Military service, John Kerry, and honor
Via neo-neocon — a 21st century irony. The son serves, the father sounds like Abbie Hoffman (and if you don’t know who Abbie Hoffman was, no sweat.)
Hitchens kicks Kerry in today’s Wall St Journal. The kicks are hard (it’s Hitchens) but given we’re dealing with thirty-five years of condescension, slander, and insult, I’d have liked to see two or three more paragraphs of Hitch using a steel-toe. Kerry’s “stuck in Iraq” insult is uniquely trans-generational. It immediately connects with his 1971 “Winter Soldier” slanders where he asserted American troops were committing war crimes through out Vietnam, crimes on par with those of “Jing-gis Khan.” The anti-Vietnam War movement shaped Kerry politically and that decayed fossil still propels him– an ancient addiction he and his cohorts can’t shake. Simultaneously stuck in the past and stuck on stupid, the Junior Senator from Massachusetts has now insulted three generations of American troops.
Hitchens wonders if the US military is the new third rail of American politics. Interesting thought, but I think not. (Social Security still rates as the third rail, though as Boomers age perhaps its amps and volts are diminishing.) Here’s the real deal: Service men and women simply won’t accept insults about them and their service. In the 1970s they didn’t have the Internet or talk radio to counter-attack the boys and girls in New Mobe and network producers addicted to images of panhamdling, socio-pathic Vietnam vets. The troops now have the technology. This past week individual American citizens in uniform met Kerry’s insults with politically appropriate ripostes. That’s what nailed Kerry –individual ripostes from serving men and women and vets– not Geore W. Bush’s stump speech or Tony Snow’s press conference responses.
John Kerry’s simply not ready for the YouTube world.
Follow his career, such as it is. Kerry’s made it to the lofty perch of Senator from Massachusetts by:
(1) planning a political career from the age of 15 (if not age 11)
(2) riding the coattails of the Kennedy political machine (ie, brown-nosing and carrying water for the clan)
(3) marrying rich women
This nifty route to power works for a mediocre, arrogant politico in a world where the friendly political machine and a friendly media mask his foibles, incompetencies, and inadequacies.
The friendly machine and media also blunt criticism. The arrogant mediocrity (backed by clan and family cash) can float along within a machine and media bubble, slowly rising from preening young poseur to Beltway Clerk to Senator.
The Internet and talk radio have burst that bubble. The bubble is a puddle of slippery soap. I suspect Kerry now knows it. His Tuesday (October 31) press conference was a dismal failure. He essentially pounded his chest like an eighth grade boy and shouted “I’m a man.” That conference was designed to focus his (Kerry’s) media enablers on the White House, and spin the story as a “Kerry versus Bush” conundrum rather than Kerry responding to the people he’d slandered. The New York Times bought that meme, but the Internet didn’t. Troops responded with the now classic “Jon Cary halp” photo, which Drudge slapped on his page. Kerry then went into “seclusion” — as safe a place as any for a “man” insistently destroying himself. But seclusion sounds so un-manly, doesn’t it? (Seclusion– that’s where Victorian ladies retreat after their latest affair becomes London’s topic du jour.)
Sure, the DNC probably ordered Kerry off the hustings. Seclusion keeps him off YouTube.
The NYDCLA Axis (nid-claw media axis, New York-Washington-Los Angeles) can no longer hide Kerry’s mediocrity from the voting public. George W. Bush is clearly a better politician than Kerry. Bush was also a better student than Kerry. In other words, the “MainStreamMedia” story line that “Bush is stupid” is really a political lie. Is Bush stupid compared to Al Gore? (Gore invented the Internet!!!) Stupid compared to John Kerry? Obviously not.
The “Repubs are stupid” meme gained steam in the 1950s with media fawning over Adlai Stevenson. Ike Eisenhower was portrayed as a kindly dolt. Yes, that’s was the story line. Never mind that Eisenhower had one of the finest strategic minds that blessed any presidential brain. (George Marshall attested to that.) Stevenson was smooth, elegant, and academic in his presentation. Ike? Ike was somebody who had spent his life working with the entire spectrum of humanity, and often working in truly risky and stressful circumstances – he was a soldier. Ike could talk to elites. He could also reach the barbershops and beauty parlors. That’s been the downside of the “Repubs are stupid” meme (and now, the “soldiers are stupid meme”) for the Democrats. It costs them points on Main Street. An example of a Main Street reaction to the meme: “If they think Bush is stupid, and he went to Yale, what do guys like Kerry think of me?”
The “soldiers are stupid” and “soldiers are victims” memes cut even deeper. Example: “If our troops are stupid, and if they are victims, then how will we be protected?” This is an odd and ultimately debilitating route for the political party that billed itself as the party of the “little guy.” Andy Jackson would recoil in digust.
Kerry’s “stuck in Iraq” gaffe re-opens more than Vietnam War political wounds. Though the MSM won’t touch it, Kerry’s “Swift Boat” conundrum is back. “Swift Boat Veterans For Truth” was really the “third rail” of the 2004 presidential election. The MSM refused to truly touch the story, prefering to characterize it as pure politics and (Karl) Rovian lies rather than attempting to understand and appreciate what was one of the all-time most effective citizen-run issue groups in US history. An uncontested point in the Swift Boat Vets’ favor, one ignored by virtually every major national media outlet with the exception of the Wall St Journal: the Swifties backed Kerry off on his “Christmas in Cambodia” claim, the memory (faux-memory) that was “seared, seared” in his mind. That’s quite a feat, forcing a presidential candidate to retreat from a bold claim, especially one with a moral and experential dimensions that –if true–would add credibility to Kerry’s critique of his opponent’s defense policy. Kerry tried to obscure his retreat, with a diet of buts, maybes, and ifs –however, he retreated because the claim was false.
Kerry has never really faced his fellow Swift Boat vets to discuss their 2004 campaign charges. Why? Because they know the truth and at some reptilian level, so does he. He could have solved his Swift Boat problem in the late 1970s if he had just called his fellow sailors and said “Hey, I’m sorry. I regret the extreme statements I made in 1971. Your service was honorable, guys.” Even his political opponents would have welcomed him back to the brotherhood. I can hear the response from John O’Neill and other Swifties: “John Kerry, you’re a self-absorbed jerk but you’re our self-absorbed jerk. And you showed up in the combat zone. So we’re dropping it.”Soldiers understand this dimension of the Swift Boat affair– the dimension of honor. Kerry’s media enablers never delved into the Swifties deep issues, the restoration of personal dignity and reputation, the demand that their military service be duly recognized, not slandered, because Big Media bought John Kerry’s spin that the Swift Boat vets were all politics. They weren’t and they aren’t.
Imperious elites like Kerry and newshounds are sceptical of honor as a concept, much less as a real issue for real people who’ve done real things, like fight and suffer through the ordeal of war. Of course appeals to “honor” are abused, but appeals to “passion”, “compassion”, “righteousness”– the entire panoply of emotions are, on an hourly basis, twisted and manipulated. And claims of “honorable service” may be suspect. Faux-vets are exposed with regularity.
We know Shakespeare’s Sir John Falstaff derided honor, but Prince Harry didn’t become Henry V until he escaped the sherry-drenched decadence and vice of Sir John.
Falstaff’s rant in 1 Henry IV Act V states the case for skepticism. Falstaff is afraid for his own life:
Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I come on? how then? Can honour
set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no skill in surgery
then? No. What is honour? A word. What is that word honour? Air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? He
that died o’Wednesday. Doth he feel it? no. Why? Detraction will not suffer it. Therefore I’ll none of it. Honour is a mere scutcheon; and so ends my catechism. (Act V, scene I, lines 134-144)
But scepticism all too easily slides to cynicism, and cynicism and habitual decadence don’t do much for a family, tribe, or nation-state in peril.
