Unfit to be CIC

[Nemont]

LINK

Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief', Say Former Military Colleagues
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
May 03, 2004

(CNSNews.com) - Hundreds of former commanders and military colleagues of presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry are set to declare in a signed letter that he is "unfit to be commander-in-chief." They will do so at a press conference in Washington on Tuesday.

"What is going to happen on Tuesday is an event that is really historical in dimension," John O'Neill, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy as a PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) boat commander, told CNSNews.com . The event, which is expected to draw about 25 of the letter-signers, is being organized by a newly formed group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

"We have 19 of 23 officers who served with [Kerry]. We have every commanding officer he ever had in Vietnam. They all signed a letter that says he is unfit to be commander-in-chief," O'Neill said.

O'Neill, currently a Houston, Texas, based attorney, is no stranger to Kerry. O'Neill served in the same naval unit as Kerry and commanded Kerry's swift boat after Kerry returned to the United States. Kerry's command of the PCF boat lasted four months and ended shortly after he received his third Purple Heart. According to naval regulations at the time, any sailor who received three Purple Hearts could request a transfer out of the combat zone.

Kerry and O'Neill engaged in a nationally televised debate in 1971 on The Dick Cavett Show over Kerry's allegations that many Vietnam soldiers had routinely engaged in atrocities such as raping and cutting off ears and heads of Vietnamese soldiers and citizens. Kerry was the then spokesman for the anti-war group Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

"We are going to be presenting a letter that deals with Kerry's unfitness to be commander and chief that has been signed by hundreds of swift boat sailors, including most of those who served with Kerry," O'Neill explained.

"The ranks of the people signing [the letter] range from admiral down to seaman, and they run across the entire spectrum of politics, specialties, and political feelings about the Vietnam War," he added.

Among those scheduled to attend the event at the National Press Club and declare Kerry unfit for the role of commander-in-chief are retired Naval Rear Admiral Roy Hoffman, who was the commander of the Navy Coastal Surveillance Force, which included the swift boats on which Kerry served.

Also scheduled to be present at the event is Kerry's former commanding officer, Lt. Commander Grant Hibbard. Hibbard recently questioned whether Kerry deserved the first of his three Purple Hearts that he received in Vietnam. Hibbard doubted both the severity of the wound and whether it resulted from enemy fire.

"I've had thorns from a rose that were worse" than Kerry's wound for which he received a Purple Heart, Hibbard told the Boston Globe in April.

Organizers are confident that Tuesday's event and the letter with hundreds of signatures will educate people about Kerry.

"It is one of the largest outpourings of concern about him being commander-in-chief that anybody could have in a presidential campaign and it is by the people who know him best," O'Neill said.

'Unfit Commander-in-Chief'

Swift Boat Veterans For Truth maintains that Kerry's fellow Vietnam veterans are almost uniform in their disdain for his military service and anti-war protests.

"Not only a majority of the people who served with him feel that way, but a vast and overwhelming majority," O'Neill said. He added that more than "ninety percent of the people contacted by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth responded to the request to sign their name, with only 12 declining to sign.

"Comrades who actually served with him, almost all of them, are opposed to him, and believe he would be an unfit commander in chief and intend to bring the truth of his actual record to the attention of the American people," O'Neill said.

O'Neill hopes the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth can reveal to the American people what he sees as Kerry's flawed character.

"In the military, loyalty between commanders and the troops serving them is a two-way street. We have here a guy (Kerry) that with all of us in the field [in Vietnam] -- actually fighting the North Vietnamese -- came home and then falsely accused all of us of war crimes at a time when the people in uniform couldn't even respond," O'Neill said.

"And he did that knowing that was a lie," he added.

'Real John Kerry'

B. G. Burkett, author of the book Stolen Valor and a military researcher, believes that Tuesday's event will not be dismissed easily by Kerry's campaign as a "partisan" attack.

"There are probably just as many Democrats amongst sailors who sailed swift boats as there are Republicans. What Kerry fails to realize is this has nothing to do with politics -- this has to with Vietnam Veterans who served, who have a beef with John Kerry's service, both during and after the war," Burkett told CNSNews.com.

