SwiftVets.com

[Bhist]

I’m over half way through the book and am amazed with its content. This book is damming for Kerry. I’m pissed that Kerry has gotten away with all the self-centered, despicable actions over the past three decades.

I do have some concerns, though, with the lack of documentation by O’Neill and Corsi. I’m not sure if this is due to the sudden rush of getting the book out or the fact that neither are historians.

The reason I list the following is so that all of us can be prepared for possible jabs below the belt from the Kerry camp. I’m hoping that O’Neill and/or Corsi can answer my questions (or someone within the SBVT group).

· Page 26-27: There is a lengthy quote by William Franke but it is not footnoted.

· Page 65: “…labels Kerry’s ‘mutiny’ and war protest complete fabrications, as do more than twenty other officers and sailors.” This is not noted as to who those officers and sailors are.

· Pages 68-69: A damming dissertation for Kerry about Kerry calling Admiral Hoffman, in 2003, asking Hoffman for his support. The result is Hoffman telling Kerry that he will not endorse him for president. This section of the book is most important, however, again it’s not documented. I’m sure this is from an interview, or letter, or email to the authors but it’s not confirmed in the book.

· Page 77: Another important confirmation as to why Kerry is not fit to be commander in chief is Captain Thomas Wright’s account of not wanting Kerry serving under his command in Vietnam. Again, this is not documented.

· Page 77: “Shortly before Kerry left Vietnam, Wright and others spoke to him at An Thoi. Kerry’s three Purple Hearts would allow him to leave Vietnam, and they urged him to do so.” Not only is this not documented but also as to whom the “others” are is questionable.

· Page 80: A quote from Hildreth; “I would never want Kerry behind me. I wouldn’t want him in front of me either. And I sure wouldn’t want him commanding our kids in Iraq and Afghanistan.” This is not documented.

I love history and read a lot of it. I think this is the most important book to come out in this election, but as far as it being well documented – it is not. Because of this, it leaves so many holes unfilled for the liberal press and Kerry’s camp to make it look bad.

If possible, I’d love to see O’Neill’s documentation to the items on pages 65, 68-69, and page 77.
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Watch Kerry Implode Because Of Truth!!
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[LewWaters]

Other than listing them by name, wouldn't it be pretty difficult to list eyewitness accounts? Personally, that's even more reason I'd like to see Kerry release his full military record, unabridged.
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Clark County Conservative

[Bhist]

If I understand your question, it would be very easy to document personal eyewitness accounts in a footnote. All we need is to know whom O'Neill or Corsi got the information from.

This is very important. Without the documentation, investigative reporters or historians cannot check further. Why is this important? Because Brit Hume and his panel have already suggested that the press should be looking into this (not to disprove O'Neill), but to confirm. Well, they cannot confirm one way or another without a lead from a documented source.
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Watch Kerry Implode Because Of Truth!!
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[Me#1You#10]

[Bhist]

[Me#1You#10]

[Tilly]

If anyone wants to check further, they can contact the people quoted.

When O'Neill was on Scarborough the other night, he not only named who said what ... he said they were IN washington, and Mr. Scarborough could talk to them.

If the press wants to check the statements further, the people quoted should be fairly easy to track down.

But, fair assessment about the footnotes. Technically, you're correct.

[jwb7605]

[Navy wife]

Bhist is absolutely correct. This book IS too important an addition to the published materials which will be used by historians in the future and every statement should be fully sourced. In the genealogical field, we say that we should document every name, place, and date well enough that someone could come behind us and find the document we cited.

I understand the book is now in the 5th printing!

[Bhist]

5th printing? That's fantastic!

Isn't it ironic that the media made a big deal about how many books were printed for Bill and Hilary Clinton's books, but not for O'Neills?

Isn't it strange that "60 Minutes" did a one-hour interview with Bill Clinton publicizing his book, but not one minute for O'Neills?
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Watch Kerry Implode Because Of Truth!!
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[BuffaloJack]

Detailed documentation would be in order if future historians use this as a reference.

A minor error I found was on page 198.
"December 13, 1968:ordered to Cat Lo (north shore of Cape Vung Tau) at Cam Ranh Bay, location of Coastal Division 13."

Since Cam Ranh Bay is a few hundred miles North of Cat Lo the passage ought to just remove the Cam Ranh Bay reference. Cat Lo is a small village a couple of miles north of the City of Vung Tau.

I found this book to be quite good. I have been to most of the places mentioned and found it brought back more than just a few memories of those times.

When the Kerry-ites bash this piece as being just something put out by a pro-Bush lobby, they are being their usual myopic selves. John O'Neill, bless him, has been fighting this battle against Kerry for 33 or more years. It has nothing to do with politics. It is an attempt to keep a dishonorable person from becoming Commander-In-Chief of an armed forces that he designed to discredit for most of his life. I sincerely hope that this book succeeds in its quest.

[Bhist]

Hear, hear Buffalo Jack. I hope the book succeeds in its quest as well.
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Watch Kerry Implode Because Of Truth!!
Watch Rather Implode Because Of Lies!!

[SJorgensen]

I just finished reading Unfit for Command in record time. I have always respected John O'Neill since the viewing of the debates of 71' on the Cavette show. There are a few things that I thought could be improved in the next printing.

The mention of Robert Kerrey's name on page 68 and calling him a "hero" has many of the same problems as calling John Kerry a "hero" and it brings to mind the CIA's Phoenix program and Robert Kerrey's own involvement in the killing of 20 innocent and helpless civilians at Thanh Phong on Feb 25, 1969. He may have several factual errors in the citations that led to HIS medals. What is it with these men who use their medals for political gain? I put him in the same class as Kerry.

On page 171 there seems to be a minor date discrepancy. The discussion is about a meeting Kerry had with Do Muoi in July of 1993. In the next paragraph it is mentioned that Kerry talked about the meeting in April of 1992. So either there is a date discrepancy or Kerry had two meetings. If there were two meetings then this isn't made clear.

On page 174 the connection with Kerry and his cousin Forbes benefiting from Kerry's connections in North Vietnam. In the next paragraph the companies Spaulding & Slye Colliers, and Colliers International are mentioned but it isn't clear if there is a connection being made to Kerry's cousin C. Stewart Forbes.

In the appendix the dates of Kerry's meetings with the North Vietnamese in France isn't listed and I think it is perhaps the most important date and meeting in the book and the most damning. Also the meetings in 1993 should be listed as well as the dates of the contracts to Forbes.

All the dates in the book should be dovetailed into that listing for a more complete understanding. A timeline would also show how Kerry is getting a lot of play out of that 90 day or so period in Vietnam. I think that the very few days between Kerry's "thigh" injury on Feb 20, 1969 throws more doubt on his story of Feb 28, 1969 where he "jumps" of his boat and "chases" an enemy. These were some of the facts that raised doubt for me before any of this was being discussed in the media. I also couldn't visualize how he got his supposed injury in the underwater mine stories. It is clear to me now that he DID make it up. I thank the Vets for shedding light on the matter.

It is a great book but I think it needs to be more complete. Also there was an accusation made in regard to the POW efforts that Kerry was supposedly helping with where he is said to have destroyed documents. I would like to know if this is true and why in the world would Kerry do this?

I may read this book again. I hope it gets rewritten and clarified as more information becomes available.

Thanks to you Swift Boat Veterans.

[Navy wife]

There are several on this forum who heartily agree with you that it needs a revision and more sources named and fact checking done. I suspect that time-limitations were involved in trying to get it out QUICKLY!

I'd love to see a revised edition published.

[Dragoro]