SwiftVets.com

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http://www.gopusa.com/news/2004/august/0818_kerry_war_crimesp.shtml
By Jeff Gannon
Talon News
August 18, 2004

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- A pro-Kerry group is defending the Democratic presidential candidate's antiwar past, agreeing that John Kerry's 1971 claims that U.S. soldiers committed atrocities in Vietnam are true. Veterans for Kerry held a press conference Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to denounce television ads being run by the independent 527 group Swift Boat Veterans For Truth who say that the Massachusetts senator is "unfit for command."

Retired General Wesley Clark called for President Bush to disavow the SVFT ads and demand that they be taken off the air. He quoted Republican Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) who called the ads "dishonest and dishonorable." But because of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance laws, Bush cannot direct the 527 to take any action whatsoever. Current law does not permit any kind of "coordination" between a campaign and the unregulated soft money groups.

During the press conference, Talon News asked the veterans how they felt about Kerry's leadership of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and his testimony before the Fulbright Committee in 1971. Kerry reported to the Senate that soldiers he spoke to "told stories that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan."

Many of the veterans at the press conference remained in Vietnam after Kerry's "quick out" after four months in combat. None of them said that Kerry's accusations had any negative effect on their support of the Massachusetts senator. Some agreed with Kerry's charges that American soldiers committed war crimes and atrocities.

Clark was also unfazed, commenting, "Look, a lot of things happened in Vietnam -- a lot of things that have never come out. Most of the people as John Kerry said served honorably did everything they could. But I think anybody who's ever served over there has heard stories about things that happened that shouldn't have happened."

When pressed by Talon News to answer whether there were war crimes committed by American troops, Clark replied, "Sure."

There was general agreement with Clark, evidenced by heads nodding. One of the men standing with Clark recalled "My Lai," but no other specific incidents were mentioned.

The retired general praised Kerry's decision to join forces with the radical antiwar movement and become one of its leaders.

Clark told Talon News, "I respect John Kerry because he's a man who had physical courage in combat. And when he came home he looked at it, he viewed it through his own values and took his perspective and had the moral courage to stand up and say what he believed."

In a one-on-one conversation with Talon News following the press conference, Clark couldn't recall any specific incident of a war crime being committed besides the one involving Lieutenant Calley, who was prosecuted for the My Lai "massacre."

Clark was unable to explain Kerry's statements before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations where he said, "These were not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command."

Clark said that he couldn't provide any information about other allegations of war crimes but instead mentioned an investigation of Gen. John D. Lavelle, who had been recalled to Washington and subsequently relieved of his duties over unapproved bombing runs in North Vietnam.

Kerry's broad accusations that portrayed American soldiers as "baby killers" is part of the bitter legacy of the war hero turned antiwar activist. Many veterans that Kerry defamed have never forgiven him and have recently spoken up to oppose his election as commander in chief. Over 220 Vietnam veterans have joined the movement to expose what they say are "Kerry's lies."

John O'Neill, who debated Kerry on the Dick Cavett Show in 1971 is the leader of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. His best-selling book "Unfit for Command" was recently released shortly after the group's anti-Kerry ads began to run. Kerry surrogates like Clinton-defender James Carville have assailed the book as a "Republican smear campaign" but have yet to refute the testimony of the 64 decorated Vietnam veterans who served in Kerry's unit.

On the issue of war crimes and atrocities several of them spoke out at a May 2004 press conference.

Lt. Col. James Zumwalt, USMC (Ret.) said, "Lt. Kerry returned home from the war to make some outrageous statements and allegations. Numerous criminal acts in violations of the law of war were cited by Kerry, disparaging those who had fought with honor in that conflict."

Captain Charles Plumly, USN (Ret.) said, "Kerry's turncoat performance in 1971 in his grubby shirt and his medal-tossing escaped, coupled with his slanderous lies in the recent book portraying us that served, including all POWs and MIAs, as murderous war criminals, I believe, will have a lasting effect on all military veterans and their families."

Captain George Elliott, USN (Ret.) explained his motivation for coming forward to rehash events that happened over 30 years ago.

He said, "In 1971-72, for almost eighteen months, he stood before the television audiences and claimed that the five hundred thousand men and women in Vietnam, and in combat, were all villains -- there were no heroes. In 2004, one hero from the Vietnam War has appeared, running for president of the United States and commander in chief. It just galls one to think about it."
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EX-Helicopter driver & accomplished liar.
Wars fought, revolutions started, uprisings quelled, revivals organized,
assassinations plotted, governments overthrown, lead gospel singing,
tigers tamed, bars emptied, virgins converted, orgies organized.

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