John Kerry and his Boston brahmins may diss Henry V’s St. Crispen’s Day speech, but that’s reason enough for keeping bums like that stuck in little blue enclaves.
Henry V:
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian.’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.’
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son…
15th century propaganda idealized by a super-poet? If you think these ideals are dead, if these values are macho posturing, then in the 21st century you should prepate to accept Bin Laden’s interpretation of the Koran –along with a few lifestyle changes like Hollywood starlets in burkas (minor adaptation) and radioactive slag where New York City once stood (major adaptation, especially if you live in New Jersey or on Long Island).
I’ll add a personal story. In 1999 I briefly served as deputy commander of a Hurricane Mitch recovery operation headquartered in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. An earthquake (6.6 magnitude) struck the region and damaged our barracks area as well as several of the dikes our engineers had erected along the Motagua River. We had to evacuate our barracks, in the midst of heavy rains spawned by a tropical depression. The day after the quake I flew to the US air base at Soto Cano, Honduras, to meet with our regional commander. After I met with the brigadier general in command I: (1) washed and dried two sets of BDUs and (2) bought a bottle of Chivas at the PX. The next morning I caught a plane flight back to Guatemala, and transfered to a helicopter to fly back to our base.
That night I took the still-boxed Chivas to one of the troops –a tired, exhausted fellow who had earned a gift so precious. He shook his head when I passed him the scotch. I told him, “You’ve earned it.” He looked at his watch, observed we were ten minutes from midnight, and said “You and I are now off duty.” I sipped a thumbs worth of scotch in my canteen cup (there is no more pleasureable a vessel for imbibing booze).
We chatted for about twenty minutes, about my trip to Soto Cano, about the task force’s new job (earthquake relief), about the lousy weather, about how tired we were. The discussion of weariness led the conversation to our advanced age and years of service, which in part explained the conversation’s next turn. My friend asked, with a glint in his eye: ”You remember what John Kerry said about those of us who served in Vietnam?”
I nodded.
“I was in Vietnam in 1971,” my buddy continued. “I didn’t commit any war crimes and I didn’t see any. Kerry said we were committing war crimes everywhere all the time.”
Remember, readers, this is 1999. We’re in a creaky barrack, wearing t-shirts, BDU trousers, and boots. Earthquake aftershocks occasionally boom –and the booms sound and feel like heavy artillery. And he mentions John Kerry.
“I despise the man,” my friend said. “He lied and benefited politically from his lies….He lied about me.”
I simply listened — that’s what you do in a moment like this. I remember noticing I still had scotch in my cup. He had barely touched his drink. He took a long sip, put his cup down. Plop. Period. End of moment.
The man had served honorably in Vietnam. He had served nobly (another word those of the noblisse oblige set have trouble with). Twenty-eight years later this admirable American soldier was still pulling duty, this time on a humanitarian mission in another jungle. For some hard cases it may seem odd that in a midnight moment of reflection John Kerry’s ugly Winter Soldier spiel would intrude. But Kerry’s trash talk had tarnished the man’s honor — and that sense of deep insult and betrayal had lit a long, slow fuze of righteous anger.
In 2004 Big Media missed that story. In 2006 the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan didn’t.
Well said. It’s long overdue that someone should tie it all together, so well.
Comment by Peyton — 11/4/2006 @ 5:13 pm
Well done.
Comment by Tom Holsinger — 11/4/2006 @ 5:50 pm
Nice piece, especially the end– a real life example of a Sam Damon, still on duty in the middle of nowhere, passing judgement on a Massengale (the difference being that this Massengale found his path to advancement in leaving and slandering the Army).
Comment by Mike G — 11/4/2006 @ 6:02 pm
I wrote Hitchens and told him that he just “didn’t get it.” It’s not a class thing. It is that Kerry embodies the antipathy held by many to the military and that this disdain in confined to the Democrats. This is a great piece. I wasn’t there. I was elsewhere in PACAF, shipping supplies in.
Comment by Janet Nickell — 11/4/2006 @ 6:11 pm
I’m a military brat who grew up entirely overseas - mostly in Ireland (Irish/Irish-American parents). When I came to the US, it was as a volunteer for the US military. As I hold a B.Sc. in Physics, my recruiter (MSgt Bill Leamy, RAF Mildenhall, now retired to a quiet part of the UK), pushed me to go for USAF OTS. I managed get into and complete the course. Quite possibly the most difficult thing I ever did. I then served as a commissioned officer of the USAF from 1985 to 1991. After I resigned my commission and went looking for civilian work, I was amazed at how often I got questions along the lines of “You seem pretty smart. Why did you volunteer for the military?” So, IMHO, Sen. Kerry’s slip of the tongue indicates a widely-held (and utterly wrong) attitude.
Comment by Patrick — 11/4/2006 @ 6:43 pm
I could not for the life of me figure out, after he was nominated, why he was so badly advised as to make his service in Vietnam such an enormous part of his campaign. I just couldn’t get my mind around how the man could be so absolutely freaking clueless! Didn’t he have the least comprehension about how veterans of Vietnam felt about being slimed by false but politically convienient accusations of atrocities leveled against them… accusations that he had repeated and encouraged? And forty years later it’s as if he was saying “Well, I’m a veteran too! Forget about all that trash I talked about you in the 70ies, forget about all that hurt my nice anti-war friends laid on you, just fall in you stupid peasants and vote for me… I’m a veteran, dig my medals and my combat buddies. Just do as you’re told by your betters” That was such a hamfisted tactic, I wondered at the time if he wasn’t advised by someone who had the interests of Hillary Clinton at heart, and wanted to sabotage him but good. But after this little adventure, I must conclude that no, he’s just completely, totally tone-deaf when it comes to people skills. Reminds me of Nixon, in a sick and bizarre sort of way.
Comment by Sgt. Mom — 11/4/2006 @ 6:50 pm
Coupla weeks ago on NPR’s Diane Rehm show, some writer was plugging his new book on Kit Carson. Carson, no doubt a brilliant character in many respects, was functionally illiterate but nevertheless had been proposed at some point in his life for appointment as a US Army general. Rehm’s distinguished guest then just riffed on that, something about how Carson would be right at home in the present day Army, amongst the US generals in Iraq. Hardy har har… Rehm didn’t say boo. Neither did anybody call up to slam the guy. I would have but I was in the car at the time. Ahhh the liberal media!
Comment by Alan Potkin — 11/4/2006 @ 6:53 pm
I’ve wondered in Sen. Kerry’s comment had anything to do with speaking in front of a group of junior college students. Many of the uninformed and biased believe that JC students are only one step away from either becoming telemarketers, freeway off-ramp fruit sellers or soldiers. Kerry managed to insult those who serve and those who might not have had the same advantages he had.
Comment by Pat Patterson — 11/4/2006 @ 7:25 pm
Nicely done. Thanks.
Comment by Dick Stanley — 11/4/2006 @ 7:29 pm
Well said, although Big Media did’nt exactly miss the story, they deliberately hid it. Had 90% of the officers who served with Bush formed “Air Guard Veterans for Truth” and campaigned against the President, I have a sneaking suspicion that they would have been embraced by the legacy media (speaking “truth to power”, don’t ya know), not shunned as the Swifties were. From day one of the ‘04 campaign Kerry struck me as a real world “Frank Burns” type, and the fact that he came as close to the Presidency as he did is chilling.
