Once again the press is reporting ineffectively, in my opinion, Kerry’s attempted explanation, ineffective in my opinion, of his forays (or not) into Cambodia. (Writing about this article, Mickey Kaus asks “How could a fair reporter write this story and not mention the word ‘seared'”?)
Michael Kranish of the Boston Globe credulously and without comment quotes the following statement from Kerry spokesman Michael Meehan:
On December 24, 1968, Lieutenant John Kerry and his crew were on patrol in the watery borders between Vietnam and Cambodia deep in enemy territory. In the early afternoon, Kerry’s boat, PCF-44, was at Sa Dec and then headed north to the Cambodian border. There, Kerry and his crew along with two other boats were ambushed, taking fire from both sides of the river, and after the firefight were fired upon again. Later that evening during their night patrol they came under friendly fire.
Neither Meehan nor Kranish appear to have ever looked at a map (such as this one) showing the course of the Mekong River through Cambodia and Vietnam. If they had, they would know that the Mekong does not provide “watery borders” between Cambodia and Vietnam; it flows from Cambodia down through Vietnam to the sea. Sa Dec, by the way, is about half way between the Cambodian border and the Gulf of Tonkin. Meehan’s statement implies, or more, that a boat on the Mekong is between Cambodia and Vietnam, so that “taking fire from both sides” means some fire is coming from Cambodia.
Take a look at that map and decide for yourself if that makes sense.
Meehan also claims that Kerry was in Cambodia on unprovable clandestine misssions on other occasions, but that doesn’t deal with the “seared … seared” question.
One of my co-workers brought the Unfit for Command book to the office. I looked it over and have to admit the authors sound believable. I won’t rush to judgment like a lot of people have. If I do decide Kerry is a liar, I just won’t vote this year. Period.
I hate this. But I won’t kid myself into voting for another liar.
Akefa– It constantly amazes me what intelligent, educated and experienced people miss. How can smart people tolerate getting lied to over and over and not change their behavior? It is a deep subject and maybe a psychologist could add a lot to the debate.
Please don’t sit out- think long term and consider a vote for an indy that is honest, even if you only agree with most/some of their positions. Eventually you may find a real choice surfaces…
cheers
I read a little more of the book. It looks like Kerry has exaggerated his own heroism.
Maybe I’m left with nothing but bad choices. Kerry is much better for civil rights and Kerry supports unions. Maybe he’s a liar and a braggart too. I don’t want to vote at all but the economy looks bad.
My own financial situation comes first because of my family. You have to be practical.