"The American people do not know John Kerry and hopefully the swift boat crews and other Vietnam veterans will make sure that the American public knows the real John Kerry," he added.

Jim Loftus of Kerry's press office referred questions about Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's event on Tuesday to spokesman David Wade. Wade did not return CNSNews.com's requests for comment.

 

[2fastnaz]

Good find thanks.

 

[danr55]

This could be an interesting event. The results will no doubt be interesting to watch..

 

[Hangar18]

Maybe these guys might, just might, know a little about the man.

Link to Swift Boat Veterans For Truth
http://www.swiftvets.com/Index2.htm

Mission:

We believe it is incumbent on ALL presidential candidates to be totally honest and forthcoming regarding personal background and policy information that would help the voting public make an informed decision when choosing the next president of the United States.



Now that Senator John Kerry is the presumptive nominee of his Party for president, numerous questions have been raised concerning Mr. Kerry’s service in Vietnam and concerning his subsequent antiwar activities. Our mission is to provide solid factual information relating to Mr. Kerry’s abbreviated tour of duty as a member of Coastal Division 14 and Coastal Division 11. Since many who are involved with Swiftvets.com themselves had swift boat duty and knew John Kerry personally, they are in a unique position to provide such information.

 

[Ten Bears]

Will be interesting no doubt.

 

[feclnogn]

Ya know I think these guys need to lay off of Kerry. Let him get the nomination first then pull this stuff out of a hat. If this stuff starts to stick and you see his numbers fall we are gonna end up with Hillary running. Who knows how that will play out

scott

 

[pawclaws]

Fecl you related to Nostradamus?? ( I think you be right on!!)

 

[1_pointer]

Just a question, but do you guys feel that qualifications as CIC are the most important aspects of a president?

FWIW, I'm not very happy with either current choice.

 

[Nemont]

Just a question, but do you guys feel that qualifications as CIC are the most important aspects of a president?

You are not really serious with that question are you?

Nemont

 

[feclnogn]

do you guys feel that qualifications as CIC are the most important aspects of a president?

To me this IS the most important aspect of choosing a president. I do not want Kerry leading this nation in a time of war. Also on the top of my list is the 2nd amendment. Kerry fails here as well. If Bush signs any legislation extending the assault weapons ban or a gun show loophole then I would not vote for him.

 

[BuzzH]

Wait a minute, whats more important?

First you say this: "To me this IS the most important"...meaning having a qualified CIC.

But, then you say, "If Bush signs any legislation extending assault weapons bans"...Then I wont vote for him.

Your saying its not possible for a qualified CIC to vote for gun legislation and still get your vote???

Or that you'd rather see a totally unqualified jerkass CIC that has strong 2nd admendment view get your vote?

Perhaps that says alot about why we have the president we do...and more importantly, why people need to have more than 2 brain cells firing when they head to the polling place. Good thing I still have the right to bear arms, that way when I have to work until I'm 80 years old to pay off the freaking multi-trillion dollar deficit, someone can pick up my AK-47 and put me out of my misery. That would be the only practical use for an AK-47, the wildlife and its habitat will all be toast and long gone. Responsible voting at its finest.

Voting strictly based on a single issue is irresponsible, IMO.

 

[pawclaws]

I think that the importance of CIC during wartime is paramount. Is Bush going to extend or terminate the ban on assault weapons?Who really cares?? In the long run what difference will it make? The controversy over the 2nd Amendment will not stop until we have a Supreme Court test that flips the coin and decides whether or not the Amendment means what it says literally. That isn't going to change based on whether or not the asszault weapons ban dies or is rejuvinated. A fella told me today he planned to vote for Kerry because he personally makes more money when a Democrat is in the President's office. This is the kind of selfish, tunnel vision horse hockey that causes us to end up with candidates the calibre of Kerry, Gore, Jackson, Clinton, Dean, etc; while honest, good, qualified men like Powell, Schwartzkoff, and Edwards stand in the shadows or can't get a serious nomination.

 

[BuzzH]

Paws said, "while honest, good, qualified men like Powell, Schwartzkoff, and Edwards stand in the shadows or can't get a serious nomination."

I agree with that, 100 percent.

Paws, your post is so true...makes me wish I would have written it...