Comment by Steve O'Brien — 11/4/2006 @ 7:38 pm
Kerry is a despicable American and all around phoney as a man. I’m a Vietnam Vet (1968) who never got too deep into politics, but in 2004 I donated heavily to the Swiftboat Vets to help stop Kerry from becoming the CIC. Best investment I ever made.
Comment by RetiredUPS — 11/4/2006 @ 7:47 pm
Very powerful post, Col. Bay. Thank you very much. I’m saving this.
Comment by Maggie45 — 11/4/2006 @ 7:56 pm
A great post, and very insightful. Performs the necessary function of washing out the sour taste of your fellow PJ Media-er La Shawn Barber’s mean-spirited (and highly censored) crapfest the other day.
Comment by Mister Snitch! — 11/4/2006 @ 7:58 pm
When John Kerry dies the line to pee on his grave will be blocks long, for years. Great grandchildren of vets will be lined up in 2209.
Comment by Peter — 11/4/2006 @ 8:03 pm
I agree with everything said. I only hope that Talk Radio and Blogs are as powerful compared to the MSM/DNC as you say. We will know in 4 days. I have my doubts. I pray they have the power you say but I fear the MSM/DNC. an old exJarhead Nam 1967+1968
Comment by Rodney A Stanton — 11/4/2006 @ 8:44 pm
[…] Honor matters. […]
Pingback by Chapomatic » Col. Bay Gets It — 11/4/2006 @ 8:49 pm
All well and good. But lets get some perspective here: I just wish Republicans could devote as much time and effort into coming up with viable solutions for the situation in Iraq as they do demonising their political opponents. Maybe then comparisons between Iraq and Vietnam wouldn’t have such resonance.
Comment by EmbersFire — 11/4/2006 @ 9:07 pm
I have never forgotten Kerry’s “Winter Soldier” testimony. I was outraged at the time, and have despised the man ever since. In the run-up to 2004, I told a colleague that “Veteran’s Day” comes nine days early this year. Asking me what I meant, I told him that we know what Kerry thinks of us, and on November 2, approximately 2.5 million Vietnam-era vets would get the chance to tell Kerry what we thought of him. The result is self evident.
Comment by Outpost37 — 11/4/2006 @ 9:10 pm
Just wanted to add my .02 cents of appreciation for a superbly-written and honest piece of writing.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/4/2006 @ 9:11 pm
Mr. Smith insults Mr. Jones, and Mr. Jones answers the insult, and the spat is Mr. Jones’ fault, EmbersFire?
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/4/2006 @ 9:14 pm
Austin, thank you for stating so well what many of us are experiencing due to this renewed exposure to Kerry’s slanderous contempt for the military. Our frustration and anger is not just with Kerry, but also with this leftist attitude in general. Given his numerous (perpetual) gaffes and poor decisions, I don’t see how anyone could see chief executive material in him. Thank goodness for the internet and talk radio. BTW, I suspect (and hope!) the Swift Boat Veterans will remain at the ready should their services be required again. If Kerry was ill-advised enough to contest them in court, I believe the discovery process would compound Kerry’s problems beyond his wildest imagination.
Comment by E. T. Page — 11/4/2006 @ 9:27 pm
Cathartic . . . for you and for many of us, too. Thank you.
Comment by Jim Tweedie — 11/4/2006 @ 9:34 pm
Those without honor don’t understand it. That pretty well explains Sen. Kerry.
Comment by Fritz — 11/4/2006 @ 9:51 pm
So what’s wrong with “Jing-gis Khan†- how do YOU pronounce it? The currently favored spelling is Genghis, and everyone assumes a hard G. Older spelling (19th century) was more commonly Jenghiz, which of course can’t possibly be pronounced as a hard G. In Mandarin it’s more like Che’ng-chi-ssu-han. It’s a title, something like Master of the World. His actual name was Temujin, which isn’t all that easy to pronounce either. Kerry is undoubtedly a total dork, but let’s rubbish him for his real mistakes. There are plenty of those.
Comment by tom swift — 11/4/2006 @ 10:01 pm
“Republicans come up with viable solutions for Iraq”: Reagan said it best,”We win, they lose.” This is not a partisan proposition. Jihadis in their murderous deceit lurk in an arc from Morocco through Indonesia to the Philippines. We cannot kill them all, but we can kill what they stand for, Wahabi nihilism with its Salafist paymasters, hustling petrodollars through El Baradei’s scrofulous UN. As to Kerry: At age eighteen in 1958 (!) I joined the Princeton AFROTC, graduated Cadet Colonel in 1962 with a cum laude in History, and served three years as a Regular overseas in the Aleutian Isalands and West Germany. Classmates all entered five-figure careers on Wall Street, as Foreign Service Officers, etc.– equivalent to over $100,000 today. As a Second Lieutenant on Shemya Air Force Station, our nearest town was Vladivostok and my discretionary income was $50 per month ($1.67 per day). The Service wouldn’t let me fly, and denied transfer to Vietnam in 1965 (security clearance over-elevated), so I reluctantly resigned. As a Regular, could’ve retired in 1982, and enjoyed exhorbitant taxpayer-funded pension monies ever since. For all their virtues, even decades ago I sensed most upscale contemporaries lacked a dimension. A lifetime later, now elderly, I think somehow –unquantifiably– it had to do with Honor. My 25th Anniversary looms large; we’ve three fine kids, two Eagle Scouts and a beloved daughter due for her Biochemistry Degree at University of Vermont. Not at all well off financially, but fabulously rich in all that matters. To Kerry and his ilk, this is all anathema. For all his fancy trappings, Massachusetts’ doting ideologues who make him their Silent Partner year-on-year, this man is a wretched guttersnipe barely capable of opening his sickly bottle of Night Train. No use talking to him or about him. He is dishonorable, unworthy of consideration in the slightest. “The worst are full of passionate intensity”… just so, alas just so. Fast-forward to (say) 2022, when the last narcisisstic Boomer lies eviscerated by the scimitar of the first Caliph. Be warned… atop a pyramid of skulls, John Kerry’s will be raised on high with a green ribbon: Si monumentum videre, circumspice.
Comment by John Blake — 11/4/2006 @ 10:01 pm
[…] :::UPDATE::: SCROLL DOWN FOR ORIGINAL POST::: I do believe Austin Bay should have the last word on John Forbes Kerry. My friend asked, with a glint in his eye: â€You remember what John Kerry said about those of us who served in Vietnam?†[…]
Pingback by The Anchoress » Speaking of John Kerry and Doom, Doom, Doom… — 11/4/2006 @ 10:02 pm
Kerry has survived because the Bay State has evolved into a rotten borough for the Dems. The state GOP barely can get candidates for the Senate, never mind anything on the state level. Of course, when the Dems get the govenorship New Hamphire will have to lay mine fileds south of Nashua to stop the flood. But I digress. Austin, you have nailed Kerry perfectly. That dilletante gigilo didn’t get that the common soldier can communicate around his MSM buddies. (Kerry is so in love with the camera that talk show host Howie Carr has christened him ‘liveshot.’)
Comment by James A. Wolf — 11/4/2006 @ 10:21 pm
FYI The Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation (Col. George (Bud) Day) is in the process of suing John Kerry. For details please visit: http://www.vvlf.org
Comment by Michael Sheehan — 11/4/2006 @ 10:21 pm
May I note that Vice President Cheney retires to an undisclosed location to hide from Al Qaeda while Senator Kerry retreats to an undisclosed location to hide from his own words. Kerry is like an IED for any Democrat running for office. They are all trying to avoid him, defuse him, or detonate him remotely.
