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Beatrice1000
Resource Specialist
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
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Location: Minneapolis, MN
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 Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:17 am Post subject: Kerry timeline < same man/same plan > |
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PART 1 of 4
A look at some articles, photos, videos, FBI files, & speeches from 1966 to present which hopefully, by his own words & deeds, will provide a glimpse into the character of this man who wishes to be president. (As time has run out for further research, I have only been able to compile what I had already pulled together which definitely leaves large gaps in time -- however, you can go to all the forums here for much more information.)
NOTES:
=Source text is abbrev. & emphasis is mine.
=(T) indicates the “Timeline” at wintersoldier.com TIMELINE
=All sourced declassified FBI Files are at wintersoldier.com: FBI Files
=Numerous articles from the Communist Daily World applauding Kerry & the VVAW are at wintersoldier.com (scroll down for articles): DAILY WORLD
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***KERRY, JOHN FORBES***
--1966: “Kerry Exploits Vets for Hanoi” (3/5/04) by J. Michael Waller: Kerry signed up with the Navy.. “I didn't really want to get involved in the war,” he later would tell the Boston Globe. “When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling, & that's what I thought I was going to do.” ARTICLE
--1968-69: See “Unfit For Command,” and the various Forums here for information on Vietnam activities
--04/69: U.S. Naval Lt John Kerry leaves Vietnam & is soon reassigned as a personal aide & flag lt. to Rear Admiral Walter F. Schlech, Jr. (T)
--10/15/69: Moratorium march on WDC: This was the first documented major antiwar protest that Kerry attended. (7/69: Peter Collier & David Horowitz, then top activists on the pro-Hanoi left, later wrote that militant activists went in July to "meet Cuban & Vietnamese officials in Havana to map out strategies for the war in America, the 'other war' which would ultimately defeat the U.S.") Nat'l Review reported at the time that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was one of the endorsers of the Moratorium. ARTICLE
--11/69: In response to a public call from the Bertrand Russell foundation in NY, Jeremy Rifkin & Tod Ensign launch a new organization called Citizens Commissions of Inquiry (CCI) to publicize American war crimes in Indochina. (T)
--12/69: Kerry requests an early discharge from the Navy in order to run for a MA congressional seat on an antiwar platform. (T)
--01/03/70: Kerry is discharged from active duty. (T)
--02/13/70: “Old Crimson Interview Reveals a More Radical John Kerry” (2/11/04) by Zachary M. Seward: ..A young John Kerry strolled into the offices of The Harvard Crimson on 2/13/70 as an obscure underdog in the Dem. Congressional primary... “I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations,” & that he wants to almost eliminate CIA activity. ARTICLE
--02/70: CCI co-sponsors its first “commissions of inquiry” in Toronto & Annapolis MD, & begins providing accounts of war crimes to the press. During the next few mos., the CCI holds events in Springfield MA, Richmond, NYC, Buffalo, Boston, Mpls, Los Angeles, & Portland Oregon. (T)
--03/70: Kerry drops out of the 4th Dist. congressional race to make way for antiwar activist Father Robert F. Drinan…(T)
--05/07/70: Kerry appears on The Dick Cavett Show for the first time, speaking in opposition to U.S. involvement in Vietnam. (T)
--05/23/70: Kerry marries Julia Stimson Thorne in NY. (T)
--Late 5/70: John & Julia Kerry travel to Paris on a private trip. Kerry meets with Madam Nguyen Thi Binh, the Foreign Minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Gov’t. of Vietnam (PRG)--the political wing of the Vietcong-- & with reps of Hanoi who were in Paris for the peace talks. (T) (NOTE: see entry "8/25/71" for 2nd Paris trip)
--06/70: Kerry joins VVAW (an org. which incls. the Communist Party, USA, etc).. The VVAW..Exec. Sec’y., Al Hubbard,.. appoints Kerry to the VVAW's Exec. Committee..(T)
--8/70: Al Hubbard asks Tod Ensign & Jeremy Rifkin of the CCI to join with the VVAW,..Jane Fonda, Mark Lane & others to organize nat’l. hearings on war crimes. Lane suggests calling the hearings “Winter Soldier" (T)
--9/7/70: VVAW rally --OPERATION RAW (“Rapid American Withdrawal”). FBI File (S1,p.100): John Kerry listed as speaker at OP RAW on a Flyer, along with Joey Kennedy, Rev. Bevel, Mark Lane, Jane Fonda & Don Sutherland. Related FBI sections, PDF, 20p: FBI File
--09/08/70: OPERATION RAW. FBI Report dated 9/4/70 (S8): The 9/8/70 issue of “The Philadelphia Inquirer,”..quoted one John Kerry as stating,
| Quote: | | “We are here because we, above all others, have earned the right to criticize the war in SE Asia. We are here to say that it is not patriotism to ask Americans to die for a mistake...” |
**Operation RAW: Let’s Simulate Some Atrocities - 9/70: VIDEO-1:12, 1.3MB (wintersoldier.com)
John Kerry can be seen behind Jane Fonda during 1970 anti-war rally in Valley Forge, Pa.
--09/08/70: FBI Report (S1,p.147-149) -The attached article, datelined, Valley Forge, PA, appeared in the 9/8/70 issue of the Daily Record, a daily paper published in Morristown, NJ: | Quote: | | “We are not pacifists. We are not irrevocably committed to non-violence. We will do what must be done to end the war.” This warning by the lawyer for VVAW marked the end of a 90-mile march for peace... The warning of possible violence to come was a remark typical of the feelings of about 100 former soldiers who participated in the march. ..stunned yesterday by a woman who asked the marchers, “Why don’t you go back to Russia, you creeps?”...Most of the vets..have dedicated themselves to peaceful means.. but they say they apparently will follow the course they feel they have to follow to bring peace...A small group of vets on a hill 100 yards away were there for a different purpose. About 10 members of the VFW carried flags and posters saying, “Why lose when you can win?” |
--09/17/70: VVAW protests the Nat’l Guard's Nat’l Convention, handing out flyers that read: “The Nat’l Guard Uses Your Tax Dollar: To support the military-industrial complex; To honor war criminals - Westmoreland, Laird, Nixon, etc.; To applaud campus murders by Nat’l. Guard units; To encourage armed attacks on minority communities.” (T)
--09/28/70: FBI Report dated 10/13/70 (S01,p.173-175) -WSI.
| Quote: | On 9/29/70, a..source..furnished a copy of a leaflet under the letterhead of the VVAW, Inc., 156 5th Ave., Rm 508, NYC. Source obtained leaflet in office of the VVAW on 9/28/70.
Call to the Winter Soldier Investigation (An Inquiry into U.S. War Crimes in Indo-China)
We, all Vietnam vets, call upon Americans to join with us in forming a War Crimes Commission which will investigate American military conduct in Indo-China.
------Individual soldiers should not be made scapegoats for policies designed at the highest levels of gov’t. Instead, responsibility for War Crimes should be placed where it truly belongs--upon the U.S. Gov’t.
------B-52 pattern raids against undefended villages & populated areas, free-fire zones, forcible removal of civilian populations, defoliation & crop destruction & ‘search and destroy’ missions have been sanctioned as official tactical policies of the U.S. Gov’t. The overall conduct of the war by U.S. armed forces involves a refusal to differentiate between combatants & civilians, & between military & non-military targets. Each of these field policies violate treaties ratified by the U.S. & qualify as war crimes under Int’l. Law.
------‘Search and destroy’, ‘free-fire zones’, ..are all policies designed by the military Brass, National Security Council, & major universities & corporate institutions, & passed down through the chain of command for conversion into Standard Operational Procedures (SOPS) in the field. Many of the over two million GIs who have served in Vietnam have been forced to employ military tactics which violate the Rules of Land Warfare, the Geneva Conventions & Accords, & the Nurenberg Charter.
------Pres. Nixon has refused to establish a civilian commission to investigate the allegations of genocide, despite the requests of the ACLU..... Instead, the Pentagon has stepped up its prosecution of a few scape-goats to hide its own responsibility for genocide.
------No group of Americans better understands the nature of the war than do those of us who have served in Indo-China. We must move to the offensive against this cynical strategy by amassing testimony & evidence that will conclusively establish, once & for all, that war crimes stem from conscious military policies -- not isolated misconduct of GIs....
------The Investigation will be held in Detroit, MI ...Office address, WSI: 156 5th Av, NYC. Steering Committee: Don Duncan (former Green Beret), Jane Fonda (actress), Tod Ensign*, Mark Lane (attorney), Al Hubbard (Exec. Secy, VVAW), Jeremy Rifkin*, Dick Fernandez..... (*Ensign/Rifkin are Nat’l. Coords for the CCI -- see 11/70 for article re: CCI) |
--10/17/70: FBI Report 10/14/70 (S01,p.184-185) -“..U.S. Park Police advised that a notice of a proposed demonstration was received by National Capital Parks on 10/1/70 from Michael Phelan..representing VVAW. Phelan advised that VVAW & Vets For Peace, Univ. of Maryland, were planning to “protest conflict in Indochina” on 10/17/70, ...march from Arlington Cemetery ..to the capitol and then to the Sylvan Theatre, Washington Monument. States would the Armed Forces be requested to accept the immoral, illegal, unjust, insane actions of the Nixon Admin. without the right to question and dissent.”
--11/70: After a falling-out between Mark Lane & the CCI* leadership, the CCI splits from the VVAW & drops out of the Winter Soldier event. The CCI turns to planning a Nat’l. Vets Inquiry in WDC in early Dec. Fonda & Lane continue working with the VVAW on Winter Soldier. (T)
*CCI’s intent: show American policies lead to war crimes. About CCI, per Ensign: SOURCE
--1/31/71-2/2/71: The WSI. Members of the VVAW meet in a Detroit hotel to document war crimes that they had participated in or witnessed during their combat tours in Vietnam...including rape, arson, torture..witnesses state that these acts are being committed casually and routinely, under orders, as a matter of policy. (T) Testimony of the WSI at The Sixties Project: WSI TESTIMONY
**WSI: John Kerry & Jan Crumb are Moderators of the “Miscellaneous Panel”
(not identified when each is speaking). MISC PANEL
**WSI: “My advanced genocide training” - 2/71: VIDEO-1:15 (wintersoldier.com)
**WSI: Video clips of Steve Pitkin’s WSI testimony - 2/1/71 (Kerry is moderator in the beginning):
VIDEO-4:16, 1.6MB (wintersoldier.com)
**Steve Pitkin: “I was pressured to give false testimony at the WSI”: SOURCE (wintersoldier.com)
**Video clip of Steve Pitkin’s remarks at the Kerry Lied Rally in Washington - 9/12/04: VIDEO-4:12, 1.6MB (wintersoldier.com)
--01/31/71: FBI File (S2, p.32-33): WSI -
| Quote: | | “..Throughout the day there were approx. 35 speakers, most of whom were allegedly former servicemen & Vietnam vets. There were also four civilians who spoke, who said they had been to Vietnam.. Dr. Pfeifer said he had been in Cambodia at that gov’t’s invitation to do research for a book on chemical defoliants... a local right wing group in Detroit called Breakthrough held a demonstration & picketed outside the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge.... Some of the signs read: “Tokyo Rose -1941; Hanoi Jane-1971,” “Benedict Arnold Slept Here,” “Howard Johnson Harbors Reds.”..Source furnished 3 pieces of literature which he received at the WSI on 1/31/71. One concerned the program for the WSI.. The second one was a pamphlet...listed some of those to testify and what they would testify about. The third was a pamphlet entitled “PRG Peace Proposal.” |
--02/02/71: The VVAW issues a proclamation threatening civil unrest and violence if American forces attempt to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos.
| Quote: | | “We, as veterans of the war in Vietnam, give notice that if Laos is attacked, we will respond at once. We call for mass civil disobedience to take place all over this country..We call upon our brothers who are still in uniform to close the military bases throughout America and the world.. We have been trained to fight. If need be we will use the knowledge we have gained against those who are seeking to extend this war." (FBI File, S2, p.66) (T) |
--Early 2/71: VVAW leaders meet with Vietcong reps in Windsor, Canada after the WSI. . (T)
--03/01/71: FBI Report dated 3/12/71 (S2, p.141): ..A source..provided a schedule.. “On 4/23/71, veterans will return their medals, perhaps symbolically, to Congress.”..