 

[feclnogn]

Buzz

How many issues are really out there? You have the enviroment, economy, the war, health care, judges, the deficit? These are the main issues right? What am I missing?

I can tell ya on most of these Kerry aint my guy. Is Bush the perfect choice? Not by a long shot, but it's my only.

Oh and Buzz I am sorry that you think any one who thinks different than you is stupid. I do the best I can with what I got.

scott

 

[Tom]

He seems to be a good leader, eh? You think Kerry will pick Jane Fonda for a VP candidate?

 

[Ten Bears]

Wasting time.

 

[1_pointer]

You are not really serious with that question are you?

Yeppers. Was just curious if that was a defining characteristic for your voting.

Voting strictly based on a single issue is irresponsible, IMO.

Agreed.

I am not saying that the ability of the candidate to operate as CIC is not important to me. But, if I had to put what I consider important on a list based on priority to me, that it would not be in the top three.

 

[Nemont]

EG,

1. Believes we are in a war with international terrorism that can't be dealt with as a police enforcement action.

2. Doesn't worship at the temple of the U.N. Whether the left likes it or not, many people in this country don't trust the U.N. to give a rats ass about America.

3. Led this nation after 9/11. What would have been the outcome if Al Gore had been president? We most likely wouldn't have gone to Afganistan. Nor would we have targeted Al Quaeda with military operations any where else in the world.

4. Iraq is not a quagmire. The people who think it is most likely have spent the past couple of weeks listening to those two towers of virtue and military knowledge: Sen. Robert Byrd and Sen. Ted Kennedy.

5. The article I posted simply stated that many of (8 out of 10) the men who looked John Kerry in the eye and served with say he simply is unqualified to lead this nations Military.

Has Iraq been run 100% correctly, absolutely not. Is Bush perfect? no he makes a lot mistakes and I am personally pissed about watching our water flow out of Fort Peck to secure electoral votes in Missouri.

Here is my problem I cannot, ever, vote for John Kerry he has no backbone, no ability to stick to a principle. Everything he says has to be read into or in the current political speak "nuanced". He is simply to liberal for my tastes. I would have thought long and hard about John Edwards if he was the dem. nominee. I actually liked him and the way he carried himself.

So that brings to the current crop of candidates

John Kerry, George Bush, Ralph Nader. Sometimes it is better to sleep with the devil you know than the one you don't. If you think that John Kerry is going to lead this country any better that is your opinion I simply do not trust him or anything he stands for.

Then he got elected governor of some backwoods, hillbilly, High Fence Hunting Southern State.

That is funny.
Nemont

[ 05-04-2004, 12:12: Message edited by: Nemont ]

 

[JoseCuervo]

Fecl or Nemont,

Just out of curiousity, what qualifications does Dubya have to be CIC????

Lemme see... He spent a couple of years in the Texas Guard, ending up AWOL in Alabama....

Then he tried to be in the Oil business, and went broke.

Then he watched his brother in a Savings and Loan Scandal.

Then he owned a part of a baseball team.

Then he got elected governor of some backwoods, hillbilly, High Fence Hunting Southern State.

Just where was Dubya's qualifications to be CIC?

And in the last 4 years, he is at best batting .500 in Military operations. And I am not sure the Victory in Afghanistan is equal to the Quagmire developing in Iraq.

What was the news in Fallujah? That the US Military is turning Control over to one of Saddam's Generals????

On the news this morning, I saw some General on Good Morning America being interviewed with her Lawyer, complaining that her superior was hanging her out for the Prison pictures. And Dubya is distancing himself from All of them.

Again, what are Dubya's qualifications?

 

[Hangar18]

Military experience does not have anything to do with being qualified to act as CIC.

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon were all WWII vets, yet we lost 58,000 soldiers to the Vietnam war due to incompetence that starts at the top.

Jimmy Carter was a Naval electronics officer on submarines. 'Nough said.

Woodrow Wilson was not a veteran, yet oversaw the successful execution of WWI.

FDR was not a veteran (though while asst. secy. of the Navy, he requested active duty but was denied by Pres. Wilson), yet oversaw the successful execution of WWII.


What does qualify a person for CIC is one who can stand up and say America's sovereignty must be defended at all costs.