Comment by Tantor — 11/4/2006 @ 11:33 pm
The 1972 Media Versus The Internet Immortality Thesis… Back in August of 2004, I wrote that Senator Kerry was “Built For A 1972 Media”. Austin Bay updates the meme: “John KerryÂ’s simply not ready for the YouTube world.” Read the rest…….
Trackback by Ed Driscoll.com — 11/5/2006 @ 12:31 am
Thank you for such clarity. I am too young to recall John Kerry’s words personally, but i have since watched the historic videos. I was taught and believed we had lossed the Tet offensive, that all Vietnam vets were psychologically damaged. I took a position as a counselor for active duty military dependents at an Air Force base. I discovered biases I never realized I carried from news articles, history courses, movies. My experience working with members of the military made me an admirer and staunch defender of members of our armed forces. The men and women I worked with and those I treated are the embodiment of the definition of HONOR. When J. Kerry won the primary I could never imagine such a man as the Commander and Chief of our military. My friends and colleagues who knew my history as an active Democratic party member were astounded with my absolute refusal to support such an individual. I treated people who struggled with the impact this man’s false words had on their father’s, husband’s, brother’s and themselves even 25 years afterwards. By the way, I am now an active Republican party member. I guess i grew up. My seventeen year old son is currently considering his future after high school. He is being recruited by several elite campus’. He is seriously considering the Air Force or the Navy and I will be proud to support him if this is his decision. To all of you who have served and are serving I thank you/
Comment by Linda K — 11/5/2006 @ 12:49 am
I know both Vietnam vets and people who heavily protested the war in vietnam who would advocate Kerry being hung for treason (and have said so). Like in this article, both sides pretty much say Kerry threw away his honor. And that’s a match that’s lit once.
Comment by Spade — 11/5/2006 @ 12:49 am
My friend asked, with a glint in his eye: â€You remember what John Kerry said about those of us who served in Vietnam?†What an obvious load of **** You’re lying out your ***, brownshirt, and everybody f** knows it. ED NOTE: See my note appended to your comment above. And it’s not a lie, it’s a historical fact. Your accusation betrays both your arrogance and your ignorace. The man I quote has already written me and commended the post.
Comment by dave — 11/5/2006 @ 1:55 am
By the way, I am now an active Republican party member. I guess i grew up. No, you just let your bigotry and stupidity take over.
Comment by dave — 11/5/2006 @ 1:55 am
To all of you who have served and are serving I thank you. Decorated Vietnam veteran John Kerry thanks you, I’m sure…
Comment by dave — 11/5/2006 @ 1:56 am
My father did 2 tours in Vietnam as a Cobra pilot, and served our country for another 20 years beyond that. To this day, Senator Kerry’s name is the only one that can elicit an emotional response in the same vein as Jane Fonda’s. To my father, and I imagine, many others, there was no difference in the meaning or results of their actions. TRAITORS
Comment by Rob — 11/5/2006 @ 2:23 am
Great arguments, dave. I’m persuaded, you guys should be running the country, alright.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 2:31 am
Fantastic post. I wrote something similar in the fall of 2004. Rarely is it that you can see such poetic justice as the SBVT. His actions in Paris vis a vis the Communist Vietnamese were treasonous. This was a long time coming.
Comment by Cutler — 11/5/2006 @ 2:50 am
Had 90% of the officers who served with Bush formed “Air Guard Veterans for Truth†and campaigned against the President, I have a sneaking suspicion that they would have been embraced by the legacy media (speaking “truth to powerâ€, don’t ya know), not shunned as the Swifties were. If only they could be found.
Comment by Cannadine — 11/5/2006 @ 2:56 am
CBS, NYT, and DNC couldn’t find any, either, Cannadine–that’s why they made some up. And that’s why you get to watch Katie Couric instead of Dan Rather now.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 3:02 am
John Blake That is an inspiring story. I must, however point out an error on your part. We can kill them all. The reason that we have our people in Iraq right now is that we are trying to find some alternative to having to do that. But if the Democrats win big enough that we wind up cutting and running from Iraq, it will mean that the next time we engage in military action, it will not be an invasion, it will be an extermination.
Comment by Mark in Texas — 11/5/2006 @ 3:03 am
Yep there has been something missing. The libral media, living in its liberal bubble is afraid of truth, honor, courage and heros. This is a great country and we have a great history and tradition strewn with examples of courage, honor and heros. This is something that they strive to distort and forget. But it is the key to our future. If you read Mark Steyn, you will realize that civilizations that supress honor and truth can die. In their self-absorbtion liberals are a threat to this country, different in kind but as dangerous as the jehadis. This is how great civilizations fall; when true heros are mocked and someone like Kerry is protected by the elites as beyond reproach.
Comment by Rob — 11/5/2006 @ 5:53 am
It took over 30 comments for Troll dave to show up. He is quite the lurker, I see him everywhere these days. Go away boy, the adults are here discussing adult themes you do not understand. What John Kerry said way back when will follow him to his dying days, as long are those of us still alive to remember and resurrect his disdain for us common folks. I will take common folks over blue bloods any day. The Hobo
Comment by Robohobo — 11/5/2006 @ 6:51 am
Well said. They have the noblesse, but not the oblige. To put a literary twist on it, Bertie Wooster was as big a chump as ever broke bisquit. But he knew what the oblige part meant. John Kennedy knew, John Kerry doesn’t and never will.
Comment by Mikey NTH — 11/5/2006 @ 7:13 am
Where you from, EmbersFire? (”Are” omitted for dialect.) “Demonising”? The possibilities include Canada, where Steyn’s book is at #2 on Amazon Canada but is hardly being carried in retail shops; the UK, where - well, we know about the Guardian; Australia (but you don’t talk like an Aussie)… Could it be that the reason the “Iraq==Vietnam” thing has any traction is because you’re over-exposed to sources that attempt to make it so - more like “let Iraq=Vietnam” than “if Iraq==Vietnam, then…”, if you understand the difference between an equal sign and an equal operator?
Comment by Jamie — 11/5/2006 @ 7:31 am
Sir Well said. Um, speaking truth to power, shall we say? Here the, alas, still powerful Dinosaur Media. Let me just add my comparison of Kerry to the TV character Ted Baxter, another Viet Nam era reference. The dis-Honorable Kerry sounds & acts just like that character & is as just as un-lovable, love being another Viet Nam era reference! Tom Comerford
Comment by Tom Comerford — 11/5/2006 @ 8:12 am
Well, I was going to read that but halfway through the first sentence I realized it was a load of crap. Election’s over dude. Your man won. Midterms are coming up. Let’s talk about that.
Comment by Xanthippas — 11/5/2006 @ 8:30 am
Shorter Xanthippas: “Qucik! Change the subject! Anything but this!
Comment by Mikey NTH — 11/5/2006 @ 9:02 am
Thanks, Austin. Those of us who missed out on the baby killing and other war crimes while serving in Vietnam appreciate the thoughts. Someone else all ready said it, but Hanoi Jane and Cambode Kerry are on my personal list. Wonder what kind of life Troll Dave and The Big Fish suffer through in person? A life without honor, one suspects, but they probably don’t recognize the lack. ED NOTE: Thanks for the comment. And thank you for your service. I’m going to take this opportunity to re-state a few of the site’s rules– use the F-bomb, flap a junior high/middle school potty mouth, and you’re comment will go poof. That includes F-bombs in email addresses. I see the personal story I told has really incited a certain segment of the Internet. It’s being called a “lie.” Nope. The story happened as told (except I did clean up ”the old troop’s” language a bit — he and I both recall that he dropped one or two old fashioned G-ds into the conversation– and he’s not a salty talking type). What has changed since 1971, since 1999, arguably since 2004 is the ability to share a story like that beyond Army buddies and friends. I’ve talked to the ”old troop” about his comments on Kerry three or four times since 1999– once in a phone conversation in 2004. Until this past week I didn’t have the opportunity nor particular need to tell it. And yes, I sought his permission. But it is so illustrative, isn’t it? Look at the commenters who identify with the man’s reactions.