--3/14-18/71: In Paris, Fonda meets privately with Madame Binh of the PRG,..then the three activists fly to London, where Fonda alleges American atrocities that incl. "applying electrodes to prisoners' genitals, mass rapes, slicing off of body parts, scalping, skinning alive, & leaving 'heat tablets' around which burned the insides of children who ate them.” (T)
--03/16/71: FBI Report dated 3/17/71 (S1,SubA,p.120) - copy of newspaper article: The Washington Post Times Herald: “Protest Planned Near Capitol,” by William L. Claiborne: ..“retired Navy Lt. John F. Kerry a member of the Viet Nam Veterans executive committee said that on (unreadable) would address a joint session of Congress at which veterans would turn in medals as a symbolic rejection of their service in the Indochina (unreadable).. former Navy “swift boat” skipper who said he won a Silver Star, Bronze Star & three Purple Heart medals in Vietnam, said the demonstration will begin April 19 with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery followed by a mass march to the Capitol.”
--03/17/71: FBI (SubA, S1,p.124): Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, AR - “Veterans Plan 5-day Capital Camp-in; General Shoup Backs Antiwar Plan”:
| Quote: | | John F. Kerry, a former Navy lt..charged that the Nixon admin. was continuing to give men sent to Vietnam “a chance to die for the biggest nothing in history.” ...He said, “People are dying every day over there and this country doesn’t care.” Kerry said that about 28% of the vets who had returned from Vietnam were unemployed, while 60-80% of them had become drug addicts. |
--03/29/71: FBI Report dated 4/5/71 (S2,p.172-178): “..A source..advised that the VVAW has filed a “Notice of Proposed Demonstration”.. In its notice, the VVAW listed ..Al Hubbard & John Kerry as the persons in charge of the demonstration, & they provided an address of 156 5th Ave., NYC..”
--03/29/71: FBI File 10/28/71 (S08,p.104-105) - “..source three advised that the CPPTC (California People’s Peace Treaty Committee) was formed in Santa Barbara, CA in early 1971 to support & implement the people-to-people treaty which was negotiated by students who traveled to Hanoi, No. Vietnam, in late 1970 for that purpose. The aims & purposes of the CPPTC are the same as those of the People’s Coalition for Peace & Justice (PCPJ). The PCPJ is self-described as consisting of over 100 organizations & is headquartered in WDC. Its purpose is to expand the issue of protest from the war in Vietnam to a broader spectrum of civil rights, poverty, & repression. (On 5/26/71, source two advised that (redacted) & participated in activities & functions of the VVAW in Santa Barbara in support of the CPPTC.)
--03/30/71: FBI Report (S2,p.143) - “The group (VVAW) also plans to demand that a joint session of Congress hear a spokesman from the group.” (S2,p.152,156-157): Complete, detailed schedule of activities. Friday, April 23 “turning-in of medals.”
--03/31/71: FBI (S2,p.153): Operation Dewey Canyon III Flyer. Operation Order. “Enemy Disposition”: American Governmental Policy of Genocide in Indochina” -- Objective: “Immediate Withdrawal from Indochina.”
--03/31/71: FBI (S2,p.183): Letter to J. Edgar Hoover: “The attached info. produced by a so-called Veterans Organization known as VVAW, was mailed to a friend of mine, whose son is presently serving in Vietnam. Such demands as outlined here, could only be made by a Communist Front Organization and certainly deserves to be investigated fully. To the average American in this part of the country, such propaganda is very objectionable. (Tulsa, Ok).”
--Early 4/71: The VVAW is flat broke the week before the Dewey Canyon III event, with no way to transport protestors. In his book "Home to War," Gerald Nicosia will report that “Kerry immediately got on the phone to some of the biggest Democratic Party fund-raisers in New York & set up a meeting. When it broke up, VVAW was $75,000 in the black, and busfare for at least a few hundred out-of-towners was assured." (T)
--04/01/71: FBI (S2,p.147-149): “..At the U.S. Court of Military Appeals..WDC..A rally sponsored by the VVAW in protest of the conviction and sentencing of Lt. William Calley for his part in the My Lai incident... individuals spoke briefly .. stated that the Calley decision failed to convict the actual criminals ...incl. Pres. Nixon, the Congress, & all high military officers... called for immediate withdrawal from Vietnam... stated Calley had been unjustly singled out to bear the burden of a war of genocides. Rick Thorn, introduced as representing the May Day Collective, stated the atrocities committed in Vietnam will be brought to WDC in the form of guerilla theater by 5,000 GIs... Mallory stated that war crimes should be prosecuted from the top levels of gov’t. downward.”
--04/02/71: FBI (SubA,S1,p.116): NYT article, “U.S.Vets of Vietnam War Rally on Wall Street for Peace,” by Michael T. Kaufman:
| Quote: | | A veteran of the war in Vietnam who has 3 Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star & a Silver Star told a noontime Wall Street rally yesterday, “We are all of us in this country guilty for having allowed the war to go on.” The speaker, John Kerry of the VVAW, addressed the crowd from a truck in front of the NY Stock Exchange... Mr. Kerry, now a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve, contrasted the Army’s sentencing of ..Calley with what he said was a wider collective responsibility for the war. “Guilty as Lt. Calley may have been of the actual act of murder,” he said, “the verdict does not single out the real criminal. Those of us who have served in Vietnam know that the real guilty party is the United States of America.” The U.S., he said, “finds some men guilty & some men innocent of the very same charges” and tries “to ease its conscience by scape-goating one man.” |
--4/08/71: FBI Report 4/12/71 (S2, p. 218-219): “On April 8, 1971, a confidential source...furnished a 5-page doc. under the letterhead of the VVAW, 156 5th Ave., NY, entitled, “V.V.A.W. Newsletter ’71 #1” dated Mar., 1971, concerning the demonstrations in WDC during April, 1971.... A copy of this doc. follows:” ....“Dewey Canyon III..No air cover will be provided,..so bring own ponchos, ..old uniforms & medals.. Medals will formally be returned, in a body bag, to Congress.”..
--04/08/71: FBI Report 4/12/71 (S2,p.191) -“On 4/8/71, a source..advised that according to John Kerry, a VVAW leader, the U.S. Congress is prepared to listen to VVAW proposals, & provided the VVAW demonstration, 4/18-23/71 remains nonviolent, the Congress may be influenced.”
--04/12/71: FBI (S2,p.218-219) -“..VVAW Newsletter ’71 #1, dated 3/71.. “Project funds will be provided by the people who brought you the Moratoriums..” ..”Medals will formally be returned...” “Sens. McGovern & Kennedy & 20-some Congressmen have indicated agreement to meet with us to accept our demands.”
--04/13/71: FBI (S2,199-204) - Funding.
| Quote: | | “Source..advised that an announcement was made on (redacted) that the VVAW had received $50,000 from U.S. Sens. McGovern & Hatfield, who according to the source, obtained the money from an unknown NY source... A second..source..learned..a VVAW leader indicated he would contact (redacted-phonetic) (redacted) regarding the possibility of (redacted) to Washington, DC, for the VVAW demonstration & (redacted) stated money was no object. The second source reported that (redacted) VVAW regional coord., contacted the VVAW chapter at (redacted) & indicated that all necessary money had been obtained from NY & advised the (redacted) chapter to ask NY for any needed funds... Source advised that [redacted] had discussed the need for VVAW publicity. Kerry stated the VVAW had spent $94,000 for an advertisement in the Sunday, 4/11/71 issue of the NYT & that further funds should be spent providing transportation rather than advertisement... Source learned...an unnamed individual from Senator (redacted)’s office will work with (redacted) VVAW members and leaders.” |
--04/13/71: FBI Report dated 4/15/71 (S2, p. 185): “An article appearing in the Columbia Missouri Daily Tribune, dated 4/13/71, .. stated that during the rally in Washington, the veterans plan to return their Vietnam war medals in a body bag and march in uniform from Arlington Cemetery to Congress.”
--04/13/71: FBI (S2,p.315-318)
| Quote: | | Source..advised VVAW..sponsored rally campus Univ. of Calif., at LA (UCLA)...Rally agenda announced was local “WSI,” similar to that conducted January last, Detroit, MI... Three individuals, introduced as U.S. Army Vietnam vets, & a number of VVAW addressed rally describing various acts: torture, kidnapping, & killing of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops. Speakers purported to show racism practiced U.S. Army by placing chicanos & blacks in front lines, blamed war on policy makers on all levels & urged immediate withdrawal all American troops from SE Asia & support for persons refusing to be drafted. Speakers urged everyone sign People’s Peace Treaty (PPT), an 8-pt. treaty of peace between American & Vietnamese peoples, recently negotiated by group U.S. students who traveled to North Vietnam.... One of speakers stated in ref. to WDC, VVAW action, “We are not amateurs, but professionals, and we will not let ourselves be intimidated by policies or gov’t. agencies... Donald Kalish, UCLA philosophy professor, who has publicly stated his political philosopy is to the left of Communist Party, distributed leaflets during rally urging students to sign PPT.. |
--04/15/71: FBI (S2,p.237) - Chicago. “..he invited everyone to join the vets in WDC..where there would be a vets march.. He said that some rich men put up money for the march therefore anyone wanting to go on the buses could go free.”
--04/15/71: FBI Report dated 4/16/71 (S2, P.240-241):
| Quote: | | “..Six individuals were in the truck & at various street corners throughout the city some of them would alight from the vehicle & distribute leaflets concerning the demonstrations... On 4/15/71, a copy of leaflet distributed by VVAW in NYC on that date. Leaflet captioned, ‘Vietnam Veterans March on D.C’... activities will include formal & informal meetings with congressmen.. also medals & awards will be returned in a formal ceremony to the Congress in KIA body bags. Leaflet states in part, “We are not amateurs. We are combat vets, wounded & decorated, maimed in body and spirit. We will not be deterred or intimidated by police, gov’t. agents, U.S. Marshals or our brothers still in the military (we know who they will support, & any decision to pit them against us will only swell our numbers.)” |
--04/16/71: FBI Report dated 4/16/71 (S2,p.257) - “Advertisements which appeared in 4/14/71 issue of Albuquerque Tribune.. & ..student newspaper published at Univ. of NM, offered free air transportation to WDC, & return, as well as free food & housing while in DC to any Vietnam vet or members of his family who desired to participate in VVAW demonstration in WDC, 4/19-23/71. Ad set forth that anyone interested should contact George Kennedy or VVAW office..Albuquerque, NM.”
--04/71: Re Senate testimony - Per Crandell personal history: “Dewey Canyon III grew out of Sen. George McGovern's invitation to us at the end of the WSI to send a vet to testify before the Sen. Foreign Relations Committee. We selected John Kerry, a Silver Star winner & former navy swift-boat captain, one of our most articulate spokespersons”.. SOURCE
--04/18/71: FBI (S2,p.225-226) - A rep of the Metro. Police Dept. (MPD), advised that the VVAW has scheduled a press conference to be held at 7:30 a.m. 4/19/71 in the vicinity of the Lincoln Memorial. On 4/18/71, VVAW reps. Al Hubbard & John Kerry appeared on the CBS television program, “Meet the Press.”...
| Quote: | John Kerry & Al Hubbard appear on NBC's “Meet the Press” to allege widespread atrocities by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. Hubbard is introduced as a former Air Force captain who had spent two years in Vietnam & was wounded in action. Kerry seems to admit to committing war crimes, saying, "There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment & interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted & ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search & destroy missions, in the burning of villages."
