KorVetBob Seaman Recruit
Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 29 Location: New City, NY
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:54 pm Post subject: Expected & Unexpected Criticism Sandusky/McCain |
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Following is a report that rankles me quite a lot. If McCain were in charge during the American Revolution Benedict Arnold would have been given a pass and allowed to run for Governour of the Colonies. John Andre would would have been emboldened to honor Arnold in an English museum. Can you imagine McCain saying? "I do not and will never question anyone's conduct in combat."
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Swift Boat Vets Should 'Shut Up,' Says Kerry Spokesman
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
October 01, 2004
Coral Gables, Florida (CNSNews.com) - A former Navy crewmate and supporter of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry says it is time to "let the dead rest." He demanded that the Vietnam veterans who are questioning Kerry's military service and anti-war activism "shut up."
Del Sandusky, one of Kerry's naval crewmates in Vietnam who was present during the actions that led to the Kerry's Silver Star, Bronze Star and two of his three Purple Hearts, made his remarks about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth immediately following Thursday night's debate between President George W. Bush and Sen. Kerry at the University of Miami.
Sandusky served as one of Kerry's official spokesmen following the debate.
"Let the dead rest, we have got to talk about the issues. Let those guys (Swift Boat veterans opposed to Kerry) go sit in a corner, you know, shut up," Sandusky told CNSNews.com.br>
Sandusky called the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth "a Republican smear tactic."
"All of the claims and all of the TV ads were proven false. America ain't listening to them anymore. They are just a crock of lies," Sandusky said.
CNSNews.com asked Sandusky if he could sympathize with the anger that many former Vietnam prisoners of war harbor against Kerry because of his behavior when he returned home from the war. Some communist North Vietnamese prison guards used Kerry's 1971 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to torment American POWs.
Sandusky responded, "Sure I can understand it -- right. But it doesn't matter if John Kerry made that [1971 speech] or not, they (the POWs) were still going to be tortured. They were prisoners of war."
John O'Neill, the co-author of "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," said Sandusky's comments were consistent with the treatment all Vietnam veterans have received from Kerry.
"Sandusky's comments reflect the arrogance of Kerry's campaign. Instead of an apology, the answer is simply an additional insult to POWs and Vietnam veterans -- to say 'shut up' about it," O'Neill told CNSNews.com Thursday night shortly after Sandusky made his remarks.
"The truth is we are talking about a fellow (Kerry) who may become the commander in chief in the near future. The fact that he made these accusations of atrocities that were used to torture our servicemen in North Vietnam and that they were total lies about the people serving in North Vietnam should disqualify him from being commander in chief," O'Neill said.
Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971 about the testimony of more than 150 Vietnam veterans, who had "testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia..."
Those Vietnam veterans, Kerry said, admitted 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 Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam..."
"It is important that there is no apology forthcoming from Kerry," O'Neill said. "He stands by his [atrocity] remarks that we were the army of Genghis Khan, and presumably he take no responsibly for the use of his own remarks to torture our troops."
Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was also present in "spin alley" following the debate, blasted the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth for broaching the topic of Kerry's performance in combat.
"I do not and will never question anyone's conduct in combat. Now what [Kerry] did after the war or at any other time, that is fine. But in combat, it's dishonorable and disgraceful," McCain told CNSNews.com. _________________ Ret. USMC Korean War Vet. |
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