Comment by AF Dad — 11/5/2006 @ 9:33 am
What an overwrought piece of crap/
Comment by Americans are morons — 11/5/2006 @ 9:33 am
Well said, Sir! Duty counts. Honor counts. Here is a man who used service in combat to escape combat at the earliest opportunity, and and then slimed his fellows for political gain. Incredibly, he chose the correct venue for a political career, Massachussetts, and prospered. Old habits die hard however, and his acid tongue betrayed him once more. Consigned to the ash heap of history.
Comment by TommyO — 11/5/2006 @ 9:46 am
Brilliant, soothing stuff, thanks. I’ve lived in Massachsetts all my life, and Austin’s statements above are correct. USMC 1968 - It’s hard to imagine any of us forgetting these themes.
Comment by Forklift — 11/5/2006 @ 9:55 am
Do not forget, they also scorn the Police, Firemen, even EMTs. All jobs that only those who ‘fail to get a proper education’ would be reduced to taking. Public service to them always means ‘Important Jobs’ where you meet with ‘Important People’ to decide ‘Important Things’. If they ever imagine themselves in the Military it is invariably as Officers. Nemo me impune lacessit
Comment by wlpeak — 11/5/2006 @ 10:02 am
“Americans are morons” but they accidentally invented most of the things that you’ll use today, including the communication system you & I are using to discuss who is and who isn’t a moron.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 10:37 am
And, you know, keep you rich enough, and free enough, to enjoy using all that stuff.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 10:41 am
Of course–back on topic–you could well think we’re morons, in that Senator Kerry missed the presidency by only a stadiumful of votes in Ohio. How ’bout we shake hands and compromise on “Americans are occasionally moronic”?
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 11:03 am
What, were the selling mirrors at the garage sale?
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 11:06 am
Thank you! I am the son of a career naval officer, a Navy veteran myself, and the father of two Naval officers, one Air Force officer, the father-in-law of two more Air Force officers, the uncle of another naval officer, the proud and close friend of numerous former jarheads, former squids, ex-grunts and past zoomies of widely varied ranks, ages and years of service - and I despise John Kerry. I despise the man - care not a fig what his political affiliations are. So you Dems out there - this is not an attempt to open a debate — and you GOP-ers out there don’t not see this as a rally call for Republicans. This is an excellent addition to the crusade, if you will, to continue to assure in any way possible that John Kerry continues to be unmasked as the dishonorable charlatan he is. I continue to contribute at all times and in any way I can to his someday defeat and removal from public office - short of moving to Massachusetts so I can vote against him (I’m pissed - not stupid).
Comment by Urey W. Patrick — 11/5/2006 @ 11:27 am
Kerry is a coward, a liar and a disgrace to everyone who served in Viet Nam or since. Damn him yo hell! Bart
Comment by Bart Fordham — 11/5/2006 @ 12:45 pm
“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Officer in Charge of United States Navy Patrol Craft Fast 94 and officer in Tactical Command of an operation in the Republic of Vietnam. On 28 February 1969, Patrol Craft Fast 23, 43 and 94, in conjunction with Underwater Demolition Team 13 and Vietnamese Regional and Popular Forces personnel, conducted an operation on the Ca Mau Peninsula as part of Operation SEA LORDS. While transiting the Bay Hap River en route to an insertion point along the Dong Cung River, these craft with thirty Regional/Popular Force personnel embarked in each unit came under heavy enemy small arms fire from the river banks. The Officer in Tactical Command, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY directed his units to turn to the beach and charge the Viet Cong positions. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY expertly directed the fire of his craft at the fleeing enemy while simultaneously coordinating the insertion of the embarked troops. While the Regional and Popular Forces conducted an area sweep, Patrol Craft Fast 43 remained on station to provide fire support and Patrol Craft Fast 23 and 94 moved upstream to investigate an area from which gunshots were coming. Arriving at the area, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY’s craft received a B-40 rocket close aboard. Once again Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY ordered his units to charge the enemy positions and summoned Patrol Craft Fast 43 to the area to provide additional firepower. Patrol Craft Fast 94 then beached in the center of the enemy positions and an enemy soldier sprang up from his position not ten feet from Patrol Craft Fast 94 and fled. Without hesitation Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY leaped ashore, pursued the man behind a hootch and killed him, capturing a B-40 rocket launcher with a round in the chamber. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY then led an assault party and conducted a sweep of the area while the Patrol Craft Fast continued to provide fire support. After the enemy had been completely routed, all personnel returned to the Patrol Craft Fast to withdraw from the area. While backing off the beach, these units again came under a hail of fire, this time from the opposite river bank. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY immediately coordinated the firepower of his units and suppressed the enemy fire. Later, after disembarking personnel, and while exiting from the Bay Hap River, the Patrol Craft Fast were again under fire. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY immediately maneuvered his craft through several strafing runs which completely silenced the enemy. As a result of this operation, ten Viet Cong were killed and one wounded with no friendly casualties. In addition, numerous sampans, structures and bunkers were destroyed as well as confiscation of substantial quantities of combat essential supplies. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY’s devotion to duty, courage under fire, outstanding leadership, and exemplary professionalism directly contributed to the success of this operation and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Unites States Naval Service.”
Comment by tb — 11/5/2006 @ 1:12 pm
Just a point of clarification - Kerry is NOT stuck on “Stupid”. It is a well-knwn fact that in order to GET UP TO “Stupid”, you have to get past “Prick”, an impossible challenge for Kerry.
Comment by sherlock — 11/5/2006 @ 1:12 pm
And like that infamous Roman general, Coriolanus, Sen. Kerry has thrown his honor away from bitterness and rage.
Comment by Pat Patterson — 11/5/2006 @ 1:29 pm
General Benedict Arnold was “for” America before he was “against” America.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 1:31 pm
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Officer… Refute it, brownshirts. Refute it. Now. ***  ED NOTE: Dave. You are now banned until you send me via my Creators Syndicate email the following: Your real name, your email, your daytime phone number. I encourage you to demonstrate the courage of your convictions and come out from behind the cheap cloak of anonymity. Your lack of civility is also dismaying. Even if –or when–you provide full and verified disclosure for your comments to remain on this site they will have to reflect a generous degree of civility.
Comment by dave — 11/5/2006 @ 2:41 pm
hey, “dave”, he uses his name, and everyone knows he’s from Austin. I’m the only Larsen in Blanco County, Texas. You can find my place off hwy 165, two miles south of the hwy 290 intersection. You can come “back it up” anytime you want, “dave” whatever, from Someplace, Unknown.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 3:30 pm
It is astounding how reality and the things that happen to real people enrage a certain type of idiot on the internet. “dave” can’t even be placed in the category of “weak minded liberal idiot.” He is a sad example of the kind of idiot who can’t argue convincingly so relies on personal attacks and foul language. Either that or he is in 7th grade.
