SwiftVets.com

[PierreLegrand]

Here is a large part of this article to give you a taste. Please comment on the article to help me improve, if there are any facts that I have screwed up shout out. Rood is in bold hopefully hehe.
http://www.papadoc.net/2004/08/fact-checking-rood.html


Posted 8/22/2004 by Pierre Legrand
Fact Checking Rood
This is being spun as some sort of contradiction to the story the Swift Boat Vets told of John Kerry's silver star award. But its not, it's not even close to being a contradiction. Lets take a look together.


Anti-Kerry
vets not there that day By William B. Rood Chicago Tribune August 21, 2004

There were three swift boats on the river that day in Vietnam more than 35 years ago—three officers and 15 crew members. Only two of those officers remain to talk about what happened on February 28, 1969.
But the Swiftees make no claim to have had officers there, but they do name their sources. Sources like Doug Reese one of three Army Advisor's, sources like crewman Michael Medeiros from Kerry's boat and Larry Lee crewman and gunner.

One is John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate who won a Silver Star for what happened on that date. I am the other.

And given that John Kerry has already been proven to fabricate and exaggerate events there is actually only one witness. The Christmas in Cambodia story that Kerry has recited over and over again claiming that it was seared into his memory was a fantasy, this is proven.

For years, no one asked about those events. But now they are the focus of
skirmishing in a presidential election with a group of swift boat veterans and others contending that Kerry didn't deserve the Silver Star for what he did on that day, or the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for other actions.

While this is true it is also very misleading since the Swiftee's are actually driving two points. One that John Kerry is dishonest and further that his dishonesty was driven by his desire to build a political career which they say was apparent and even claimed by him early on. Second that he was dishonorable by going back home joining the Vietnam Vets Against the War and declaring that the war was immoral. He directly impugns the Swiftee's with this claim:We established an American presence in most cases by showing the flag and firing at sampans and villages along the banks. Those were our instructions, but they seemed so out of line that we finally began to go ashore, against our orders, and investigate the villages that were supposed to be our targets. We discovered we were butchering a lot of innocent people, and morale became so low among the officers on those 'swift boats' that we were called back to Saigon for special instructions from Gen. Abrams. He told us we were doing the right thing. He said our efforts would help win the war in the long run. That's when I realized I could never remain silent about the realities of the war in Vietnam.
John Kerry in the Washington Star, June 6, 1971

Many of us wanted to put it all behind us—the rivers, the ambushes, the killing. Ever since that time, I have refused all requests for interviews about Kerry's service—even those from reporters at the Chicago Tribune, where I work.

I can appreciate your feelings but Senator Kerry was the one who highlighted his duty in Vietnam as a qualification for the office of President. This opens up doors that I realize many wanted to keep shut but they cannot remain closed since even a cursory examination of the record shows that Senator Kerry was dishonest and dishonorable.

But Kerry's critics, armed with stories I know to be untrue, have charged that the accounts of what happened were overblown. The critics have taken pains to say they're not trying to cast doubts on the merit of what others did, but their version of events has splashed doubt on all of us. It's gotten harder and harder for those of us who were there to listen to accounts we know to be untrue, especially when they come from people who were not there.

Mr. Rood I am sorry that you feel this way but the people you believe you oppose are in fact just as qualified as you to speak on these matters since they were there even though you attempt to insinuate they weren't. The Swiftee's NOT you have caused the Kerry campaign to correct one often told lie of the Kerry campaign. Christmas in Cambodia is now nothing but a fantasy in Kerry's mind, no thanks to you.

Even though Kerry's own crew members have backed him, the attacks have continued, and in recent days Kerry has called me and others who were with him in those days, asking that we go public with our accounts.

Some of Kerry's own crew members back him, one of them notably the one who served the longest with Kerry does NOT support him. Steven Gardner Gunners Mate on Kerry's boat came to believe him incompetent and dishonest.
_________________
Pierre Legrand
Owner Bouncer Pink Flamingo Bar Grill
www.papadoc.net/PinkFlamingoBar.html

[Me#1You#10]

Worthy of a response Pierre...just don't have the time myself

[Taters]

Are there any members of SwiftBoat Vets for Truth who were part of this silver star mission? I've tried googling it and have come up dry.
I'd also be curious to know why only officers are capable of memories if there were also 15 crewmen.

[PierreLegrand]

Was up writing this article pretty late last night and when I finally got around to proofing it...uh oh. Just finished trying to clean it up a bit. On a side note realized that when I first thought about writing this article I wanted to use actual bits from the book to show how similar the events are...got wrapped up in writing and didn't get around to it. Probably should have. Live and learn.


Thanks to all who have visited.
_________________
Pierre Legrand
Owner Bouncer Pink Flamingo Bar Grill
www.papadoc.net/PinkFlamingoBar.html

[Hueygunner]

Pierre Legrand,

You have a valid point. If the Swift Boat Vets were comitting unlawful acts under orders than this is bigger than the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal!!

[PierreLegrand]

Fact is that Kerry has never been able to show one bit of evidence for the slander he made against the Swiftee's. The quote in my article is quite damning to Kerry. Matter of fact I believe that he is just about done thanks to the work of the Swiftee's, FOX News and Blogs. I dont mean to say I have anything but the part of a bystander who just happens to have a big mouth. hehe.

Pierre
_________________
Pierre Legrand
Owner Bouncer Pink Flamingo Bar Grill
www.papadoc.net/PinkFlamingoBar.html

[PierreLegrand]

Gratified that Right Wing News linked to my article regarding the Rood Piece in the Chicago Times.
_________________
Pierre Legrand
Owner Bouncer Pink Flamingo Bar Grill
www.papadoc.net/PinkFlamingoBar.html