went into the fire so to speak. According to swiftvets at least 2 of Kerry's purple hearts were self inflicted, which if true, and used as they were to assure a short tour and get Kerry out of danger, would indicate cowardace in the face of the enemy... Kerry can resolve any concerns should they be misplaced by releasing (as has Bush) his military record to 3rd party review... note he hasn't... what ohhh what could Kerry be afraid people will discover?
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 4:48pm
Avatar for schifferle
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 6:04pm
Mega-thanks! Lots to check out!

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