SwiftVets.com Forum Index SwiftVets.com
Service to Country
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Kerry, the anti-war advocate?
Goto page Previous  1, 2
 
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    SwiftVets.com Forum Index -> Kerry - VVAW Leadership & "Wintersoldier"
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
army72
Seaman


Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 182

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 7:51 am    Post subject: Re: Kerry tried to help stop a war Reply with quote

borninthe50s wrote:


I'm not a Kerry supporter, but I have to give him credit for having the courage to take a stand against a war that was terribly wrong. If the US had withdrawn sooner, as hundreds of thousands of protesters tried to pressure the government to do, thousands of young American lives would have been saved.



After reading the stuff you posted, I really believe you are an ardant supporter of Kerry. I think you are slow playing your hand. I suggest that you read up on exactly what happened and why it is so important to keep Kerry from taking over the reins in this country. It really does scare many people at the thought of that guy and his support team and what he would do to our country. I think you know more about this than you are letting on and , no matter what, Kerry's actions don't count. While you are entitled to your opinion, I pity you in that you cannot rely on the facts or the seriousness of them. I hope your kids do not have to suffer for this mistake.

BTW- these guys would've been proud that one of their own would become president. The fact that they would go this far must tell everyone that they are very serious about not wanting him as the CiC. Ask yourself what they gain by going against him. They don't get rich, will not gain power, nor will they benefit from this. They are STILL brave enough to risk
the same kind of treatment they received before just to ensure that our kids do not have to suffer through it! These are REAL heroes you disparage. They ask for nothing. That alone should be enough to at least see what they have to offer. You should be thanking them for looking out for your interests as well.
_________________
Hillary and Kerry in '08? Something smells!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
HardCorps
Ensign


Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 65
Location: San Diego

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:54 am    Post subject: Kerry tried to help stop a war Reply with quote

Borninthe50s, your post is an honest reflection of misunderstandings that unfortunately far too many Americans have. I do not fault you personally, and I commend your interest in the truth.
However, as someone who has volunteered to lead men into Somalia, then in Iraq, and surely a few more places before I can retire, I am deeply troubled by the praise and misunderstandings about Senator Kerry. Here are a few points that I hope might help you.

1. Every American Serviceman who has to fight in war, hates war more than anyone else could begin to comprehend, including journalists, college protesters, celebrities, or activists. This hatred of war doesn't mean that we think it's not worth fighting for or understanding why we must fight.
Those who think a war is not worth fighting, have a duty to be responsible in their actions and words, and never ever violate their oath to The Constitution, the nation, it's symbols or their men.
Most importantly DO NO HARM to your brothers still fighting, returned or lost.
John Kerry followed none of these things. Instead, the HARM he did to his brothers and nation is immeasurable.

These are not my opinions, these responsibilities are officially written down and Kerry swore a solemn oath to them, and then he broke that oath. Do you really want these Swifties to just forget their oaths and drop the whole thing? How could any American even ask that of them?

If our countrymen violate these simple rules, somehow they can remain citizens, but don't dare ask to take the oath of The Commander in Chief.

2. Your statement is in error, at NO time have the Swift Vets criticized John Kerry for protesting the Vietnam War in a legal and responsible way, and if you disagree I ask you to show me where they have. There absolutely is a good and effective way to strongly protest our wars and practice open vocal dissent (this is the American way and the Democracy we are fighting for in the first place). There are many other Veterans who you don't hear about that protested the Vietnam War without lying, slandering, libeling, perjuring, violating US laws and the constitution, inciting mutiny and desertion. Kerry did all these things more than once. The evidence is overwhelming and straight forward.

3. John Kerry was the most ineffective anti-war leader I have ever seen unless you look at what his actions and words did to aid our enemies (not just the communist Vietnamese) If you study the specific timelines you will see clearly that he abandoned the movement as soon as he had enough notoriety and political capital to get elected. This is not an Anti-war hero I promise you.
In fact, he made war crimes more acceptable since apparently every one was doing it on a “day to day basis”. Kerry’s testimony and movement which was fraught with lies, and this mental virus he helped create, has been passed on for 40 years. Now we have a chance to right this huge betrayal.