**Kerry admits to committing atrocities in Vietnam - 4/18/71: AUDIO-0:31 (wintersoldier.com)
NOTE: 4/22/71: NBC Nightly News reveals that Al Hubbard had not been an Air Force Captain, as he claimed, but a staff sergeant E-5. A later investigation of Hubbard's military records shows that he was never assigned to Vietnam. (wintersoldier.com) |
--04/21/71: FBI (SubA,S1,p.105) -Washington Post Times Herald.. “At the Foreign Relations Committee hearing, the vets gave a standing ovation to McGovern when he accused all American forces in Indochina of war crimes.” (and photo of vets protesting..with clenched fists at Arlington Nat’l. Cemetery).
--04/22/71: John Kerry testifies on behalf of the VVAW before the Sen. Committee on Foreign Affairs. He claims that American soldiers had “personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals & turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan..” & that these acts were “not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command.” Kerry also accuses the U.S. military of “rampant” racism and of being “more guilty than any other body” of violating the Geneva Conventions, supports “Madame Binh's points” when asked to recommend a peace proposal, & states that any reprisals against the So. Vietnamese after an American withdrawal would be “far, far less than the 200,000 a year who are murdered by the United States of America.” (T) SENATE TESTIMONY (wintersoldier.com)
** Kerry testifies about American “war crimes” in Vietnam - 4/22/71: AUDIO-1:32 (wintersoldier.com)
**A “Kerry medley” from his Congressional testimony -- 4/22/71:
VIDEO-1:39, 4.2MB (wintersoldier.com)
--04/18-23/71: Operation Dewey Canyon III. More than 1,000 VVAW members stage an “invasion" of WDC, where they hold memorial ceremonies, meet with sympathetic members of Congress, camp on the Mall, perform “guerilla theater” --re-enactments of atrocities against civilians, complete with fake blood-- on the Capitol steps & in front of the Justice Dept., & hold a candlelight march around the White House carrying an upside-down American flag. (T) FBI File extracts
PDFs -- FBI Field Reports (29p); Flyer & Agenda (5p); Newspaper clippings (27p) (Also incl. are communist Daily World articles supporting protests) (FBI file extracts hosted by mod Bob Chamberlain at his website)
----additional <PHOTO>
--04/22/71: The Communist Daily World (CDW) carries photos of the event. To this day, John Kerry does not express regret that CDW found in him the perfect “poster boy” to carry their word. See wintersoldier.com: ARTICLE
Photo of Kerry & Ramsey Clark as published in the CDW: PHOTO
Photo of protestors and Kerry as published in the CDW: PHOTO
Transcribed FBI Files/4 newspaper articles re Dewey: SOURCE (The Evening Star:...It was an orderly, nonviolent week in which Hollywood legends of superwarriors like John Wayne & Burt Lancaster dissolved into toyland as Massmind America faced the flesh-and-blood courage of men like former patrol boat Lt. John Forbes Kerry. Kerry, after graduating from Yale Univ., enlisted in the U.S. Navy & volunteered for duty aboard one of the gun boats used to patrol the waterways of Vietnam: “We established an American presence in most cases by showing the flag and firing at sampans & villages along the banks,” said Kerry. “Those were our instructions, but they seemed so out of line that we finally began to go ashore, against our orders,....”)
--continued below
Last edited by Beatrice1000 on Sat Nov 06, 2004 6:39 pm; edited 6 times in total |
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Beatrice1000
Resource Specialist
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1179
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:19 am Post subject: 2 of 4 |
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PART 2 of 4
NOTES:
=Source text is abbrev. & emphasis is mine.
=(T) indicates the “Timeline” at wintersoldier.com TIMELINE
=All sourced declassified FBI Files are at wintersoldier.com: FBI Files
=Numerous articles from the Communist Daily World applauding Kerry & the VVAW are at wintersoldier.com (scroll down for articles): DAILY WORLD
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***KERRY, JOHN FORBES***---Continued
CONTINUED: Operation Dewey Canyon III (4/18-23/71)
**Dewey Canyon III: Olympic Medal Toss Event - 4/23/71: VIDEO-2:21, 5.8MB
(Kerry is on the video for about 2 sec.: Kerry is the second person behind the man with the helmet on, can see him just over the man’s left shoulder. Kerry has on a floppy hat. He walks behind and does not come to the mic.) (wintersoldier.com)
Kerry is not clear if he threw ribbons or medals & does say he didn’t have time to go home “and get them.” Note that FBI reports indicate the VVAW was planning a medal toss as far back as 3/1/71 (& that Kerry was a lead on organizing this rally). See FBI notes relating to plans regarding medals: MEDAL TOSS NOTES
**Some of Kerry’s memories of the medal toss event:
| Quote: | 1971: "I gave back, I can't remember, 6, 7, 8, 9 medals," Kerry said in an interview on a Washington, D.C., news program on WRC-TV called Viewpoints on Nov. 6, 1971, according to a tape obtained by ABCNEWS. Kerry was asked if he gave back the Bronze Star, Silver Star & three Purple Hearts he was awarded for combat duty as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam. "Well, and above that, I gave back the others," he said.
1996: Kerry said while he did throw out his ribbons, he didn't throw out his own medals because he "didn't have time to go home [to NY] and get them," he told The Boston Globe.
April 2004: Kerry's most recent claims on the disputed subject: "I never ever implied that I did it, " Kerry told the Los Angeles Times, responding to the question of whether he threw away his medals in protest. |
--04/--/71: FBI (SubA,S1,p.95-96) - The Evening Star, “Peace Offensive Crushes Nixon.” .. “But, as has been said so often of Vietnam..it was the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time.”....John Kerry, the vets’ brilliant spokesman, asked why he thought the Pres. had gone so far in brinkmanship, replied, “He didn’t understand us, and he doesn’t understand the country.”
--Later 1971: Kerry and the VVAW will publish “The New Soldier,” a book of essays and photographs documenting the event:
| Quote: | | “I accepted then & still accept the idea of service to one's country.. Now, however, I will not go blindly because my gov’t. says that I must go... I will not go unless the threat is a real one.... J.K.” |
<THE NEW SOLDIER by John Kerry & VVAW>
Kerry’s "Senate testimony" appears doctored in The New Soldier, heavily edited. For starters, his most provocative statement about war crimes committed by U.S. soldiers was left out. ARTICLE
--5/22/71: “Flashback: May 22, 1971--Kerry’s Credibility Gap” - article about Dewey Canyon: ARTICLE
| Quote: | | “...Kerry has become one of the hottest young political prospects on the anti-war scene.... Indeed, he is already considering running for public office in Massachusetts, according to word passed to friends by his wife, the former Julia Stimson Thorne, daughter of a socially prominent Long Island family. Kerry is not so uptight about Viet Nam as to be militant or radical. He calls himself "an angry young man," but he neither tossed his medals over the Capitol fence nor stayed around for the recent disruptive demonstrations. On May 1, Sat. night, when the big Capitol demonstrations of 200,000 dwindled to a folk-rock concert at the Washington Monument, Kerry chose another scene. Clad in guerrilla togs, he attended a posh black-tie dinner party at the Federal City Club put on by the "Five-ers," a quintet of Washington's top socialites. One of them was Mrs. Robert Charles, better known as Oatsie Leiter, at whose home the Kerrys stayed during the Viet Nam Veterans' encampment on the Mall.” |
--05/25/71: FBI (SubA,S1,p.88) -The Washington Post Times Herald.
| Quote: | | “The Vietnam vets wanted to use the Mall because their message was directed to the Congress. They wanted to bear witness, in the words of John Kerry, .. to their “determination to undertake one last mission: to search out and destroy the last vestige of this barbaric war; to pacify our own hearts, to conquer the hate & fear that have driven this country these last 10 years and more.” |
--5/29-31/71: FBI File 12/7/71 (S10,p.204) -The 6/1/71 ed. of the “Boston Record American” reported John Kerry accompanied the New England VVAW during the period May 29-31, 1971 on their Memorial Day march from Concord, MA to Boston.
--5/30-31/71: Kerry arrested during “Operation POW,” a VVAW event in Lexington, MA-Battle Green:
**Oral histories of anti-war participants: SOURCE
--06/4-5/71: FBI (S08,p.161-162) - Doc. entitled “National VVAW News”:
| Quote: | | A conf. of VVAW regional coordinators was held in St. Louis... this week 2 vets from each of the 50 states are in WDC to lobby & fast in support of the Hatfield-McGovern amendment, which, in conjunction with a similar bill in the House of Reps, would cut off all funds for the Vietnam War on Dec. 30 of this year... (redacted) will be attending the Int’l. Peace Conf., with such notables as Jean-Paul Sartre, in Norway this month. They are being flown to the conf. by some NY peace people. We’re hoping that they will be able to do a lot of speaking engagements around the region when they return. If you can pick up the Dick Cavett show on TV, you can see a debate bewteen VVAW people and reps of the newly-formed Vietnam Vets for a Just Peace on 6/30. If you’ve seen the VVJP “leaders” on TV before, you know that the debate won’t be much of a contest, but it should be amusing. So stay tuned... |
--06/14/71: FBI Report 11/5/71 (S08,p248):
| Quote: | | “The Evening Bulletin,” a Philadelphia daily newspaper, in its issue of 6/14/71, on p.5, carried an article entitled “Vietnam Policy Assailed by Anti-War Navy Hero.” This article indicated that John Kerry, a Nat’l. spokesman for the VVAW, spoke at the YMCA, Philadelphia, on 6/14/71, and criticized U.S. Policy in Vietnam.... In his talk he stated that Ho Chi Minh is the George Washington of Vietnam. Ho studied the U.S. Constitution & wants to install the same provisions into the Gov’t. of Vietnam. Kerry criticized U.S. activities in Vietnam, saying we are destroying villages, cities, crops, & the people there & these activities must be stopped.” |
--06/16/71: “John Kerry Plans Tour of South Vietnam in July,” Photo of Kerry & Jesse Jackson as published in the Communist Daily World: PHOTO Another CDW-published photo of John Kerry, this time lending his support to Jesse Jackson and his then-current cause, Operation Breadbasket. ...the message again on theme: America is engaged in an unjust war in Vietnam, a war punctuated by American atrocities. To make sure no one misses the point, Kerry announces he is planning a three-week trip to Vietnam to see what is “really happening,” suggesting none too subtly that anyone who would still argue for the rightness of remaining in Vietnam must surely be a liar. (wintersoldier.com)
--06/20/71: Kerry appears on The Dick Cavett Show to debate Navy veteran John O’Neill who is representing the group Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace. (T) VIDEO & Transcript
--07/14/71: FBI Report 11/4/71 (S09,p.37-39) - source advised that (redacted) was one of 3 VVAW members who arrived at JFK Int’l Airport, NYC, on 7/14/71, aboard Aeroflot Flight #311 after having traveled to Finland, Moscow, USSR, England, France & Norway. One of the 3, not (redacted), had in his possession Russian literature & a report on the Int’l. Commission for Inquiry into U.S. War Crimes in Indochina held at Oslo, Norway on June 20-26, 1971.