Comment by AF Dad — 11/5/2006 @ 3:46 pm
LOL–and whoever heard from “dave” until Sen Kerry “went into seclusion”? Has anyone seen them together at the same time? Hmmm…. ED NOTE: Mr. Larsen — do you really think it possible? That “Dave” is…John Kerry? He does write like Kerry talks– childish belligerence, macho pose. I recall reading a wire service report that Kerry had cursed one of his Secret Service agents — it was the skiing fall story, I believe, so we know Kerry occasionally dips into “Dave” level vocabularies. Interesting idea.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 4:01 pm
Mr. Bay: Sir, Thank you so much for the work you do in providing a voice for the military. I have served in the military for 11 years, first as an MP and now as a JAG. As you know, we military members tend to stay away from public political discussions. One thing that we truly hate, however, is when our honor, dedication to duty, effort, or abilities are slandered publicly because we are constrained in how we can respond. I have served with the greatest soldiers EVER, and I am truly grateful for this experience. The American soldier is smart, savvy, ethical, and honorable. I, along with many of my peers, were deeply upset with Senator Kerry’s remarks. Senator Kerry’s first “apology” just added insult to injury - besides calling servicemembers stupid (accidentally or not), he made it worse by assuming that we wouldn’t see through a non-apologetic “apology.” It seems to me that if you insult someone, even if by accident, you should apologize to them. Senator Kerry was unwilling to issue a true apology until he was dressed down by Democrats and Republicans alike. It is sad that he refused to do so on his own because it would have been the right thing to do. It also seems that Senator Kerry’s “joke” is consistent with previous and numerous negative comments about military members, first during Vietnam and continuing through today. That makes it difficult to believe that the “joke” was a bungled joke, as it fits in with a consistent pattern of negative views about servicemembers from Senator Kerry. Additionally, the fact that he did not apologize of his own volition lends credence to the view that Senator Kerry meant the “joke” as intended - to suggest that the morons of society join the military. Remember, that was the secondary point of the joke - the primary point of the joke being that President Bush was taking advantage of the dumbest and the poorest of society - the dumb soldiers - by following the policy of regime stabilization in Iraq. This all leads the (relatively
objective viewer to the consclusion that it is more likely than not that Senator Kerry intended the joke as spoken. In any case, thank you for your article, and for “speaking out” on behalf of servicemembers around the world. We owe you and others who spoke up on behalf of the military a debt of gratitude. Respectfully, A Proud US Army JAG
Comment by Army JAG — 11/5/2006 @ 4:12 pm
To Dave and tb Relying on the verbiage in a bong’s citation to prove courage is not wise. You obviously have no real exposure to the hyperinflated award system and the excesses therein that were rampany during the Vietnam period. I have and have seen many similar citations where the narrative is so hyperbolic as to make the actual act unrecognizable. For example, a good friend had 47 Air Medals, all with similar wording, for routine operations as a Huey pilot. He once said that any time he flew over gunfire the clerks would automatically type up another bong. (The vast majority of such excesses were cleaned out of the system in the mid and late 70’s, which is [partly] why we see fewer awards these days.) Since I was not there, I cannot comment on Kerry’s valor, though the large group of folks questioning it does give me pause. Moreover, taking the three-PH route out of theater for what are arguably miniscule injuries doe not appear to be particularly courageous. Also, given that his conduct since Nam has been anything but meritorious, I have to wonder why he was only valourous in Nam and then took the free ride.
Comment by Lee Perla — 11/5/2006 @ 4:14 pm
The sad fact is that John Kerry is planning another run for the presidency. What happens if Hillary implodes ala Howard Dean? And Gore shows he’s really a madman? OMG, will the Dems really nominate him again? They could. Most of them are either ignorant or are a few sandwiches short of a picnic. And who would the GOP nominate? A RINO? A great race would be an Dem outsider vs. a GOP outsider like John Cox of Illinois. The guy is already in Iowa setting up his campaign. He’s an outsider, conservative and smart as a whip — which Kerry is not. Stupid? Kerry got “D”s in college. By the way, great post.
Comment by Nathan — 11/5/2006 @ 4:35 pm
That pretty much sums it up for me. John Kerry’s education is worth the paper that his degrees are printed on. His statement was a freudian admission of what he really thinks of those who serve. I’m glad that he put those thoughts out in the open. Too bad he is too much of a coward to stand by them in public. He’s not the only one that thinks soldiers are stupid. My own family members thought as much when I, a college graduate, enlisted in the Army in May 2001. It is my opinion that the Army is the best education I could have gotten. My only regret is that I didn’t join when I was younger. Nowhere in higher education are values such as Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Honor, Integrity, Self-less Service, and Personal Courage taught. In the Army, those values are taught, applied, and reinforced every day. War isn’t a pretty thing, but the values that our soldiers fight for are beautiful.
Comment by Sam Stolzoff — 11/5/2006 @ 4:38 pm
“I was amazed at how often I got questions along the lines of ‘You seem pretty smart. Why did you volunteer for the military?’” The best answer to that is probably “The same reason Socrates did.”
Comment by Thomas — 11/5/2006 @ 5:58 pm
“dave” is over at Althouse now. ED NOTE: He hasn’t given us his bona fides. I have asked him to display the smallest, tiniest, itsy bitsiest bit of courage– tell us who he is. Maybe Ann will find out and let us know.
Comment by Pat Patterson — 11/5/2006 @ 6:03 pm
Good post. For the information of those that doubt the feelings of those of us that were slandered by kerry, I have despised that man since 1971. I served on the ground in Vietnam in ‘65, ‘66, ‘67 and ‘68. As a matter of fact I finished the 2d tour prior to that maggot starting his 4 mos and 12 days. I wouldn’t walk across the road to “Pour water down his throat if his guts were on fire”, and I cleaned that up a bit.
Comment by Harold Showalter — 11/5/2006 @ 6:06 pm
Superb writing. Kerry (no prefix is earned, nor given) is a dork, pure and simple. All of us who have served know a Kerry. They act the same, and they have the same intellects (or lack thereof). I can think of virtually no one I have met whilst in the military (even those who are Kerry clones) who come even close to the absolute lack of intelligence and integrity displayed by this sub-human. The people of Massachusetts have a problem…and it is themselves. Nothing else explains how a human of such meager accomplishments can be chosen to represent them. (And don’t even get me started about Kennedy…..)
Comment by Mike G — 11/5/2006 @ 6:13 pm
Mr. Bay, the only thing that mitigates against the identity theory is, Sen. DYKWIA (”Do You Know Who I Am?”) seems to lack the flair to strike multiple poses.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 11/5/2006 @ 6:20 pm
Thanks for a great column, Colonel Bay. It’s too bad about the foul-mouthed trolls, but unfortunately, honor and duty are totally foreign concepts to a much-too-large segment of Western society. When push comes to shove, though (and it will, I’m afraid), I know who I want between me and the bad guys. (HInt : It’s not the effete, nancy-boy afraid-of-guns snotty literatti that Kerry represents.) I salute, honor and pray for our warriors. God bless you all.
Comment by Cynthia — 11/5/2006 @ 6:30 pm
You post reeks of contempt for Vietnam veterans. Since Swiftboaters set the pattern of denigrating John Kerry’s service in Vietnam - and by extension mine - why should we have set today’s soldiers on a pedestal. Visit any campus andc ask how many support the war in Iraq and half of the student stand up. Ask again how many are planning to join the army and they all sit down. If the military is the third rail of pilitics it is mainly because of guilt over the vast majority of military age youth who do not serve.
Comment by Todd Crowell — 11/5/2006 @ 8:52 pm
No, it is because idiots like John Kerry killed the Democratic Party’s standing on national defense 35 years ago when they attacked the military. That is why it is the third rail.