I have served in uniform since the 80’s and I can tell you that the myth, the huge lie that John Kerry and the organization he was an executive director for, still has a negative effect on your military in a very real way. You want this man to be President? He has sided with every enemy your nation has had since you were born. No seriously, I have a post on it.

4. Everything that is being said by the Swifties and the other non-partisan groups as to why John Kerry can not under any circumstances become Commander in Chief is so relevant to Iraq and our future in the war on terror. And if it matters I am not a Republican, just someone who is fighting to protect our country.

The only thing I ask you to do if you are going to vote for Kerry (other than not to) is to become informed about what he really did and why.
_________________
__________________________
-USMC - Always Faithful
-Platoon Cmdr - Somalia
-ANGLICO FAC - Iraqi Freedom
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kmudd
Master Chief Petty Officer


Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 825

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:34 am    Post subject: Re: Kerry tried to help stop a war Reply with quote

borninthe50s wrote:


I'm not a Kerry supporter, but I have to give him credit for having the courage to take a stand against a war that was terribly wrong. If the US had withdrawn sooner, as hundreds of thousands of protesters tried to pressure the government to do, thousands of young American lives would have been saved.

I was a teenager during the war and had a lottery number, fortunately a high one. What the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth are doing is wrong, because by attacking what Kerry did they are also attacking what I and thousands of others did to pressure the government to bring our troops home. Do they really think we should have continued the war? That would have been insane.

I admire the Swift Boat veterans and every soldier that served in Viet Nam. When I see a Viet Nam veteran or purple heart license plate, I have instant respect for whoever's driving the car. They were heroes, no question about it. And when I talk to Viet Nam veterans, even today, I thank them for their courage and service, for I saw in daily, vivid TV reports and newspaper articles what they endured. It wasn't fair what our government did to them. The right thing to do was bring them home as soon as possible. It took way too long for that to happen.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: please leave this whole thing alone. The Viet Nam war was wrong and should have been stopped much earlier. Hundreds of thousands of Americans were right to protest the war, and were instrumental in stopping it. Kerry was just one of them, and I believe he should be commended for it. If you're a Bush supporter and that's not an option, find more legitimate criticisms of Kerry. This one is just plain wrong.


Nixon was trying to withdraw as soon as he could.He wanted to turn it over to the South Vietnamese.But Nixon had to try and make a deal to get our POWs back too.Kerry wanted the USA to pull out and just hope the communists would be so kind as to return the POWSs . If you heard Kerry's newst plan on Iraq ,where he says a he wants a slow withdrawl of our troops where most will be gone by the end of his first term it sounds just like the Nixon plan in Vietnam that Kerry hated. The anti-war protesters prolonged the war because almost everytime the Peace talks made progress toward whagt the USA could agree too there would be a anti-war protest or someone like Kerry would meet with the communists and tell them the people of the USA want the war over and then the communists would then pull back at the peace talks thinking why should we make an agreement with the USA when Johm Kerry says we will win in the streets soon?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Nutso
PO3


Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Minnesota

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too was born in the 50's and for a while I felt the same as born, maybe because it was the 'cool' thing then, maybe I was uninformed. 2 yrs out of high school I joined the Navy and lived and worked with those that served and I learned a great deal of respect and admiriation for them. I now have a son in Iraq and am very proud of my service and his. Vietnam may have been a mistake, but it was OUR mistake and as a country we must stand as one. We cannot have individuals commiting treason by meeting with the enemy, lying to congress and subverting the efforts of OUR country. John Kerry is so lucky he did those things at a time when the country was confused and lost its way. If anyone in our military or just returned from it did what he did today they would suffer severe consequences, as Kerry should still. He is a traitor, he is not a war hero, his record shows he is a weak, ineffectve leader who see's what he is doing as just a goal in his life and really does not take it seriously.
There is a reason that the news lately has been telling us the national guard not able to recruit enough men. The military is also having a problem with re-enlistment of career designated soldiers also. My son has told me many times that the guys in his unit are due to re-enlist, but waiting until after the election. The overwhelming belief is that they will not stay in if Kerry should win. Is it any wonder that the democrats are trying to push a bill quietly to bring back the draft??
Remember peace and freedom have a price, it always has and it probably always will.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mangdawg
Lt.Jg.


Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 116

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:02 am    Post subject: Re: Kerry tried to help stop a war Reply with quote

borninthe50s wrote:


I was a teenager during the war and had a lottery number, fortunately a high one.

could the real reason you protested be; you wanted the war to end before your # came up?
search you conscious about that

Quote:
I admire the Swift Boat veterans and every soldier that served in Viet Nam. When I see a Viet Nam veteran or purple heart license plate, I have instant respect for whoever's driving the car.


is it admiration and respect or is it guilt and shame on your part?

Quote:
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: please leave this whole thing alone. The Viet Nam war was wrong and should have been stopped much earlier.

since the Iraq war has many simularities, does that statement mean you'll join the IVAW?

btw; these men have been there and paid the ticket... so, YOU'RE telling THEM to leave this alone????
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kmudd
Master Chief Petty Officer


Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 825

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:11 am    Post subject: Re: Kerry tried to help stop a war Reply with quote

borninthe50s wrote:


I'm not a Kerry supporter, but I have to give him credit for having the courage to take a stand against a war that was terribly wrong. If the US had withdrawn sooner, as hundreds of thousands of protesters tried to pressure the government to do, thousands of young American lives would have been saved.

I was a teenager during the war and had a lottery number, fortunately a high one. What the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth are doing is wrong, because by attacking what Kerry did they are also attacking what I and thousands of others did to pressure the government to bring our troops home. Do they really think we should have continued the war? That would have been insane.

I admire the Swift Boat veterans and every soldier that served in Viet Nam. When I see a Viet Nam veteran or purple heart license plate, I have instant respect for whoever's driving the car. They were heroes, no question about it. And when I talk to Viet Nam veterans, even today, I thank them for their courage and service, for I saw in daily, vivid TV reports and newspaper articles what they endured. It wasn't fair what our government did to them. The right thing to do was bring them home as soon as possible. It took way too long for that to happen.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: please leave this whole thing alone. The Viet Nam war was wrong and should have been stopped much earlier. Hundreds of thousands of Americans were right to protest the war, and were instrumental in stopping it. Kerry was just one of them, and I believe he should be commended for it. If you're a Bush supporter and that's not an option, find more legitimate criticisms of Kerry. This one is just plain wrong.


Did you know that Kerry's spokespeople now say anyone who didn't serve in Vietnam betrayed their country ?

Quote:
Hannity & Colmes (Fox News Network)

08-23-2004

MARYANNE MARSH, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I think whether there's a connection or not, I think what you have to look at is what John Kerry needs to do.

And what John Kerry needs to do is to hit Bush as hard as Bush has hit him. And the way you do that is you remind people that Bush betrayed this country about why we went to war in Iraq, just like he betrayed them when he didn't fight in Vietnam.

That's why his record of service is important in this election...

HANNITY: And Maryanne -- and Maryanne...

MARSH: Just like...

(CROSSTALK) HANNITY: That type of rhetoric, that's disgraceful...

MARSH: It's not.

HANNITY: ... because John Kerry -- John Kerry said leaving Saddam unfettered with nuclear weapons and WMDs is unacceptable. It's a real and grave threat to America.

You give him a pass because he's a Democrat. You guys give Ted Kennedy a pass. He can call the president a liar, said he concocted a war for political gain. He can let Terry McAuliffe say the president is AWOL.

MARSH: Sean, you know what, Sean?

HANNITY: You let your MoveOn.org ads go out, and then you get punched back, and you guys can't take it.

MARSH: No. There's a big difference between what I'm saying and everything you and you allege everyone else has said. There are two people...

HANNITY: Not alleged; it happened.

MARSH: John Kerry and George Bush, the Bush campaign has now gone after John Kerry's military service. John Kerry needs to do the same.

HANNITY: And Maryanne, let me give you -- let me educate you here.

(CROSSTALK) MARSH: George Bush had a chance. Everybody's had a chance.

HANNITY: It is not -- Maryanne, I'm not going to let you get away with this. George Bush has praised his record in Vietnam.

(CROSSTALK) HANNITY: He said it last week. He said it this week.

MARSH: And it's totally disingenuous, because he doesn't want to take responsibility for anything...