--07/17/71: VVAW & CCI members meet with PRG reps in Paris to show support for the communist peace plan. (T)
--07/20/71: Leaders of the VVAW hold a staff meeting. They decide to remove all American flags from VVAW offices, & discuss how best to handle Al Hubbard's planned trip to Hanoi. (T)
--07/23/71: FBI (SubA,S1,p.73) -The Evening Star, “POW Drive in Confusion.”
| Quote: | | Four heckling women infiltrated a press conf. called by John Kerry yesterday... In voices shaking with nerves & rage, the ladies in the back of the room, all relatives of POW’s, accused Kerry of using the prisoners for his own political purposes. “What are you running for now, Mr. Kerry!” screamed one of the disrupters. Other POW kin who had gathered with Kerry to demand action on the Viet Cong’s recent prisoner-release proposal were the targets of some of the ladies’ taunts: “You’re stupid, Kerry is using you to run for office.” The four noisily stamped out. They were under the escort of a rep. of the VFW which regards the stylish & eloquent Kerry, spokesman for the VVAW, as public enemy number one.” |
--07/24/71: The Daily World features a photograph of John Kerry speaking in support of the PRG (Vietcong). (T) “At joint news conference in Washington Thursday, VVAW (Kerry) & POW families asked Pres. Nixon to accept 7-point peace proposal of Vietnamese patriots.” <**PHOTO** pushing Vietcong peace plan>
**7-PT PEACE PLAN (7/1/71)** (wintersoldier.com).
| Quote: | Peace Plan extracts:
(1) The U.S. Gov’t. must withdraw from So. Viet Nam “SVN”) all troops, & dismantle all U.S. bases in SVN, without posing any condition whatsoever..
(2) The U.S. Gov’t. must put an end to its interference in the internal affairs of SVN..and stop all maneuvers, including tricks on elections..
(3) The Vietnamese parties will together settle the question of Vietnamese armed forces in SVN..without foreign interference..
(4) The reunification of Viet Nam will be achieved step by step, by peaceful means..without foreign interference..
(5) SVN will pursue a foreign policy of peace & neutrality,..after the end of the war, SVN & the U.S. will establish relations in the political, economic & cultural fields.
(6) Regarding the damage caused by the United States to the Vietnamese people in the two zones: The U.S. Gov’t. must bear full responsibility for the losses & destruction it has caused to the Vietnamese people in the two zones.
(7) The parties will find agreement on the forms of respect for & int’l guarantee of the accords that will be concluded."
Source: Liberation Press Agency, 7/1/71. |
--08/02/71: FBI (S05,p.101) -“Ever-increasing militant nature of VVAW is apparent & has definite bearing on our responsibilities in internal security field. The success of VVAW in conducting demonstrations & mass actions has made it especially appealing to basic revolutionary groups who have initiated attempts to infiltrate the organization. In order to fulfill our responsibilities in the internal security field, surveys should be initiated without delay to determine extent & effectiveness of subversive influence on VVAW.”
--08/03/71: FBI (S5,p.104) -Bureau has received info. that:
| Quote: |
1. VVAW plans caravan to Cairo, IL to furnish food & supplies to blacks who are boycotting white businesses..reportedly have arms & will defend themselves against any attack by whites.
2. VVAW reps met with reps of No. Vietnamese delegation in Paris during 6/71.
3. Large portion of income for NJ VVAW comes from former CPUSA (Communist Party USA) member.
4. VVAW is directly involved in aiding & financing U.S. military deserters & has obtained false IDs, incl. Selective Service cards.
5. VVAW reps were arrested in Paris during 7/71 for demonstrating at Paris Peace Talks.
6. VVAW at Seattle is led by an individual who signed Socialist Workers Party (SWP) nominating petition.
7. VVAW members plan press confs. in No. and So. Vietnam against war; & if barred from So.Vietnam by So. Vietnamese Gov’t., they plan to enter So. vietnam clandestinely.
8. VVAW in Memphis is controlled & dominated by members of Young Workers Liberation League, youth group of CPUSA.
9. VVAW meetings in Kansas City are being attended by members of Young Socialist Alliance, youth group of Socialist Workers Party.
-----Specific determination should be made as to whether each VVAW local chapter is infiltrated, dominated or controlled by basic revolutionary groups or other subversive elements. In addition, comments should be submitted as to potential for VVAW in each div. to engage in disruptive acts of civil disobedience and/or violence. ..... |
--08/13/71: FBI File 12/7/71 (S11,p.80) -(redact) writing in the War Resisters League News, Sept-Oct 1971 issue in article entitled, “Reflections from Hanoi,” indicated his trip to Japan... was paid for by the Japan Communist Party. Because of this, his air tickets were .. Aeroflot. (redact) departed JFK Int’l. Airport on 7/28/71 via Aeroflot, Flt. 581, sched. to arrive Moscow..7/29/71. His itinerery only incl. air flight to Tokyo, Bangkok, Vientiane and Hanoi. He was sched. to arrive in Hanoi, 8/13/71 & depart via Aeroflot, 8/21/71 en route Moscow & NY. He was sched. to arrive in NY, 8/22/71 at 6:30 pm.
--08/13/71: VVAW Exec. Committee member Joe Urgo travels..to No. Vietnam, where he meets with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong.. According to FBI records, Urgo makes the following proposals to the communist leaders: 1) that the VVAW make tapes to be broadcast over Radio Hanoi to get U.S. troops to stop fighting, & 2) to send a VVAW delegation to Hanoi in the near future. (T)
--08/13-21/71: FBI File 11/24/71 (S10,p.66) -.. During their stay they asked to meet with the POWs in No. Vietnam but were denied. They were given a tape recording by U.S. POWs held by the PRG of So. Vietnam.
--Late 08/71: Kerry & Hubbard meet with leftist millionaires in E. Hampton to promote the VVAW & show film clips of atrocity claims from the WSI. According to the NYT, a request for funds had the attendees “scrambling for pens and checkbooks.” (T)
--08/25/71: FBI File 8/3/71 (S5,p.104) The 8/26/71 issue of “The Denver Post” contained an article concerning activities at the Nat’l. Student Assoc. (NSA) Congress being held at CSU, Ft. Collins, CO, 8/20-29/71.
| Quote: | | The article indicated that John Kerry, 28, from Waltham, MA, one of the leaders of a nat’l. group called VVAW, spoke to students at the Congress on 8/25/71. Kerry suggested that American GI’s could voluntarily return to Vietnam and help rebuild that country. According to the article, Kerry indicated that he had just returned from a trip to Paris, France, to talk with delegates at the peace talks, including those from No. Vietnam. He indicated that as far as the No. Vietnamese are concerned, “Everything is on the table,” and that if the U.S. would set a definite date for withdrawal of troops, the prisoners of war would be released & negotiations could start. He characterized the Nixon admin. as “absolutely immoral, & intends to play out the war.” According to the article, Kerry stated that VVAW has chapters in every state & a membership of about 22,000. He stated that he was one of a 6-member VVAW governing board. ..Other speakers before the NSA Congress were Sen. George McGovern,..Rep. Pete McClosky..Dr. Spock..and Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, former Pentagon Aide charged with the release of secret Pentagon papers.” |
(NOTE: see entry “Late 5/70” for Kerry’s 1st Paris trip; also see FBI Notes above for 7/14, 17, 24 and 8/3/71 re VVAW Paris trip)
--08/31/71: FBI File 11/26/71 (S09,p.184) -Leaflet distributed to local Kansas City VVAW chapt. from their nat’l. office:
| Quote: | | “The 7 point peace plan was proposed in Paris 2 mos. ago, the gov’t. of this country has failed to respond to it, we as vets and active duty people must. I propose that a call be put out to all active duty people, in Nam, ..Europe and every other place troops are, that the annual Thanksgiving Day dinner be boycotted in protest of the war, followed by other actions by the troops in Nam... We would be asking the sisters & brothers in Nam to do something that would leave them open for court martial & maybe imprisonment... What that something is has to be worked out but I do not believe it can be anything less than what the folks in Nam do. Possibly some form of C.D., going to jail & starting a hunger strike... I believe that the power of this action is in its scope, ie having US troops all over the world protest at one time.” |
--09/27/71: FBI File 11/16/71 (S09,p.142) On 10/10/71, the source advised that local supporters became dissatisfied with the VVAW following a speech by John Kerry on 9/27/71, at George Washington University (GWU), WDC... John Kerry addressed a capacity crowd at Gaston Hall, GWU. Kerry related his impression of nat’l. frustration resulting from an apparent powerlessness to bring about a change of U.S. policy toward Vietnam. Kerry stated that America’s socio-economic condition has been adversely affected by this sense of frustration. The source advised that Kerry emphasized the need to utilize the political process to bring an end to the war in Vietnam. ..Source advised that Kerry’s speech was rec’d. by local VVAW supporters as a clear indication that Kerry is an opportunist with personal political aspirations. Therefore, the source advised, support has been withdrawn from the NY office in general & from John Kerry in particular.
--09/30/71: Kerry speech, Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas. FBI Report 10/14/71 (S8,p.86-87) -The “Yell” (a weekly newspaper published by the Univ. of Nevada at Las Vegas) (UNLV), issue of 10/6/71, p. 1, cols. 1-5, carries an article captioned, “John Kerry Speaks Here.”
| Quote: | The article states that Kerry’s main concern was awakening & politicizing Americans. “Somewhere, somehow we lost track of where we are as a nation” said Kerry. He stated what is needed is the resensitization and revolution of America. “People must realize the disparity between the America of the speeches & the America of the streets,” he said. “The thought power to the people is not revolutionary,” remarked Kerry. “our country was founded on this concept.” The article states John Kerry believes that change can occur through the system. “The system is not corrupt--how can an inanimate object be corrupt--the people within it are corrupt,” he stated. “The help of all the people is needed to make this change” he stated. Kerry asked, “Do we have enough people to perform those single acts that make a total?”
John Kerry reportedly also dealt with the subject of Vietnam. Kerry believes the men in WDC are so callously political that they refuse to realize we cannot save our honor in Vietnam & questioned, “how can you save something that is non-existent.” The article further states the tradition of life in America is best summarized by one of Kerry’s remarks, “My 10 years of political consciousness in America is very wrapped up in gravestones. These are the gravestones of John & Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evars, the Kent State Students, the men of Attica and the other 53,000 brothers in Vietnam.” |
--09/30/71: “Kerry at UNLV - A Look back at ’71,” (6/6/04) by Joshua Longobardy:
| Quote: | | Long before his campaign across the country deprecating the Bush presidency & Iraq war, John F. Kerry stood on a platform at the Moyer Student Union to denounce Pres. Nixon & the Vietnam War. In the fall of 1971, an impassioned Kerry told approx. 400 students, faculty & community members that the inviolable American dream was deteriorating on account of the gov’t... "We still hope we can find that conscience that talks about our need for morality all over the world," he said. "But change must come without violence or bloodshed." ARTICLE |
--09/29-30/71: “1971 John Kerry in Nevada,” (6/10/04) by Dennis Myers: Kerry spoke at Univ. of Nevada (UNR) on 9/29/71:
| Quote: | | Kerry told the crowd that "we have to somehow find the conscience of the U.S. It is not just that the U.S. is in Vietnam, but that there are hundreds of Vietnams in the U.S. We have somehow come to believe that we can rip at the fabric of another man's life. If we can't move on something as morally compelling as Vietnam, how can we on other things, such as low cost housing?".. Kerry criticized the gradualism of withdrawal from Vietnam by reading a letter that one soldier, Michael Street, wrote to the NY VVAW office applauding its antiwar stand. The letter apparently was found on his body when he was killed in Vietnam & delivered to VVAW. Kerry then asked, "How can we honor him in death for something he didn't believe in, the whole country doesn't believe in, something obscene called 'winding down the war'?".. |
--09/30/71: He spoke at UNLV:
| Quote: | "How do you tell a man there was a sense of honor in dying for a mistake? It's an obscenity to talk about winding down the war. How do you wind down a war? How do you justify the kind of bombing necessary to do this? How can you assume a smaller group of American forces can do what thousands more Americans have failed to do? There is no prestige to be won, no honor to be won.".. "Veterans grew up in the 'pablum' of democracy. They fought for this democracy, only to come back home and find they were not wanted, that we had no place for them."