Comment by Cutler — 11/5/2006 @ 9:19 pm
I seem to recall there was some speculation that Kerry wrote his own medal recommendations. At least, I never read anything refuting that supposition. So relying on his medal citations to prove the rightness of his position is suspect at best. What we’re denigrating, Mr. Crowell, is not Kerry’s service, per se — it’s what he did immediately after that service. Unless you feel that he was speaking the truth in his testimony before the Senate committee, you should realize that the only person denigrating your service is Kerry.
Comment by Steven Stewart — 11/5/2006 @ 10:46 pm
“Demonising?” While Iraq burns and a question mark hangs over America’s future standing in the world, Republicans refuse to debate the real issues. They have fallen back on what always works best for them - demonising their opponents in the hopes it will make their opponent look worse than they are. It’s a time-honoured tactic used by politicians everywhere, but the Republican Party under Karl Rove has become particularly adept at it - and dare I say, reliant on it in the absence of anything else to offer. It’s all the more ironic in the case of Kerry, a political has-been who barely rises to the level of an ‘opponent’ for the Republicans. The demonising continues during the same week when a US-Iraq GI was thrown to the wolves for the sake of political expediency. That is a far bigger scandal than anything John Kerry may have said. “Could it be that the reason the “Iraq==Vietnam†thing has any traction is because you’re over-exposed to sources that attempt to make it so” That old canard of smearing some as biased because they consume too much liberal news is rubbish. I get just as much news content from right-wing sources like pyjamas media as I do from any liberal ones (I wouldn’t be here commenting on this blog if I didn’t). Plus no matter how much you spin you get from either side of the political spectrum, there is no denying the facts on the ground. It is no secret that reconstruction is nowhere near what it needs to be to convince a sceptical and suspicious Iraq public - the Iraqi capital still runs short of electricity and other essential services. What solution has Bush proposed for that problem? 1.5 million Iraqis having fled the country during the last 3 years of the US occupation. The violence now is the worst it’s ever been (something everyone from top generals to the neo-cons now admit). In rough numerical terms, Iraqis are suffering the equivalent of a 9-11 every month from sectarian violence and terrorism with US troops all but powerless to stop it from happening. In a number of ways, the US performance in Iraq has actually been worse than in Vietnam. At least your predecessors in Vietnam had control of the capital Saigon. In Iraq they can’t even do that much. No disrespect intended for the troops - they’ve done a hell of a job given the circumstances. They’re main problem is the fact that they are lions being led by incompetent donkeys. Added to the fact that support for the war flew apart even faster than for the Vietnam War underlines the seriousness of the situation. Some of the smarter conservatives (like Richard Perle this week) realise the scale of the fuckup, but the slow learners apparently don’t. “Where you from, EmbersFire?” I’m from Ireland - a country where the issue of terrorism has been around for decades before it ever became a problem for the US. This week we hosted a delegation of Iraqis looking at what happened here in an effort to figure out what to do next in their country. You better wish them luck in their endeavour. They are certainly going to need it the way things are going. There are not going to find any answers from Bush and the bunch of clueless idiots and delusional fanatics who surround him. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-2437927,00.html When I see Americans squabbling over non-issues like pageboys, gay politicians and botched jokes by political has-beens while Iraq burns, I question whether the US is actually serious about obtaining a victory in Iraq. Contrast that with the war the Israelis fought in Lebanon. A botched job no doubt, but in the aftermath harsh lessons will be learned, their government will be held accountable and no sane Israeli politician would be reckless enough to do what Bush has done by exploiting war as a tool to divide his country for short-term political ends. So where is the fury at the incompetent job Bush has done? Where is the accountability? The right-wing noise machine continues to exploit the issue and drowns out any criticism, even if it will eventually cost them the war. If that appears to be the case, then they were never worthy of victory in the first place.
Comment by EmbersFire — 11/6/2006 @ 1:54 am
A PHONY war “hero”!
Comment by Mark Manozzi — 11/6/2006 @ 3:15 am
Another rhyme of history: military service and family strife… During the Vietnam years, it wasn’t unusual for fathers and sons to stop talking to each other over issues connected with the war and military service. Most often the father, usually a veteran who’d served……
Trackback by Winds of Change.NET — 11/6/2006 @ 4:15 am
One thing we may want to consider: the troops themselves may conclude that it’s stupid for them to put their lives on the line for John Kerry and his fellow effete blue-bloods. Why bother, if the self-annointed elites treat you with contempt? If that happens, then we will all be in serious trouble. ED NOTE: This is a particularly striking comment and yup, we would be in serious trouble. I don’t think this is going to happen. I know too many troops who live by the code dramatized in Henry V’s speech. The troops swear to uphold the US Constitution, and that entails defending even the “self-anointed elites” (SAEs)who mistreat them. Until the rise of alternative media, the SAEs could have it both ways –their condescension and derision on the one hand, the troops’ protection on the other. Now they confront blowback, via email, websites, talk radio, etc. The SAEs want to “feel good about themselves.” Events like the Kerry “botched joke” and responses like the now classic “Jon Cary halp” photo from Iraq at least prick their bubble, and the prick leaves them feeling at least a bit discomfited. Witness some of the comments to this post– uneasiness feeds their resentment. A couple of them want to deny the existence of the “old troop” in Guatemala. The man exists, and I read the grafs with his story to him on the phone before I published the post. I found a phone number, took the chance it was still good, and called him long distance. If he’d said “nay” I wouldn’t have included his story in the post. He didn’t. He told me my description captured his emotion very well. And it was a complex emotion. The emotional reactions by vets sparked by Kerry’s Winter Soldier slander are complex, the intricate kind best treated in high-quality biographies and well-done novels– in other words, exploring these complexities takes development beyond the usual scope of an essay. Yes, a good poem can capture it, but those poems are exceedingly rare (Kipling is the exception– “Tommy this and Tommy that”).  Later, after my pal had read the entire post, he dropped me an email and commended the post. This is a commendation that counts. But to get back to your point– American soldiers like him aren’t going to quit just because dudes like Kerry disgust them. And I think you know there are a lot of soldiers like “the old troop.” Aren’t we lucky there are. And that’s a statement, not a question.
Comment by Brown Line — 11/6/2006 @ 7:03 am
Wow. Well writ.
Comment by Oligonicella — 11/6/2006 @ 8:04 am
I served a three year hitch in the Army from 1961 to 1964 … some of which was in Nam. I never saw, nor participated in, any of the atrocities that Kerry claimed I was part of. In 2004 I gave heavily to the Swift Boat Vets just to send a message to the Great Pretender (Kerry). Some of the best money I ever spent! The really sad thing is just how close he came to being the CIC. That, to this day, makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
Comment by Vulgorilla — 11/6/2006 @ 8:14 am
[…] Austin Bay sums up Kerry’s Big Problem — and the problem ain’t just Kerry’s either: That night I took the still-boxed Chivas to one of the troops –a tired, exhausted fellow who had earned a gift so precious. He shook his head when I passed him the scotch. I told him, “You’ve earned it.†He looked at his watch, observed we were ten minutes from midnight, and said “You and I are now off duty.†I sipped a thumbs worth of scotch in my canteen cup (there is no more pleasureable a vessel for imbibing booze). […]
Pingback by Cold Fury » Skipping out on history — 11/6/2006 @ 8:38 am
Austin Bay on The Military, Kerry and Honor… Austin Bay has an impressive piece on Kerry’s slander and its aftermath. In yesterday’s Los Angeles Times, Jonathan Chait was assuring the Beltway-Manhatten media elite that the Kerry slander didn’t matter. “Everybody in professional politics,……
Trackback by Hugh Hewitt — 11/6/2006 @ 8:58 am
I was a Vietnam War protestor, and I probably would have believed John Kerry had I been aware of his “Winter Soldier” testimony (I was not). Shame on me. I’ve learned a lot about honor in my adult life. Tears ran down my cheeks when I heard Kenneth Branagh speak those words of Crispen’s Day in the movie “Henry the V”. I’m glad I’ve learned something as I’ve grown older (apparently unlike Mr. Kerry), and I’m actually a bit sorry I never was a soldier.