(CROSSTALK) HANNITY: He's not responsible -- Well, then you're going to accept responsibility for MoveOn.org comparing the president to Adolph Hitler, because that's what you guys are funding on your site.

(CROSSTALK) MARSH: ... are responsible for each other. No one expects an apology, and I don't believe there's any coordination between either of them.

(CROSSTALK) HANNITY: You guys can dish it out, but you can't take it.

MARSH: Kerry should go after his record on 9/11 and his record on Iraq.

HANNITY: All right, Maryanne, let him talk. Go ahead.

NORDLINGER: I'm sorry to interrupt, but this really is an extraordinary campaign. I think I've heard this before. But she said a minute ago that George Bush betrayed this country by not serving in Vietnam. I don't believe that's a charge I've heard before. This is really a weird campaign.

HANNITY: That's nasty, Maryanne. You should apologize for that. Why don't you apologize for that?

MARSH: I'm not going to apologize. Because...

(CROSSTALK) HANNITY: You're going to say George Bush betrayed his country? He betrayed his country?

NORDLINGER: She's done so.

MARSH: By not serving because when he had a chance to serve his country, he didn't.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
CTW
Rear Admiral


Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 691

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:52 am    Post subject: Re: Kerry tried to help stop a war Reply with quote

borninthe50s wrote:


I was a teenager during the war and had a lottery number, fortunately a high one. What the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth are doing is wrong, because by attacking what Kerry did they are also attacking what I and thousands of others did to pressure the government to bring our troops home. Do they really think we should have continued the war? That would have been insane.


kmudd wrote:
Nixon was trying to withdraw as soon as he could.He wanted to turn it over to the South Vietnamese.But Nixon had to try and make a deal to get our POWs back too.Kerry wanted the USA to pull out and just hope the communists would be so kind as to return the POWSs . If you heard Kerry's newst plan on Iraq ,where he says a he wants a slow withdrawl of our troops where most will be gone by the end of his first term it sounds just like the Nixon plan in Vietnam that Kerry hated. The anti-war protesters prolonged the war because almost everytime the Peace talks made progress toward whagt the USA could agree too there would be a anti-war protest or someone like Kerry would meet with the communists and tell them the people of the USA want the war over and then the communists would then pull back at the peace talks thinking why should we make an agreement with the USA when Johm Kerry says we will win in the streets soon?[/quote]

The reason for the US entering the Viet Nam war should be discussed within the context of the political concerns and information of the time. Start with John F. Kennedy: look closely at his choices about how to use or promise the use of force and not following through. Go read and study the writings of the time. Not just opinions. But after escalating our presence in Viet Nam. he was assasinated and who comes in as CIC---LBJohnson. Now you really get a lesson on LOSER. Read his bio, look at his policies, study him closely. He brought in the draft '65 and sent many who were not mentally prepared, who didn't have a choice, and this resulted in Moms across this country yellin "Not my son". They were not anti-americans or nonpatriotic but they saw the CIC couldn't run a war!!! They knew their sons were not willing and personally prepared to go. This started the anti-war movement BECAUSE Americans STAND UP when our personal will is taken away.
Johnson was so WRONG through out his handling of the war (because he was concerned about his legacy) he threw his hands up.. TOUGH COOKIES AMERICAN SOLDIERS... He didn't have a clue how to be CIC.
Nixon came in with another DEM failure in the making and had to try and win it or broker a withdrawal with honor and safe return of our men, the MIAs and held POWs. THIS WAS THE CRITICAL ISSUE.
Clearly the actions of Kerry and his anti-war folks did prolong the war and were counter to the efforts of the CIC and advisors to deal with Viet Nam.

Kerry's deferment(s) were denied and Kerry went into the NAVAL RESERVES because as he said he wanted to be far from the war. He wasn't lucky. Again he went far from the war, patrolling the shores of Calfornia for what .. a year?. How did he get such a choice assignment? Read his books!

Then he reguested schools. He got those and again delayed getting into the action. How did he get those assignments?

Then he asked for assignment to the swift boats who were believed to be performing operations distant to the serious fighting. He got a big surprise. How did he get that assignment?