ARTICLE |
--10/10/71: FBI File 11/16/71 (S09,p.142) -Source..advised that at WDC the VVAW..lacks cohesiveness & direction. The source advised this condition has resulted from the disenchantment of local VVAW supporters, mainly (redacted) and John Kerry, a leading VVAW spokesman.
--11/03/71: FBI Report 11/6/71 (no p#) - John Kerry..addressed about 350 persons in the Student Union Ballroom of the UP, Pittsburgh, PA. The essence of Kerry’s speech was to condemn those who did not get involved in social change. He added fewer than 25% of the youth between the ages of 18 and 25 take the time to vote & that their vote alone could have changed the last election. He urged those present to make a conscientious commitment to end the war.
--11/5-7/71: Convention sponsored by Oklahoma VVAW, Univ. of OK, Norman, OK. FBI File 10/19/71 (S8, p.12-22) - “A war crimes hearing will be held at the convention. John Kerry, identified in ‘The Well’ as a Nat’l. spokesman for VVAW, will be among the speakers... NY at NY. 1) same as Albany lead. 2) furnish characterization of John Kerry, identified as nat’l. spokesman for VVAW...”
--11/5-7/71: FBI File 11/12/71 (S09,p.133) - “..The entire performance lacked coordination & appeared to be a platform for John Kerry, Nat’l. leader of VVAW, rather than for VVAW and WSI... The audience for a speech by John Kerry was quite large... Source again stated many persons were upset because of the attitude of John Kerry & it appeared Kerry was the only reason for the convention.”
--11/07/71: FBI File (S09,p.121 & S10,p.251).
| Quote: | | Kerry tells the Sunday Oklahoman that the political power structure within the U.S. can & must change if the nation is to avoid violent efforts to seize power, saying, “If it (the gov’t.) doesn't change we are asking for trouble. If it is not done, those who are talking about seizing it will have every right to go after it.”..Asked about political candidates his group would be willing to support, he said Democratic Sens. Edmond Muskie and Edward M. Kennedy have the best chances for getting the nomination.. he said neither he nor his organization has yet chosen a candidate... Kerry blamed the Vietnam war for what he called the rapid growth of alienation of the people from the gov’t... He disagreed with reporters questions about American withdrawals from the war being the Nixon plan. He contended that the admin. still seeks a victory in Vietnam... Questioned about the reception his organization has rec’d., Kerry said it has been difficult..to convince persons in politically powerful positions of the “absurdity, futility and stupidity of continuing.” Arguing that Americans “have lost sight of our own morality” in Vietnam, the winner of the Silver Star, Bronze Star & 3 Purple Hearts while commanding a “swift” patrol boat, said the U.S. military has committed atrocities in Vietnam because of bad leadership, the individual backgrouds of some persons & the “institution of racism.”... Kerry said it is wrong for some persons to make millions of dollars & pay no taxes while others barely making a living have to pay them... He acknowledged that some of his views might work against the continuation of a world made up of nations as well as feelings of nationalism, but said he still had faith that the U.S. can change. |
--11/10/71: FBI Report 11/12/71 (S09,p.91-93) - ..disclosed that it was learned at regional VVAW convention, Norman, OK, 11/5-7 last, that John Kerry & Al Hubbard, members of Exec. Committee, VVAW, were planning to travel to Paris, France, week of Nov. 15-20 next for talks with No. Vietnamese Peace delegation. (redacted) to pay Hubbard’s expenses for his trip to Paris. It is noted that the “communist party” referred in retel is probably Communist Party, USA, because Al Hubbard is a member of coord. committee of Peoples Coalition For Peace and Justice (PCPJ), as are Gil Green, member of Nat’l. Committee, CPUSA and of Peace Commission, CPUSA and Jarvis Tyner, Nat’l. Dir., Young Workers Liberation League. Hubbard, Green and Tyner have attended same Nat’l. meetings of PCPJ.
Continued below
Last edited by Beatrice1000 on Wed Oct 27, 2004 3:25 am; edited 4 times in total |
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Beatrice1000
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Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1179
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:20 am Post subject: 3 of 4 |
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PART 3 of 4
NOTES:
=Source text is abbrev. & emphasis is mine.
=(T) indicates the “Timeline” at wintersoldier.com TIMELINE
=All sourced declassified FBI Files are at wintersoldier.com: FBI Files
=Numerous articles from the Communist Daily World applauding Kerry & the VVAW are at wintersoldier.com (scroll down for articles): DAILY WORLD
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***KERRY, JOHN FORBES***---Continued
--11/11/71: FBI (S09,p.57) - From 11/5-7/71 a regional VVAW convention was held in Norman, OK... Al Hubbard, VVAW nat’l. leader, was planning to travel to Paris, France, 11/15-20/71 for talks with No. Vietnamese peace delegation. (redacted) to pay Hubbard’s expenses for trip to Paris.
--11/12/71: FBI Report 11/13/71 (S09,p.49) - (redacted) contacted 11/12, but could furnish no info concerning alleged CPUSA offer of funds to VVAW for travel of Al Hubbard to Paris, France. NY following this matter closely.
--11/12-15/71: VVAW leadership meets in Kansas City…. They debate, then vote down a plan to assassinate several pro-war U.S. Senators. Despite John Kerry's claim to have left the VVAW before this event, several witnesses, meeting minutes & FBI records eventually place Kerry at the Kansas City meeting. (T) **FBI FILE (PDF-50p) (On p.3, Kerry resigns the Exec. Committee, but says he would still be active in the VVAW.) (FBI Files hosted by mod Bob Chamberlain at his website)
--11/12/71: FBI (S09,p.88-89) - URGENT. ..NY immediately contact pertinent VVAW informants for any indications that VVAW policies becoming more militant. (redact) Recipients note this matter of extreme importance to highest U.S. Government officials...” FBI 11/18/71 (S11,p.190-197) -..Camil proposed the establishment of “readiness groups” of the “Phoenix type”... the delegates knew that Camil meant political assassinations..
--11/12-13/71: FBI File 11/18/71 (S09,p.208-209) - Al Hubbard..arrived KS City, Mo, Fri., in time for appearance at opening session of meeting which began at 4:30 p.m. that day... This was a closed session attended only by the VVAW Exec. & Steering Committee members... Hubbard remained at KS City until Sat. afternoon, at which time he claimed illness & said he was returning to NY to enter an unnamed hospital.
--11/12-13/71: FBI File 11/16/71 (S9,p.230-231):
| Quote: | John Kerry mentioned on Friday that he was going to resign his position on the nat’l. exec. committee because of politics & Kerry attempted to get Al Hubbard voted out of the exec. meeting. Friday’s session ended at 9 pm. 11/13/71: ..Hubbard advised he had just returned from a meeting in Paris..his trip was financed by the CPUSA. Hubbard advised a female individual named (redact) was liaison between the DRV & PRG & the individuals invited. He advised that (redact) as far as he knew lived in Paris & was a friend to the inviting parties... FBI 11/19/71 (S10,p.2-9) - Hubbard..discussed (redact) his flight, alone, to Paris where he met with Xuan Tui (phonetic) from which trip he had just returned. Xuan Tui, one of the No. Vietnamese delegates to the Paris peace talks, & reps of the PRG & DRV spoke to Hubbard. Hubbard said that the PRG represents revolutionaries in So. Vietnam & that the DRV are No. Vietnamese gov’t. officials. They wanted to make arrangements for more Americans (presumably VVAW or New Left activists) to travel to No. Vietnam. Hubbard also gave the impressioin that the No. Vietnamese would generally support future VVAW actions but gave no other details as to that support...
Urgo, who had returned from No. Vietnam in Aug. last.. spoke as if he himself were working for the No. Vietnamese officials. Urgo said that the No. Vietnamese do not want to shift American new left emphasis away from the anti-war issue onto any other issue. Thus, they would not want to discuss POW exchange during a VVAW trip to No. Vietnam but would rather occupy VVAW visitors with indoctrination. ..An unknown nat’l. organizer said in passing conversation that VVAW is getting a good bit of money from a communist party in Europe but gave no other details. (redact) VVAW rep said that some rich lady connected with an unknown paper company in NE U.S. is a source of finances for VVAW... A second proposal, “Phoenix Operation,” named after an alleged CIA operation to eliminate heads of SE Asian gov’ts. .was proposed by a nat’l. leader, possibly Hubbard... kidnap a U.S. senator, rep, or gov’t. official to hold for ransom... This was rejected by participants of that closed session. |
--11/13/71: FBI File 11/24/71 (S09,p.152-154) - Kansas City, MO meeting.
| Quote: | Hubbard & Kerry, again were involved in a floor fight on Hubbard’s membership on the exec. committee. Kerry did not think Hubbard had ever served in Vietnam or even ever in the service as apparently Kerry has attempted to verify Hubbard’s vet status, & has never come up with a 201 file. (redact) advised that Hubbard has strong backing in the VVAW organization since he is one of the original founders.. One of the highlights of the afternoon meeting was Hubbard’s briefing of his Paris conf. advising the meeting he had just returned from Paris before coming to Kansas City. (redact) advised that Hubbard gave the following information regarding his Paris trip:
Two foreign groups, which are Democratic Repub. of Vietnam (DRV) and Peoples Republ. Gov’t. (PRG) invited reps of the VVAW, Communist Party USA (CPUSA) and a Left Wing group in Paris, to attend meetings of the above inviting groups in Paris. Hubbard advised he was elected to represent the VVAW. An unknown male was invited to represent the CPUSA & an unknown individual was elected to represent the Left Wing group from Paris. He advised at the meeting that his trip was financed by CPUSA. Hubbard said while in Paris an individual named (redact) accompanied the visitors & acted as liaison between the visitors & the inviting groups. Hubbard said while they were in Paris he met with an individual named Swantwee, a rep of No. Vietnam. They talked about the POW issue & the possibility that a VVAW delegation might be able to go to Vietnam in the near future & discuss the possibility of the release of American POWs. (redact) advised that after Hubbard’s talk regarding his trip (redact) and John Kerry then (redact).
(redact) advised that another individual attended the meeting on Sat. afternoon named Joe Urgo, identified as an employee of the VVAW at the nat’l. office. Urgo advised at the meeting that he went to Hanoi in Aug. 1971 & talked with several No. Vietnamese reps. He said the reason for his trip to Hanoi ties in with the int’l. actions of active duty people to demonstrate against the Vietnam War. Urgo made the following proposals to the No. Vietnamese & he advised that the No. Vietnamese took them under advisement: (1) Tapes would be sent from the U.S. to No. Vietnam to broadcast over Radio Hanoi to get U.S. servicemen to stop fighting in Vietnam; (2) to send a VVAW delegation to Hanoi in the near future to negotiate the release of American POWs. (redact) said that Urgo advised that while he was in Hanoi, he was taken to training camps & factories of the No. Vietnamese army. (redact) said it was brought out at the meeting that the above proposals made to the No. Vietnamese would be further worked out at another nat’l. meeting to take place in Feb. 1972. On both trips abroad made by Hubbard & Urgo, the same basic proposals were submitted. |
--11/13/71: FBI 11/16/71 (S09,p.142-145)
| Quote: | John Kerry..appeared at the meeting & announced to those present he was resigning from the Exec. Committee for personal reasons; however, he would be available to speak for VVAW. Mike Oliver,..acted as Chairman at the meeting & read to those present a telegram..from Al Hubbard. Oliver explained that Hubbard (redact) in Paris for a couple of weeks & that the expenses incurred on the trip were being paid for from the personal account of (redact). The telegram stated that Hubbard was in contact with the No. Vietnamese peace delegation & Hubbard was confidentially told that the next POW release would be made to VVAW. Oliver explained that a VVAW delegation of five persons was going to Hanoi in Dec. 1971 before Christmas and hoped to effect a POW release at that time. The delegates would then return to the U.S. and attend the nat’l. actions in the 5 cities mentioned above. Their purpose would be to demonstrate to the persons participating in the nat’l. actions that VVAW had real power and had effected the release of the POW’s. The exact number of POWs to be released was not known, but in order to have an effect on VVAW and its popularity throughout the country, at least one POW would have to be released.
