 |
SwiftVets.com
Service to Country
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Me#1You#10
Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 6503
|
 Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:18 pm Post subject: JamesWarner: "For 5 months 'I stayed in the box'" |
 |
|
| Quote: | For 5 months 'I stayed in the box'
By James H. Warner
June 29, 2005
Washington Times Op-ed
As a Marine Corps officer, I spent five years and five months in a prisoner of war camp in North Vietnam. I believe this gives me a benchmark against which to measure the treatment which Sen. Richard Durbin, Illinois Democrat, complained of at the Camp of Detention for Islamo-fascists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The senator's argument is silly. If he believes what he has said his judgment is so poor that his countrymen, assuming, of course, that he considers us his countrymen, have no reason not to dismiss him as a witless boob. On the other hand, if he does not believe what he said, the other members of the Senate may wish to consider censure.
Consider nutrition. I have severe peripheral neuropathy in both legs as a residual of beriberi. I am fortunate. Some of my comrades suffer partial blindness or ischemic heart disease as a result of beriberi, a degenerate disease of peripheral nerves caused by a lack of thiamin, vitamin B-1. It is easily treated but is extremely painful.
Did Mr. Durbin say that some of the Islamo-fascist prisoners are suffering from beriberi? Actually, the diet enjoyed by the prisoners seems to be healthy. I saw the menu that Rep. Duncan Hunter presented a few days ago. It looks as though the food given the detainees at Guantanamo is wholesome, nutritious and appealing. I would be curious to hear Mr. Durbin explain how orange glazed chicken and rice pilaf can be compared to moldy bread laced with rat droppings.
In May 1969, I was taken out for interrogation on suspicion of planning an escape. I was forced to remain awake for long periods of time -- three weeks on one occasion.
On the first of June, I was put in a cement box with a steel door, which sat out in the tropical summer sun. There, I was put in leg irons which were then wired to a small stool. In this position I could neither sit nor stand comfortably. Within 10 days, every muscle in my body was in pain (here began a shoulder injury which is now inoperable). The heat was almost beyond bearing. My feet had swollen, literally, to the size of footballs. I cannot describe the pain. When they took the leg irons off, they had to actually dig them out of the swollen flesh. It was five days before I could walk, because the weight of the leg irons on my Achilles tendons had paralyzed them and hamstrung me. I stayed in the box from June 1 until Nov. 10, 1969. While in the box, I lost at least 30 pounds. I would be curious to hear Mr. Durbin explain how this compares with having a female invade my private space, and whether a box in which the heat nearly killed me is the same as turning up the air conditioning.
The detainees at Guantanamo receive new Korans and prayer rugs, and the guards are instructed not to disturb the inmates' prayers. Compare this with my experience in February 1971, when I watched as armed men dragged from our cell, successively, four of my cell mates after having led us in the Lord's Prayer. Their prayers were in defiance of a January 1971 regulation in which the Communists forbade any religious observances in our cells. Does Mr. Durbin somehow argue that our behavior is the equivalent of the behavior of the Communists?
Actually, I was one of the lucky ones. At another camp, during the time I was being interrogated in the summer of 1969, one man was tortured to death and several were severely beaten. In fact, according to Headquarters Marine Corps, 20 percent of my fellow Marines failed to survive captivity. Have 20 percent of the Islamo-fascists failed to survive Guantanamo?
The argument that detainees at Guantanamo are being treated badly is specious and silly. In the eyes of normal Americans, Democrats believe this argument because, as Jeanne Kirkpatrick said 20 years ago, they "always blame America first." This contributes to the increasing suspicion, in red states, a problem that Democrats are aware of and are trying to counter, that Democrats cannot be trusted with our national security. Only the Democrats can change this perception, most recently articulated by White House adviser Karl Rove. The ball is in their court and I am certain there are steps that they can take to change this perception, but making silly arguments about imaginary bad treatment of enemy detainees is not a move in the right direction.
James H. Warner is corporate counsel practicing intellectual property law in Northern Virginia. He served as domestic policy adviser during the second Reagan administration.
Washington Times |
hattip: Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Nutso
PO3
Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Minnesota
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It just cannot be put more clear than this. I can't understand why the liberals (most of my family included) think we are such bad people.
And THANK YOU SIR, for what you endured, and what you gave for my freedom. I will always be in your debt. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dusty
Admiral
Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 1264
Location: East Texas
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 3:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
God Bless and keep you Mr. Warner. Wish that I could take the memories of the pain and suffering you endured off you and dump it on Mr. Durbin.
He deserves what you got.
Dusty |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coldwarvet
Admiral
Joined: 03 Jun 2004
Posts: 1125
Location: Minnetonka, MN
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 4:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
Mr. Warner you are a great American.
_________________
Defender of the honor of those in harms way keeping us out of harms way.
"Peace is our Profession"
Strategic Air Command - Motto
USAF 75-79 Security Police |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
BuffaloJack
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1637
Location: Buffalo, New York
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
My very favorite Ronald Reagan quote sums up the attitude of the liberals the best:
"We are at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind, and if we lose that war, and in doing so lose this way of freedom of ours, history will record with the greatest astonishment that those who had the most to lose did the least to prevent its happening."
- Ronald Reagan, 1964
(commenting on the antiwar movement during the Vietnam War.)
James H. Warner is a genuine hero and someone who took his place to stand between men who would do us evil and the citizens of the US who go to work and school each day and never know fear. The attitude of Liberals is born out of living in comfort and safety their entire lives and assuming everyone in the world shares this upbringing. I seriously doubt that even one of them would have the grit to defend the way of life they enjoy so much.
_________________
Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PhantomSgt
Vice Admiral
Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 972
Location: GUAM, USA
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Although I gave up the right to vote in State or National elections when I became a resident of Guam I continue to vote each election year. Given that the course of the country is set by who resides in D.C. I perform a lunacy test for each candidate running for the House or Senate. Any of those who fail the test can rest assured their opponent will recieve a contribution from me. My wallet votes for me.
Sometimes I will support an opponent from the same party if I think they are the one who will defeat the incumbent moran. As an independent I get the opportunity to support anyone I choose Democrat or Republican. I am building my list now to hopefully defeat some incumbent members of the house. I'm sure each of you can guess who they are.
I must admit most of the House members on my list are Democratic liberals who are undermining our efforts to fight the war that faces us now. I could really care less about anything else that is contentious in the House.
Most of the incumbents are located in districts that are solidly democratic. I won't throw away good money so I will support the Democrat who meets the test and supports our military efforts.
If every American voter who is disgusted by the incumbents behavior would send at a minimum one dollar to the opponents campaign, the outcome of the race would be predetermined.
Vote early, vote often and vote now with your wallet.
_________________
Retired AF E-8
Independent that leans right of center. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
