What is the Deal with Kerry's War Service?
By Jan A. Larson
John Kerry has made his service in Viet Nam, some 35 years ago, the
centerpiece of his campaign for the presidency. Now the Kerry campaign,
being challenged on the true recollection of that service, is attempting
to deflect the criticism in whatever way possible.
The Kerry campaign has taken a, "How dare you question?"
attitude toward Kerry's Viet Nam service and therefore it cannot be
too surprising that the campaign is attempting to not only discredit
the claims of the Swift Boat Veterans' for Truth, but has also tried
to block television stations from carrying the group's ads and as well
as trying to have their book removed
from bookstores. This from the party that are such staunch advocates
of freedom of speech?
The campaign has tried to focus attention away from questions about
Kerry's service by questioning President Bush's service in the National
Guard and has painted the Swift Boat Veterans with a broad brush, suggesting
that they are nothing but partisan liars.
Kerry campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter's remark that, "…
he (Kerry) doesn't tolerate lies from others," ironically suggests
that Kerry's own lies are acceptable.
Now the Kerry campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election
Commission claiming that the group behind the ads is illegally coordinating
with the Bush/Cheney campaign.
The real issue is not so much what happened 35 years ago, but rather
how Kerry tells it. What matters is how Kerry handles himself when the
going gets tough and it seems that the Kerry campaign is having a hard
time working in the kitchen as the temperature increases.
The American electorate has every right to know if Kerry's claims are
truthful or not. So far, all we have are Kerry's claims and his support
from his 12 or 15 "band of brothers." Telling
the other side of the story are the some 250 Swift Boat Veterans. Those
veterans need to be heard and the American people can then decide who
they want leading the country into the future.
Personally, I find it hard to ignore the Swift Boat Veterans out of
hand, as some have done. Admittedly, at least some of these veterans
have an axe to grind with Kerry over his anti-war activities after returning
from Viet Nam, but when 250 veterans who served with Kerry claim that
he is unfit to be commander in chief, there must be something to their
story.
Despite the Kerry campaign's belief that Kerry's service record must
not be questioned, the mere fact that someone served in the military
does not automatically make him or her a saint, witness Lynndie England.
Not to classify Kerry with the likes of England, but it is entirely
possible that Kerry's recollection and portrayal of events 35 years
ago and halfway around the world are not 100% reflective of the truth.
Might Kerry have a selective memory? Possibly. Might Kerry attempt to
frame his actions in Viet Nam in the most favorable light? Quite likely.
Are there things about his service that he hasn't revealed? That's what
I want to know.
The fact of the matter is that while John Kerry's in-country service
in Viet Nam is subject to differing recollections and may or may not
have been as honorable as Kerry presents, his full-color home movies
notwithstanding, his actions upon returning from Viet Nam are not subject
to interpretation.
Kerry's demonstrated lack of conviction, some would say flip-flopping,
during his years in the Senate suggests that he, in the spirit of the
last Democratic President, Bill Clinton, might tend to present the "facts"
in whichever way is most favorable for the day. Whether those facts
are the same tomorrow is anyone's guess. If Kerry expects Americans
to judge his worthiness for the Presidency based on his four months
in Viet Nam, it doesn't
seem like too much to ask to know the truth about those four months.