FBI Report 11/18/71 (S11,p.192-196) re: 11/13/71: ...in telegram: Hubbard said the No. Vietnamese were upset over Pres. Nixon’s use of POW issue as a reason to keep U.S. troops in Vietnam... The Wisc. delegation proposed a plan to contact 2,000 active-duty GIs in So. Vietnam & in effect ask them for a mutinous action by refusing to take up arms when ordered to do so. This proposal was favorably accepted by the committee... The topic of the funding for Hubbard’s trip..There was talk among many of the regional coords. & others speculating as to why (redact) paid the expenses. It was agreed informally between them that (redact) is anti-war but neutral, meaning neither for nor against communism, & that by having the money come from her it would remove any taint or suspicion that the funds came directly from the Communist Party, U.S.A. .. This was not an official discussion..did not incl. any person in authority... The general meeting adjourned at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, 11/14/71. Another party took place at (redact) house, which was attended by approx. 30 persons, incl. John Kerry... Many of the delegates to the meeting slept in the basement of (redact) house. A one-pound chunk of marijuana was made available for those delegates wishing to indulge, and many smoked themselves to sleep. |
--11/14/71: FBI (S09,p.219,221) -..Advised that Scott Camil..reportedly attended the VVAW Regional Coords. & Nat’l. Steering Committee meeting held..during the weekend of 11/14... The Nat’l. VVAW is reportedly trying to get reps into No. Vietnam to have discussions concerning the war & concerning POWs. At present, the nat’l. VVAW is reportedly trying to raise the necessary funds needed for transportation of these reps to Paris, France & No. Vietnam...
--11/14/71: Kerry appears as a spokesman for the VVAW on “Firing Line” with William F. Buckley, Jr. to debate the issues of war crimes & other aspects of America’s involvement in SE Asia. Firing Line Ad, NYT, D18: **AD (wintersoldier.com)
--11/15/71: FBI (S09,p.98) - ..meeting of Steering Committee of the VVAW in Kansas City, MO, this past weekend. It was reported that one of their members is currently in Paris, France, & is in contact with the No. Vietnamese Peace delegation reportedly making arrangements for a POW release. It was stated that a delegation of five persons from the VVAW plan to go to Hanoi in Dec., 1971, and before Christmas in an attempt to effect a POW release at that time...
--11/21/71: WNYC-AM Radio, William F. Buckley, Jr. with guest, John Kerry representing the VVAW. Firing Line Radio Schedule, NYT, P. D22: **AD (wintersoldier.com)
--11/22/71: FBI (S09,p.163) - The membership of the VVAW includes. some members of the YWLL.. The Young Workers Liberation League (YWLL) is a front organization of the Communist Party, USA (CPUSA). It was formed as a Marxist-Leninist youth group in Feb. 1970.
--11/25/71: FBI File 11/26/71 (S10,p.43) -..Recent development within Nat’l. VVAW, that is split between Hubbard & Kerry factions which has resulted in substantially less nat’l. direction than before. Additionally, it was felt that Hubbard & Camil are closely aligned which might have overall detrimental effect to future of VVAW & its previous political posture.
--11/19/71: FBI 11/29/71 (S11,p.59) - ..John Kerry is subject of a pending investigation in the NYO, NY file 100-172952...
--12/13/71: FBI (S11,p.119-123)
| Quote: | Recent VVAW Ch meeting in Fayetteville, AR.. advised that the new Nat’l. Exec. Committee is composed of Al Hubbard of NYC; Larry Rottman of Gorrales, New Mexico; John Burch (phonetic); and Joe Urgo who had recently returned from Hanoi, No. Vietnam...(redact) said that letters had already been sent to GIs in So. Vietnam & called for a protest by the GIs to cease combat activities... Source stated that (redact) had been in contact with the VVAW Nat’l. office in NYC & learned from (redact) that the No. Vietnamese peace delegation in Paris, France, was unhappy with VVAW plans for five separate protest demonstrations & wanted one massive demonstration in Washington, DC on Christmas, 1971. The No. Vietnamese ..& VVAW postponed the trip of VVAW members to Hanoi..
The AR Ch. of VVAW plans to send Christmas cards to members of the Univ.., AR Gov..members of the AR Congressional delegation. The Christmas cards will feature 4 children under a Christmas tree with war toys saying something to the effect that someday these children will grow up to defend peace and freedom. The picture inside is of four GIs holding the decapitated heads of two Vietnamese civilians & bearing the inscription, “Like we did.” |
--12/26/71: 15 VVAW protesters take over the Statue of Liberty for some 40 hours & drape an upside-down American flag across the statue's face. Per the New York Post, the VVAW later receives a “congratulatory message” from Vietcong negotiator Le Mai in Paris. (T) ARTICLE
--12/28/71: 150 VVAW protesters splash bags of blood in front of the White House, then take over the Lincoln Memorial. 87 are arrested. John Kerry tells the NYT that he is helping raise bail money for some of the demonstrators. (T)
--01/11/72: “Kerry on War,” Portsmouth Herald (from AP): (John Kerry, head of the VVAW, speaking at Dartmouth College: “...If McCloskey creamed Nixon in NH, that would have real significance, wouldn’t it?”). ARTICLE (wintersoldier.com)
--01/11/72: Kerry represents the VVAW at Dartmouth College. “War Critic, at Dartmouth, Bids Audience Join Politics,” 1/12/72, NYT p.26: (John Kerry, the war critic & spokesman for VVAW --“Said he would back McGovern”). ARTICLE (Docs, film clips, etc, at wintersoldier.com)
--01/25/72: Kerry represents the VVAW at the “People’s State of the Union” in WDC. “A Dozen Dissidents Criticize the Pres. & the Gov’t. in the ‘People’s State of the Union’ (WDC), NYT, 1/26/72 p.17: (“Kerry, a leader of VVAW, criticized the Pres. for not ending the war at once. ‘...One simply does not send men to kill or be killed for a mistake...’”) (T) ARTICLE (wintersoldier.com)
--02/72: A VVAW delegation attends a World Assembly for Peace and Independence of the People of Indochina in Versailles, France. (T)
--04/16/72: “Emergency March for Peace” Ad, NYT, p. E5: (on the march sched. for 4/22, John Kerry listed as speaker). **AD (docs, film clips, etc, at wintersoldier.com)
--04/22/72: Kerry represents the VVAW at the “Emergency March for Peace” in Bryant Park in New York City. (T) “In Protest at U of I” from AP: ARTICLE At that same time, according to the FBI surveillance file (S50,Part 1, p. 152): VVAW/WSO revealed info. about a US Military operation: “FBI: Informative Note dated 10/25/73: Attached reports apparent large-scale effort which has just been launched by VVAW/WSO on nationwide basis to determine possible movement of American forces which have been alerted in the U.S. & throughout the world within the past 24 hours. Although the purpose of the military alert has not been announced & the reason for the VVAW/WSO effort is as yet unknown, the entire operation is reminiscent of the VVAW/WSO operation during 4/72 during which a canvas of VVAW/WSO members, some in active military service, developed info. indicating U.S. would bomb Hanoi and Haiphong. This information was disseminated by VVAW/WSO prior to the actual bombing & could have seriously jeopardized U.S. military operations and lives of servicemen.
--07/8-22/72: Jane Fonda visits Hanoi. (T)
--09/18/72: Kerry's brother Cameron & Vietnam vet Thomas Vallely are arrested in Lowell, MA in the basement of a building that houses both Kerry's campaign headquarters & those of opposing candidate Tony DiFruscia. Cameron Kerry & Vallely are charged with breaking & entering with intent to commit larceny….(T)
--Late 1972: The U.S Congress votes to eliminate funding for military operations in Indochina. (T)
--01/73: The Nixon Administration signs the Treaty of Paris. (T)
--1973: VVAW changed name to VVAW/WSO (Winter Soldier Organization) to include non-veterans as members.
--02/73 & 03/73: American prisoners of war are released by No. Vietnam. They report having been starved, beaten & tortured by their captors, in an effort to make them sign documents in which they admitted to committing war crimes. (T)
--04/19-23/73: FBI (S47,p.218-219) - Nat’l. Steering Committee, Placitas, NM... Barry Romo unan. elected to another yr. term as a nat’l. coord... .. “We feel.. in the event of a major re-escalation of the war in Indochina, that a plan be drawn up to immediately implement militant responses to any escalation..” Proposal unan. accepted by the Steering Committee...
--04/73: Jane Fonda calls the freed American prisoners “hypocrites and pawns,” insisting that, “Tortured men do not march smartly off planes, salute the flag, and kiss their wives. They are liars. I also want to say that these men are not heroes.” (T)
--08/02/73: FBI (S47, p.108-110) - VVAW/WSO.
| Quote: | This letter pertains to predications for investigation of captioned organization & its leaders & activists as required by the revised Sec. 87 of the Manual of Instructions... during late 1971 demonstrated increasing militancy, culminating in 12/71 with VVAW/WSO takeover of various American landmarks & public bldgs. Info. was also developed indicating that some VVAW/WSO chapters were cooperating with or infiltrated by communist-dominated groups including the Communist Party, USA, & the Socialist Workers Party,. Certain VVAW/WSO leaders were quoted as telling members VVAW/WSO is a revolutionary organization & not “just another group of war vets.” VVAW/WSO leaders have traveled to No. Vietnam & have reportedly established liaison with revolutionary or terrorist groups internationally.
-7/72 - VVAW/WSO leaders & members were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury, Tallahassee, for violation of Federal statutes, incl. conspiracy to riot during Republican Nat’l. Convention, 8/72. One of these individuals was also indicted for possession of an unregistered explosive & incendiary device.
-In 1/73 at a Nat’l. Steering Committee meeting, VVAW/WSO leaders discussed programs aimed at obtaining support from or influencing active duty military personnel. They also discussed obtaining access to classified Gov’t. info. to be used against U.S. interests & one leader subsequently actively engaged in such activity. There were also indications at this meeting that VVAW/WSO activists possessed the technical knowledge & training to carry out any revolutionary program proposed. In addition, info. has been reported from a source.. that a VVAW/WSO member previously discussed engaging in sabotage & was possibly involved in the destruction of a munitions train in Arizona. VVAW/WSO is currently headquartered in Chicago, IL....
