April 28, 2004

Kerry Attacks Bush While Ducking Med Records

John Kerry, presumptive Democratic candidate for the presidency, gets huffy if anyone "questions my patriotism!" The inference is that his opponent and/or surrogates so accuse him.

How about "treason?"

The oldest trick in politics is to accuse a rival of a specified low blow to pre-empt credibility of an accusation hovering in limbo – but surely to be outted.

President Bush and his aides have steadfastly avoided references to Kerry’s military record – even while the Bush record of service in the Air National Reserve has been reviled by Kerry and fellow liberals ad nauseam.

Bush quelled the wild liberal charges against him by releasing all – repeat, all -- his service records. The president was not sent to Vietnam, but he fulfilled all his military obligations.

If he joined the Guard to avoid active duty, he was liable. He did not shirk his assigned duties, resign from collegiate ROTC, take post-graduate college courses for deferment, or lead anti-war protests in European countries -- as did one William Jefferson Clinton.

Kerry joined the Navy after Yale graduation. As a Lt. (jg), he asked for Vietnam duty aboard river patrol Swift boats. He spent 4 1/2 months dashing up and down tributaries of the Mekong Delta, raking villages with weapon fire as he went.

At one point – according to Kerry – he went ashore and shot a Vietcong.

During this brief period, Kerry was awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star with combat cluster, and three Purple Hearts for wounds inflicted by enemies.

With three Purple Hearts, recipients may request non-combat duty. Kerry did this, asking for stateside deployment. All legal and commendable

Back in the U.S.A., however, Kerry became a leader -- along with Hanoi Jane Fonda -- in the Veterans Against the Vietnam War.

In a speech April 22, 1971, before Congress, Kerry gave an impassioned speech in which he claimed that "Vietnam veterans had told him" of routine murders, mutilations and torture of Vietnamese by American soldiers.

The next day, Kerry led a bunch of Vietnam veterans in throwing their medals over a trash fence on the Capitol lawn. Later, he admitted he threw some other veteran’s medals. He kept his and today displays them on the wall of his Senate office.

In a way, this covert switch of medals is more despicable than desecrating them in a symbolic gesture. Kerry does not have the courage of his presumed convictions.

Vietnam veterans are incensed over the wild accusations of atrocities by Kerry. The vets – ignored by the media – have taken to the web to denounce him.

They assert they never committed the atrocities alleged by Kerry -- nor saw or heard of any while in Vietnam.

Of course, there was the well-publicized case of Lt. William L. Calley at Mai Li. However, Vietnam vets say this was reported in accordance with Army regulations and Calley imprisoned until pardoned by President Nixon as part of the peace effort.

Alleged superior officers of Kerry are quoted on the web as critical of him and citing unflattering examples of his misconduct.

Alleged shipmates charge that the one wound they knew about was so superficial it required only an adhesive bandage. An unsubstantiated charge is that one wound was "self reported."  

Another charge, by a self-described superior officer, is that Kerry -- as a reserve naval officer -- was still under Navy regulations while leading protests against the Vietnam War.

If true and applicable, this constitutes "aid and comfort to the enemy" – treason. It should be noted that Kerry was discharged from active duty on Dec. 31, 1969.

 The so-called mainline media were reluctant until recently to press Kerry for his military records such as those required for Bush.

Nevertheless, web chatter led Kerry last week to put most of his military records on his campaign website. But not his service medical records.

It is fair to ask, why?

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be contacted at linwms@lindseywilliams.org