I made the calculated "mistake" of having Lt. Rood's story of the ambush on February 28, 1969 passed on to a business associate who has bought the Swift Boat crap hook, line, and sinker.
Herewith his reply and my comments to his reply, line by line. The carat indicates his comment, followed by my response. It's kind of obvious when he is talking and when I am responding.
The gentelman wrote:
> Did Kerry "honor" the men he served with by coming back and declaring they had committed war crimes?
Separate subject. We can talk about this, but the question here is did he earn his medals. Here's a guy that was there (Rood) who said he did, at least the bronze star. Is he a liar? He seems like a decent man to me. These guys got shot at all the time they went down the river. It was a virtual certainty every time they got in the boat.
> Did Kerry's rhetoric (similar to what Jane Fonda was doing) in protest of the war give aid, encouragement and comfort to our enemies?
The entire text of what he said to the Senators that day is attached. Please read it. (See Atrios for the text.)
> Were our enemies emboldened by these public denouncements and did it end up killing more of our soldiers left behind to fight?
I have no idea. We're talking about peasants pre CNN, so I doubt it. Have you talked to any of them? Surely you must remember that a lot of people were protesting the war, which was a fucked up war where 50,000 Americans died.
> The answer is obvious now, just as it was then. Of course it did.
> Kerry knew that 3 purple hearts was the fastest way home and he took every opportunity as an officer to write himself up to insure that he got his own "free pass" for alleged injuries that most soldiers would not have even reported.
Did Kerry write himself up? Looks like Hoffman did, Zumwalt too. The comments made in the documents supplied by the navy regarding Kerry's medals indicate that the after action review was made by Hoffman and Zumwalt. Hoffman is now unavailable for comment. He's probably embarrassed. Zumwalt is dead. Why do you assume anything about what was in Kerry's mind? Or denigrate what Zumwalt wrote? You weren't there. But Rood was there, on a different boat, and so were Kerry's shipmates.
From today's Seattle Times:
In a conference call with reporters arranged by aides to the Democratic presidential candidate, Navy swift boat officers Rich McCann, Jim Russell and Rich Baker said Kerry acted honorably and bravely and was well qualified to be the nation's commander in chief.
"He was the most aggressive officer in charge of swift boats," Baker said.
Additionally, crewmate Del Sandusky said at a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa., that he personally witnessed the battle action for which Kerry received Silver and Bronze stars and two of his three Purple Hearts.
"He deserved every one of his medals," said Sandusky, a retired computer repairman who drove Kerry's boat for nearly three months.
snip
Dole told CNN's "Late Edition" in relation to Kerry: "I respect his record. But three Purple Hearts and never bled that I know of. I mean, they're all superficial wounds. Three Purple Hearts and you're out."
Crewmate Sandusky said today, "I was there when he got wounded. I saw the blood. I don't care what Dole said."
> How many of the seamen on Kerry's boat also got purple hearts and merit awards?
Don't know. Do you? If you do, let me know. I know that Larry Thurlow got a bronze star in one of the same actions that Kerry got a medal. Thurlow's writeup says that there was firing from both sides of the river. So does every guy on Kerry's boat. So does Thurlow's gunner. If Thurlow doesn't like Kerry, that's OK, but bullets were flying, or Thurlow needs to turn his medal in. I wait with baited breath for him to do the honorable thing.
> How is it that we do not hear of them if Kerry is so magnanamous?
Actually we did. All of his shipmates (that are still alive) were with him in Boston. They all support him with open arms. Rassman, a Green Beret and lifelong Republican, helped introduce him at the convention. How did Kerry get all these guys to lie for him? It boggles the mind. Maybe they were telling the truth. See the above excerpt from the Seattle Times.
> Was Kerry the only one that got in the way of his own grenades? Hmmmm?