A prelim. inquiry has been initiated concerning the subject for the purpose of determining if the subject is a leader or activist of the VVAW/WSO, activities of which could involve violations of Title 18, U.S. Code 2383 (Rebellion or Insurrection), 2384 (Seditious Conspiracy), 2385 (Advocating Overthrow of the Government), 2387 (Sedition), 793 (Espionage), 844 (Explosives & Incendiary Devices), 2155-56 (Sabotage) & 2101 (Antiriot Laws)... In compliance with recently revised instructions, the field must predicate each investigation on a statutory basis... |
--08/04/73: FBI (S47,p.111) - Chicago, IL. Demonstration at Civic Center. Several signs carried reading “Jail Nixon,” “Stop bombing in Cambodia,” “Free the Gainesville 8”..Barry Romo identified by Chicago PD as demonstration leader.
--08/23-27/73: FBI (Enc3246) - Nat’l. Steering Committee, St. Louis, MO. .. important thing for chapters to understand is the vast amount of respect for VVAW/WSO by organizations throughtout the U.S. & around the world. Just one example of this respect is the telegram that we rec’d. from the Cambodians... The war workshop began with a report from John Naveau, a VVAW/WSO member who recently returned from Indochina... report will be carried in next issue of Winter Soldier.
--Early 1975: No. Vietnam launches a massive invasion of South Vietnam. (T)
--04/30/75: Saigon falls. (T)
--06/75: VVAW gloating in leaflet & letter re: 1971 Kerry protests & anti-war movement. (“..never before had the vets of a war openly supported the other side..” “they have fought & beaten the strongest military in the world”) (FBI file extracts/transcribed): **FBI File
Continued below |
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Beatrice1000
Resource Specialist
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1179
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:22 am Post subject: Part 4 of 4 |
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PART 4 of 4
***KERRY, JOHN FORBES***---Continued
--08/14/75: FBI 11/20/75 (S75,p145) - Trip made by captioned sources at request of Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), American Indian Movement (AIM), and VVAW/WSO to the East Coast, 8/14/75-9/21/75.
--09/06/75: FBI 10/8/75 (S75,p147-149)
| Quote: | Associates of (redact) & who are members of Nat’l. Anti-Imperalist Caucus (NAIC), formerly VVAW/WSO & who are presently involved with White Lightening group.. attended an invitation only reception for the Cambodian delegation to the UN on 9/6/75. The reception was sponsored by groups such as VVAW, Revolutionary Union (RU), Indochina Peace Campaign, Puerto Rican Socialist Party, Communist Party, USA & approx. 15 other leftist organizations. The security at this function was supplied by the RU. ..the invitation: “The group of Khmer residents in America (G.K.RAM) formally request your presence to the reception.. The delegation of Kampuchea (Cambodia) at the 7th Special Session of the UN Gen. Assembly headed by Mr. Ieng Sary, Vice Prime Minister, will be present at the reception. “G.K.RAM, P.O. Bo 5857, Grand Central Station, NY.
As part of the delegation, Sary had with him two generals in the Cambodian military, one of whom is responsible for the military strategy for the seizure of Phenom Phen. Sary was responsible for the strategy behind the “Mayaguez” incident. The purpose of this reception was for the Cambodian delegation to thank the American left groups which supported the Cambodian struggle against the U.S. imperialistic forces. (redact) stated that they plan to escort the Cambodian delegation to the ghetto & slum areas of NYC in order to show them (& then discuss) the obvious failings of the capitalistic system. This was done already by these persons with the No. Vietnamese delegation when they visited with these movement people in NY.
The Cambodian delegation showed a film of their reconstruction of Cambodia since the takeover. It is the first time it has been shown in the U.S. & the only copy of this film is in the hands of the Cambodian delegation... (redact) within the next several months intends to embark on a cross-country trip visiting other left groups including WSO chapters putting forth a new line concerning narcotics & drugs within the left movement & within Third World communities. They hope to show a connection between drug trafficking in the ghetto area & U.S. imperialistic tactics... |
--1975-1979: Communist regimes in SE Asia murder an estimated two million Cambodians, as well as tens of thousands of So. Vietnamese. One million So. Vietnamese are imprisoned in “re-education camps,” & hundreds of thousands die there. An additional two million flee the country, with many drowning in the attempt. (T) (Kerry/VVAW had demanded troop pullout: **PHOTO of Cambodian skulls
--01/06/76: FBI 1/9/76 (S75,p.197) - It is stated that the name of the organization has again been changed, this time back to the original VVAW.
--1978: The original VVAW splits…. Both the VVAW & the rabidly anti-American VVAW-AI remain in operation today. (T)
--1978: Former VVAW leader Robert Mueller founds the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). The VVA also describes Kerry as a “co-founder” of the organization. In the late 1980s, Muller & the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) will split from the VVA. (T)
--1981: Muller leads a VVAF delegation to Hanoi, where he praises the communist leadership of Vietnam & lays a wreath on the grave of Ho Chi Minh. (T) (10/22/04: Sinclair Broadcasting airs a show regarding the POWs against Kerry, including parts of "Stolen Honor," & Bobby Muller is recommended by the Kerry campaign to be included in the news special. Muller then directly confronts the POWs and attacks their credibility.) ARTICLE
--04/85: “Kerry’s Disloyal Nicaraguan Journey,” (5/17/04) by J. Michael Waller: “Kerry...flew to Nicaragua, then in the grip of a Marxist-Leninist junta, to coauthor a propagandistic peace proposal designed to disarm the U.S.-backed forces fighting to oust the Soviet-backed Sandinista regime. That.. journey to Nicaragua would become a trademark of the Kerry school of statecraft: making common cause with enemies of the U.S., & allowing himself to be used by them, in order to win political battles at home. SOURCE
--02/27/92: “Lead, Don’t Divide,” by John F. Kerry, Speech on the Sen. Floor:
| Quote: | | “I am saddened by the fact that Vietnam has yet again been inserted into the campaign,...What saddens me most is that Democrats..should now be refighting the many conflicts of Vietnam in order to win the current political conflict of a presidential primary... We do not need to divide America over who served & how...We certainly do not need something as complex & emotional as Vietnam reduced to simple campaign rhetoric..” SPEECH |
--04/27/92: Memo re destruction of docs. related to the POW-MIA Committee/Legal Misconduct & Possible Malpractice: “On 4/9/92, the Chairman of the Sen. Select Committee, Sen. Kerry..in response to a protest by other members of the Select Committee, told the Select Committee members that "all copies" would be destroyed.” SOURCE
--04/29/92: “Senate Floor Speech--Report of the POW-MIA Committee Trip to SE Asia” - John Kerry:
| Quote: | | “..It is my belief that the fundamental issues still involved in the POW-MIA process can, in fact, be brought to a close between now & when this committee completes its work near the end of this year. ..Less than 1 year ago, I traveled to Vietnam on a separate factfinding trip....the Vietnamese are doing the unusual in permitting us to visit many sites & to access many people... I left Vietnam convinced that with the cooperation of Communist Party Gen. Secretary Do Muoi & his ministers a process can be put in place which will facilitate our ability to answer the remaining questions rapidly. SPEECH |
--05/03/92: Memo re destruction of docs. related to the POW-MIA Committee/Possible Violations: “..destruction of the Investigators' Intelligence Briefing Text....the Chairman assured Sen. McCain that there would be no leaks because all copies would be gathered & destroyed,... Sen. Kerry stated that he gave the order to destroy the documents.. SOURCE
--10/30/92: Memo re destruction of docs. related to the POW-MIA Committee/Obstruction of the Investigation: “..As of this writing, we do not know what Sejna knows or will say under oath, yet his testimony has already been written off... SOURCE.
--01/93 - Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs Final Report issued -- Jan. 1993.
A Kerry trip to Vietnam re POWs. **PHOTO
--7/15-18/93: Communist Vietnamese honor John Kerry, the war protestor, as a hero in their victory over the U.S. in the Vietnam War. ARTICLE (wintersoldier.com)
Photo. of John Kerry meeting with Comrade Do Muoi, Gen. Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Vietnam. Photo taken in the War Remnants Museum (formerly the "War Crimes Museum") in Saigon in May 2004. (wintersoldier.com)
--11/09/97: “We Must be Firm with Saddam Hussein,” Speech by Kerry on Senate Floor:
| Quote: | | ..Saddam Hussein cannot ignore the UN. He cannot be permitted to go unobserved & unimpeded toward his horrific objective of amassing a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. .... Should the resolve of our allies wane to pursue this matter...the U.S. must not lose its resolve to take action.. I submit that the old adage `pay now or pay later' applies perfectly in this situation...while we should always seek to take significant int’l. actions on a multilateral rather than a unilateral basis..if..we face what we truly believe to be a grave threat to the well-being of our Nation..we must have the courage to do what we believe is right and wise. ... I believe this is such a situation, Mr. Pres. It is a time for resolve. Tomorrow we must make that clear to the Security Council & to the world. SPEECH |
--11/00: Clinton’s visit to Hanoi. Photo of: Sandy Berger, Sen. John Kerry, President Clinton, & Ambassador Peterson
--10/09/02: “John Kerry’s Stmt on Iraq Before the War--from the Speech Kerry Made on the Senate Floor:
| Quote: | | “..when we pick up the newspapers & read about the residuals of the Vietnam war, there is a particular sensitivity.. It would be naive to the point of grave danger not to believe that..Saddam Hussein will provoke, misjudge, or stumble into a future, more dangerous confrontation with the civilized world... We should not go to war because these things are in his past, but we should be prepared to go to war because of what they tell us about the future... Regime change has been an American policy under the Clinton admin., & it is the current policy. I support the policy.... can we afford to ignore the possibility that Saddam Hussein might..allow those weapons to slide off to one group or other in a region..? How do we leave that to chance? ... I will support a multilateral effort to disarm him by force, ..but I will not support a unilateral U.S. war against Iraq unless that threat is imminent & the multilateral effort has not proven possible.. The admin. must continue its efforts to build support at the UN... I believe the support from the region will come only if they are convinced of the credibility of our arguments & the legitimacy of our mission.... I do know what it means..to fight in a war where that consent is lost, where allies are in short supply, where conditions are hostile, & the mission is ill-defined... ARTICLE |
--10/10/02: “An Open Letter to Sen. John Kerry on Iraq,” by S. Brian Willson (Vets For Peace): (was at Dewey Canyon protest with Kerry in 1971, former anti-war comrade speaks against Kerry’s support of the Iraq War):
| Quote: | | “When you decided to run for the Sen. in 1984..I loyally supported your campaign as one of the dozen or so Vietnam vets the press called Kerry's Commandos, you called "Doghunters." .... Your career in the Senate has revealed your all-consuming ambition,.. In 1985..you stressed your initials as "JFK" that would help you one day in your quest for the White House,... Now the Congress is giving the resident of the White House virtual carte blanche authority to launch pre-emptive strikes... With your vote for essentially agreeing.. to wage wars against whomever he wants, you have contributed to finalizing the last of the world's empires, & the likely consequent doom of int’l. law..." SOURCE |
--2002: Kerry and Kennedy:
--01/20/03: “Martin Luther King Day Celebration Remarks”, speaker, Sen. Kerry: “...I remember well Apr., 1968 - I was serving in Vietnam—a place of violence... It's a citizenship seared into me 30 years ago when I served with a band of brothers in Vietnam.." SPEECH
--02/17/04: “John Kerry: Further Left Than He Lets On,” by John Perazzo: ..He prefers to hide his three decades of left-wing activism from the American public. We hope the American people will not be so easily fooled. ARTICLE
--02/27/04: “John Kerry’s Time Warp--for the Democratic candidate, it’s always 1969,” by Byron York: Kerry seems to be living in another time, playing a movie of Vietnam over and over in his mind. ARTICLE
--03/01/04: “Kerry Will Abandon War on Terrorism,” by Kenneth R. Timmerman: Kerry promised to spend the first 100 days of his administration traveling the world to denounce his predecessor, apologize for his "radically wrong" policy, & seek "cooperation and compromise" with friend & foe alike. Borrowing language normally reserved to characterize "rogue" states, Kerry said he would "go to the UN & travel to our traditional allies to affirm that the U.S. has rejoined the community of nations."... SOURCE