He found himself in a situation he did not wish for. He did not have any concern for the reason for the war, for those he served with, for those MIA or the POWs. He was a young man in trouble. He and his father were internationalists and against war. Read about his father and his policies. You need to research and find these on your own so you know how you learned about these people. You will never accept other's info as you will feel it is opinion and propaganda. So dig in and study so you know how you came to your conclusions. We have to challenge ourselves as to our individual efforts to understand these complex issues. Just know what was on the TV at the time? Just know how we felt at the time? Not good enough.

Listen to the words of Kerry and look at his voting record and see what he fights for.???. Look at him then and look at him now. He hasn't changed..just older. The current issues against him are so abundant. He is using the DEMS playbook from Viet Nam now. He's is in the DEM camp and they are trying to rename the draft to NATIONAL SERVICE and attaching it to the volunteer programs in our high schools. That makes me furious. Once again a generation of Moms are going to be yelling "Not my son" but this time its also " and not my daughter!" I already hear "Hell no we wont go". The shocker is he is trying to tell people it is BUSH who is planning this! LIES!

He has and always will use people's emotions and fears to gain power. He used the plight of the soldiers in Viet Nam, he used those sad vets who came back angry and hurt, he used the emotions of the parents who lost sons, he used the fear of those whose sons were MIA and POW, etc. Well, he was used, albeit willingly by the Dems, who wanted the White House back after Nixon. He is no patriot in my opinion and nothing I read from him challenges that conclusion. He's just trying to cash in on what he feels they owe him.. support from TKennedy et al.
Thanks to all of you who addressed this so much better than I. It's early and I need coffee. Another day starts. Lets go! CTW

Never Ever Kerry
Quote:


Last edited by CTW on Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:19 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ohanakat
Seaman Apprentice


Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 80

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too was born in the 50s. In the 40 some or 50 some years we've been alive, there has been ample time to learn a lot more about VN than we saw on the evening news. It's never too late to begin learning and you've certainly found a place where the truth flows freely if you're open to learning it and not too stuck in what you think is the truth.

John Kerry's obsession with his role in VN has reopened the wounds that we all bear from living through this period. It surely was a troubled and confusing time. In the years since, I've learned that I really like hanging out with strong people who have core beliefs that guide them, and I avoid those who think the playing field should be leveled by weakening the strong rather than strengthening the weak. A review of Kerry's public life reveals weak character spent trying to bring others, our whole way of life in fact, down to his level. I'm not buying a ticket on that train!

Kat
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
arjr111
Seaman Apprentice


Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 86

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do not buy for one second that Protestors (and Kerry) saved American lives by ending an "Unwinnable" war.

The war was Winnable, but it was NOT supported.

The Protest Machine lengthened a WINNABLE War, and cost millions of lives, both Asian and American. People are still enslaved in SouthEast Asia as a result of Kerry and Protestor efforts.

The same people (using the same lame arguments) are now attempting to effect a similar outcome, in the War on Terror, and if we elect Kerry we can be assured of their success.
_________________
Semper-Fi
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Me#1You#10
Site Admin


Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 6503

PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

borninthe50s wrote:
I can fully appreciate verterans' sensitivity regarding Kerry's assertions about atrocities. Yes, it was certainly an exaggeration and a mistake. But we all say things "in the heat of battle" that we later regret. I don't think anyone, including Kerry, believes for a minute that there were scores of atrocities committed by US soldiers. I think Kerry was attempting to save the lives of fellow soldiers by endoing the war. His actions can and perhaps should be criticized, but I don't believe his intentions should be questioned.

I believe WE ALL have blood on our hands. We're all responsible for Viet Nam lasting as long as it did.

As for the history lesson. I sincerely appreciate the time you took to reply, but I remember those years very well, and it was clear to me at the time that the war eventually became the US vs. Communist China. This was a war we could not win without losing hundreds of thousands of lives. Yes, we lost lives by pulling out, but not near as many as the socres we would have lost if we had continued the fight and actually tried to defeat Communist China.


Admin note: We are not here to debate the historical characterization of the Vietnam War. We are here to express our strong conviction that John Kerry is unfit to serve as our Commander-In-Chief, and we fully intend to both explore and expose the nature of his "intentions" which you, apparently, find so distasteful to confront and so blithely dismiss.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    SwiftVets.com Forum Index -> Kerry - VVAW Leadership & "Wintersoldier" All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 
Jump to:  
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