What are you talking about? Something in the book? Maybe you are thinking of Bob Dole's story about tossing a grenade at a barn door in WWII. You need to substantiate what you are saying. Is there a navy document that says he hurt himself? By the way, the other guy that wrote the book, Corsi, has dropped off the face of the Earth. This is because people found out he is a complete nut, and have his online quotes. I can supply them to you, if you like.
> Without question, what Kerry did when he got home was seditious and treasonous not to mention outright lies about what happened. If he was on the boat how was it that he saw these atrocities unless he committed them? Wake up America!
Look at the attached doc. Then you can decide if what he said is seditious. Read what he said before you call him a traitor. It's your call, but you ought to read what he said, and further, it doesn't change that he earned his medals. If you want to hate him for what he said later, fine, but he earned his medals. The folks that reported the atrocities were 150 other veterans he met at a meeting in Detroit.
> Even if you take away his seditious service and alleged war crimes which "Flipper" now says were the comments of an inexperienced youth (his words on a public interview with Katie Curic) you are then left with his horrible voting record that has never supported America's military.
Completely untrue. Prove it. And don't count one vote 48 times. Regarding flipper, Bush has flipped so many times, all in the last 6 months, I think he's a whirling dervish. I'll be happy to supply a list of Bush flip-flops.
> Not to mention the tax votes!
Again, three complicated votes with umpteen riders become a zillion votes in Bush math. It's really pathetic.
> Clinton publicly admitted he loathed the military.
Is Clinton running? Anyways, please supply quote. I don't remember him saying that. What was the quote exactly? I would enjoy seeing the exact quote.
> Kerry consistently voted against it (the military).
I'm sure that you cannot prove this. By the way, Cheney was for reducing the size of the military in the late 80's. Is he soft on defense? I'll find the proof, if you insist.
> It (weak military) is the mantra of the far left Democratic party.
Who are you talking about? Joe Lieberman? Kerry, Edwards, Joementum and Hillary all voted for the war resolution. Anyways, I'm a Dem and have never felt that way about the military. Best not to make generalizations about half the population.
> It simply demonstrates the arrogance of Kerry who thinks we are all stupid enough to buy that sales pitch.
Where was Bush on February 28, 1969? What did Bush do in the military that is even remotely comparable to Kerry's two tours of duty? Why did Bush miss his physical? Mailroom for the Alabama National Guard? Dental exam? It is my informed opinion that Bush has treated both veterans and active service personnel very poorly. And I must point out that Cheney had 5 deferments. Cheney is quoted as saying that "he had better things to do that go to Vietnam in the '60s". Anyways, if Kerry's record is open for slander, then we should at least look factually at Bush's "record".
> Kerry wants the focus on something that went down 30 years ago because he cannot stand on his congressional record.
At least half the debate should cover the things Bush has done in the last 3.5 years. The man has raped the country for his crony buddies. 7 billion no bid contract for Halliburton? Antiballistic Missile Treaty? Global warming? Can't find Osama? No WMD? Blew cover on Valerie Plame? Revealed that Iran code was broken? I don't feel safer. But he's got Saddam's gun in his office.
> The question is will the Republican party let him continue to drive the discussion.
Actually, the press seems to ignore Kerry's agenda, which is health care and jobs. It never gets in the press, because Dems have to defend the service record of a guy that won 5 medals in combat. It is Bush that is driving the discussion with the Swift Boat crap so we don't talk about the war and the half trillion dollar deficits, no jobs and sky-high health care costs. Do you know how many soldiers died so far this month in Iraq? I do. The number is 61. That's 3 a day. How many jobs were created last month? 32,000. Were any of them manufacturing? No. A nation of burger flippers awaits us.
> Check his box score after the debates.
I think that Bush is afraid to debate Kerry, cuz Kerry will clean his clock. Kerry has agreed to all the debates, but Bush has not. Notice that Bush likes to screen all questions in advance, including his fake "Ask President Bush" meetings. To get to see Bush you have to sign a loyalty oath, and then the questions that are asked are supplied. Nothing is spontaneous.
End of "debate".