--03/07/04: “Kerry Hit by Vietnam flak for betrayal,” by Sarah Baxter: “...Kerry has never been forgiven by these families for his role as chairman of a Sen. select committee on POW & MIA affairs, which sat from 1991 to 1993. It concluded that there was "no proof US prisoners of war survived." Within days Pres. Bill Clinton lifted a 19-year-old trade embargo against Vietnam. The protest group is convinced that Kerry was more interested in normalising relations with the Vietnamese than in pressing them to release prisoners. SOURCE
--07/15/04: “Text of Remarks by Sen. Kerry to NAACP Convention”:
| Quote: | | “...Du Bois talked about the two Americas years ago. He called it "a nation within a nation." ...We must come together to build one America... When I was in Vietnam, I served on a small boat in the Mekong Delta... We were just a band of brothers who all fought under the same flag & all prayed to the same God. Today..we still know how to fight for our country...the America we believe in is calling us to service once again.. we must..we will..bring back our mighty dream again." SPEECH |
--07/19/04: “Damage Control,” by Philip Gourevitch:
| Quote: | | Kerry declared, “the Bush Admin. has pursued the most arrogant, inept, reckless, & ideological foreign policy in modern history:..he rushed into battle--and he went almost alone. .. Kerry called on the Admin...to.. bring in the U.N. & the “int’l. community” to help America succeed instead of inviting failure alone. .. Kerry said..we have to truly internationalize both politically & militarily: we cannot depend on a U.S.-only presence.” ..... in his Senate speech against the Gulf War resolution in 1991, Kerry repeatedly invoked the failures & agonies of Vietnam, arguing that the country was not ready to sacrifice another generation to the horrors of combat. ..he had agreed with the Clinton Admin.’s refusal in 1994 to acknowledge the genocide in Rwanda... ARTICLE |
--07/23/04: “The President Misled America,” USA Today interview w/Kerry:
| Quote: | | ...I am more prepared to lead this country in a safer war on terror... I will run a more effective, more strategic war on terror than George Bush has... The pres. misled America... I would have brought countries to our side through effective diplomacy, by being patient,... We need more people involved in this effort, in a broader int’l. effort... And there are many, many other int’l. observers & others who know what's going on who agree with that. INTERVIEW |
--07/29/04: “Speech to the 2004 Democratic Nat’l. Convention--Remarks of John Kerry:
| Quote: | | ...I ask you to judge me by my record:.. I will be a commander in chief who will never mislead us into war. ...I am accompanied by an extraordinary band of brothers.. Our band of brothers doesn't march together because of who we are as vets, but because of what we learned as soldiers... And as Pres., I will bring back this nation's time-honored tradition: the U.S.of A. never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to... As Pres., I will wage this war with the lessons I learned in war. ..You will never be asked to fight a war without a plan to win the peace... I will fight a smarter, more effective war on terror... Before wrapping themselves in the flag & shutting their eyes & ears to the truth, they should remember what America is really all about... I fought under that flag, ... For us, that flag is the most powerful symbol of who we are & what we believe in.. ..I learned a lot about these values on that gunboat patrolling the Mekong Delta... SPEECH |
--09/01/04: “Kerry pans Bush war planning,” by Thom J. Rose: (speech Weds. before the Annual American Legion Convention): ...Kerry's speech met with a lackluster response from the veterans.... “..the civilian leadership failed to respond adequately; failed to share responsibility with NATO,..failed to share responsibility with the U.N..” ARTICLE
--09/01/04: “A True War Hero Speaks on Kerry,” by Col. George “Bud” Day: Kerry cast a long dark shadow over all Vietnam Vets with his outright perjury before the Senate concerning atrocities in Vietnam... John Kerry for President? Ridiculous. Unthinkable. Unbelievable. Outrageous. ARTICLE
--09/03/04: “Kerry Comes out swinging after convention,” by Thom J. Rose: (Springfield, OH midnight rally after Repub. Convention): .."For the past week, (Repubs.) attacked my patriotism & my fitness to serve as commander in chief," Kerry said. "We'll, here's my answer. I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could have & by those who have misled the nation into Iraq," Kerry said. SOURCE
--09/08/04: “Kerry Acts to Refocus Iraq Debate,” by Farhi & VandeHei: Kerry is planning a speech soon in which he will offer a detailed plan to end, or greatly curtail, the U.S. military operation in Iraq by January 2009... "I would not have made the wrong choices that are forcing us to pay...$200 billion," Kerry said. But Bush's campaign noted..that Kerry argued one year ago that the gov’t. should increase spending in Iraq "by whatever number of billions of dollars it takes to win.".. “Bush failed to build an adequate coalition before the war, rushed into military action..." ...there are discussions of a speech that would explain Kerry's Vietnam experience, including his leadership role in the antiwar protests in the early 1970s..aides said.. ARTICLE
--09/08/04: “Ad warns young soldiers about Kerry,” by Art Moore: ..Dexter Lehtinen, a Miami atty,.. recounting how he learned of John Kerry's 1971 accusations of war crimes as he lay severely wounded in a hospital... "This is the portrait of a man who has failed to comes to terms with his treacherous past,".. ARTICLE
--09/09/04: “Remarks by Sen. Kerry at the Annual Session of the Nat’l. Baptist Convention”:
| Quote: | “..our dream..is dim & denied in the Washington of today... it is time to again emancipate this land, to live up to our ideals; it is time for a new moment of conscience in America...It was wrong to rush to war.. It was wrong not to build a strong int’l coalition of our allies... we still have two school systems--separate and unequal... This Nov. we're going to have a new march on Washington to bring your voice & our concerns...I'm ready to march with you. Will you march with me?”
SPEECH |
--09/20/04: “Speech at NY University,” remarks of John Kerry:
[quote]"...Invading Iraq has created a crisis of historic proportions &, if we do not change course, there is the prospect of a war with no end in sight... After serving in war, I returned home to offer my own personal voice of dissent. I did so because I believed strongly that we owed it those risking their lives to speak truth to power... Our credibility in the world has plummeted... This President’s ..policy has been plagued by a lack of planning, an absence of candor, arrogance & outright incompetence... the Pres. rushed to war.. And he should stop misleading the American people.. we could begin to withdraw U.S. forces starting next summer.. SPEECH[/quote]
--09/21/04: “Ask the ‘Dominoes’ about Kerry’s Atrocities Charge--Former Vietnamese Refugees Defend the Honor of American Vietnam Veterans,” by Michael P. Tremoglie: ..Some were among the 1980s "Boat People," who fled the horror of Communist Vietnam on rafts, boats..All fled the purported utopia Vietnam was supposed to become according to Kerry & his anti-war colleagues. ARTICLE
--09/21/04: “Kerry’s Views on Iraq, Vietnam ‘Virtually Identical,’ Critic Charges,” by Marc Morano: Mon., Kerry addressed the present day war in Iraq in a speech at NYU. "It's basically the same throw your hands up, ask the int’l. community to come in & surrender speech that (Kerry) gave before in 1971," said Jerome Corsi, co-author of the best-selling book ‘Unfit for Command.’ SOURCE
--09/22/04: “A War Referendum --John Kerry finally offers voters a choice on Iraq & Terrorism,” WSJ: “..The Democratic nominee entered public life.. questioning both America's policy & its purposes in Vietnam. He's now staking his bid for the White House as a critic of the boldest & most divisive American foreign policy initiative since... SOURCE
--09/24/04: “Sen. John Kerry’s Speech on Iraq & Terrorism,” Temple Univ.: “..As president, I will fight a tougher, smarter, more effective war on terror... Yet in the face of all of these ..misjudgments, all the miscalculations & all the mistakes, the president still says he wouldn't do anything different. I would. I will make very different choices in the war on terrorism.” .. SPEECH
--09/27/04: “John Kerry Redux: Protesting Another American War,” by CK Rairden: ...Once back home (from Vietnam), John Kerry proceeded to attempt to convince Americans that Vietnam was not a part of the war against Communism, only a mistake. John Kerry seems again willing to force America into a position of retreat.. ..Kerry..a war protester then, & a war protester now.. SOURCE
--10/01/04: “The Vietnamization of John Kerry,” by Charles Krauthammer:
| Quote: | ...Kerry has been haunted and shaped by Vietnam.... he has presented Vietnam in three different ways. First..moral outrage,..a place where U.S. soldiers...acted like "the armies of Genghis Khan." That was Kerry in his antiwar phase, testifying before Congress in 1971. Second, Vietnam as a strategic error, a quagmire stumbled into by a well-meaning nation. That was Kerry for the next 30 years.. Third, presented to the nation at this year's Dem. convention: Vietnam as field of glory....
There is simply no escaping the dissonance of glorying in a military service of which Kerry said, as he concluded his 1971 statement to Congress, "We wish that a merciful God could wipe away our own memories of that service." SOURCE |
***ONE FINAL NOTE*****
“Notes from the Undergrad” by Matthew Continetti (9/6/04) -
| Quote: | Kerry's most famous college speech (1966)...when he delivered the Yale class oration..is notable for its rhetoric:
KERRY:
"It is misleading to mention right & wrong in this issue..for to every thinking man, the semantics of this contest often find the U.S. right in its wrongness & wrong in its rightness."
On American power, Kerry continued, "the U.S. must...bring itself to understand that the policy of intervention"--meaning, intervention against communism--"that was right for Western Europe does not & cannot find the same application to the rest of the world."
“What was an excess of isolationism has become an excess of interventionism..” .."Never in the last 20 years..has the gov’t. of the U.S. been as isolated as it is today."
... It summarizes, so neatly and so early in his career, Kerry's central critique of American foreign policy....
----Yet the John Kerry who spoke on 6/12/66, was the same John Kerry who, home from Vietnam, addressed the Fulbright Committee on 4/22/71.
----It was the same Kerry who supported a nuclear freeze in his Democratic primary fight against James Shannon in 1984.
----It was the same Kerry who opposed Ronald Reagan's 1983 invasion of Grenada, of which Kerry said at the time, "No substantial threat to U.S. interests existed & American lives were not endangered..The invasion represented a bully's show of force against a weak Third World nation."
----It was the same Kerry who spoke out against Reagan's funding of the anti-Communist contras in the 1980s.
----The same Kerry who told the Los Angeles Times in 1985, "I said then (in 1971), and I still believe, that we can't be hamstrung about intervening everywhere."
----And it was the same Kerry who, on 1/19/91, took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to speak out against the first Gulf War. "Are we ready for the changes this war will bring?" Kerry asked then. "Changes in sons and daughters who return from combat never the same..." "There is a rush to war here," Kerry went on. The U.S. was acting "with more bravado than patience." His view of intervention was grim. "It sounds like we are risking war for pride," he continued, "not vital interests!"
** They are the same words and ideas, uttered again & again, at various times & places, over 30 years of public life...
John Kerry's skepticism toward American intervention in foreign crises isn't a battle scar left from Vietnam: ***IT IS WHO HE IS. ***
SOURCE |
** END ** |
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Navy_Navy_Navy
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Joined: 07 May 2004
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:39 am Post subject: |
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This is one astounding, outstanding, overwhelming piece of work!!!
I can't thank you enough for all of your work on this - we're so grateful to our volunteers and board members for all the energy and enthusiasm with which they infuse this board and this effort to support the Swifts.
Just amazing, Beatrice1000 - this lays it out so well that anyone can follow it.
It will go into the R&R section, but it needs at least a few days of exposure on this main forum, first.
BZ's !!!!!
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Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother |
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