Comment by Randolph Resor — 11/6/2006 @ 9:36 am
Good piece, Austin. You captured a lot of memories in that commentary. Like your friend in Guatamala, I too was in Vietnam in 1971 with the Special Forces. We read of Kerry’s testimony in Stars & Stripes but the full impact didn’t hit us until return to CONUS. Then for decades of active duty and afterwards we have been defamed and slandered by the comments he and the Winter Soldier crowd made. Kerry’s testimony literally birthed the mythology of the Viet Vet that persists to this day. We see it in film (Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Deerhunter, et al), novels, and media. Thanks for people like Jug Burkett (Stolen Valor), O’Neill and the Swiftboat crowd, fomer POWs like Bud Day, and the millions of vets who live productive lives remembering honorable - but unappreciated - service. That’s why so many of us go ballistic when the same bunch of losers slander the troops of today, arguably the greatest military ever fielded. Thanks for the piece, Gordon
Comment by Gordon Cucullu — 11/6/2006 @ 9:51 am
If no one is going to reply to EmbersFire as a 7th generation Irish American I’ll give it a go. He seems to have all the Democratic talking points down. The support for the war is greating influenced by the MSM. The Tet offensive in Vietnam was a tremendous loss for North Vietnam. However, thanks to Uncle Walter and MSM it became an American loss with much help from the Democrats. Once again we win every battle and are lossing the war. We have fought a good number of wars that did not go well at the beginning starting with our revolution. It is exceedingly easy to stand on the sidelines and throw stones. I never see any helpful suggestions from you people. I don’t believe anyone is happy with how things are going. However, when the soldier fighting the war believe the cause is just and want to finish the job and listen to them and not some big with no iron in the fire. You Europeans will not let any good deed go unpunished. Why don’t you take your puny Irish army over there and show us how it’s done and leave our president alone. We elected him and you have no voice in it.
Comment by Bill Day — 11/6/2006 @ 12:06 pm
The real reason that so many Europeans like Embersfire are upset about Iraq is that it serves as a rallying point for the Arabs living among them under a regime of racist isolation unseen in the West since the 1950s era of Jim Crow. The only difference being that there are no explicit signs. In France, the banlieu are on fire. Look what the jihadis tried to do in the UK, Germany too. If all Moslems were really that upset with the war in Iraq, you would think that the attacks would be happening here. Maybe they will, but the Europeans are reminded every day of their racist chickens coming home to roost.
Comment by moptop — 11/6/2006 @ 12:51 pm
What the European govternments really want is a “strong hand” in the Middle East, like Saddam’s, that can be bought. Both can use anti-Americanism to remain in power. This is the policy that brought us 911 when it got out of hand. On this, it is unlikely that Europeans and Americans can ever agree.
Comment by moptop — 11/6/2006 @ 12:57 pm
I served as an infantry officer in VN in 1969 and saw Kerry’s 1971 TV testimony. The strong impression it left was that he served honorably but others committed atrocities - thus he was forced to throw his medals back, etc. This was enough to make voting for him impossible - ever. Younger folks harbor the mistaken sense that Kerry acted out of courage. Of course, How could they know how popular and politically expedient such gestures were in 1971? The swift boat did point out something for me - he only served 3 months and slept on a boat. Not much exposure to or judgement of war crimes possible from that vantage point. As pointed out here, Kerry had 30 years to apologize for 1971 and couldn’t bring himself to it. This is a fatal arrogance. It appears he cannot supress what used to be called the “harvard yard sneer” although he attended Yale.
Comment by d wagner — 11/6/2006 @ 1:21 pm
“By Grabthar’s Hammer I hope that John Kerry will never be president, particularly if this great country of ours is attacked by Islamojihadists, possibly using airplanes in a coordinated attack a mere two years hence…give or take. No, by God, I want to be led by someone who kept the gooks out of South Texas during those last dark days of the Vietnam war when our hands were tied by the media and we were…this …close to winning.” Then he stared into his empty cup and I thought I saw a tear start to form, but no, he looked up at me with eyes like a tiger, a wounded but proud tiger, a tiger who had seen too much and fought so bravely. And then he raised one leg and let loose with a high piercing trumpet blast of MRE-induced gas. To my ears it sounded like reveille; a call to arms. Suddenly I felt my own eyes start to tear up. God, I love war.
Comment by gary — 11/6/2006 @ 1:23 pm
The contempt and the gloom… In a season of lies, a bold truth is like a chill wind. It seems to go right through you so that you feel it in your bones. Austin Bay uttered such a truth yesterday “I was in Vietnam in 1971,†my buddy continued. “I didn’t commit any war crime…
Trackback by UNCoRRELATED — 11/6/2006 @ 1:40 pm
The other problem with people asking us to hold “sacred” the documents that talk about Kerry’s military record is that the same people never seem to have much respect for the documents that say Bush served honorably, too. Can’t have it both ways on that one.
Comment by dperry — 11/6/2006 @ 1:45 pm
I served in Nam’67-68 and again in 72-73. I have always considered Kerry as a certifiable traitor and could never understand half the American people not being able to understand who he was. No thanks to the MSM and the Democratic party for misleading the American people. My hope is that Col. Bud Day’s lawsuit to correct the truth about Kerry is successful for all the world to see and that Kerry receives his just and ignoble place in history. JS
Comment by Jake Sorensen — 11/6/2006 @ 3:32 pm
Hmmm, I’ve heard stories from at least 3 people that wouldn’t have testified, but have told me they personally witnessed Vietnamese being shot, bludgened, mutilated and worse. Oh, suddenly I feel like a traitor! Oh no, poor me. All of you vets that never saw horror in Nam are liars, plain and simple. You’re hiding, you want to feel that you were part of something honorable and you’re totally unable to accept that horrible things happened in Nam. Human nature, but to call Kerry a traitor is just a pathetic form of self-denial and you’re allowing yourselves to be herded into similar thinking groups. Time to wake up, gentlemen, and stop lying to yourselves.
Comment by BinkyBoy — 11/6/2006 @ 3:52 pm
Some time back, the Houston Comical printed an editorial by Mr. Bay explaining why we were in Iraq. Anyone know where I can find it?
Comment by Roy Yates — 11/6/2006 @ 4:44 pm
BinkyBoy, did it occur to you that the guys telling you those sea stories were just trying to play to your sense of pity and compassion, with the intent of taking you to bed? Or maybe they scoped you out as the type that likes rough trade, and decided to appeal to you that way.
Comment by Mike James — 11/6/2006 @ 5:46 pm
Just one thing to say as to Kerry’s alleged “joke” and whether it revealed his real feelings on the matter: He certainly didn’t allow himself to get “stuck” in Viet Nam, now did he?
Comment by Douglas Carpenter — 11/6/2006 @ 5:53 pm
Binky, You belive your “war heroes”? I’ll bet you belive Olberman.
Comment by unkawill — 11/6/2006 @ 8:45 pm
Aw, come on, it was just a joke. A big joke. Kerry’s political career, I mean. All of it. Not funny, but still a joke. If Kerry was really trying to say Bush is stupid and that Bush is stuck in Iraq because Bush is lazy and uneducated, if that was his insult-cum-joke, well, it just shows Kerry pandering to his sophmoric audience. He he may have gotten away with it if not for the microphones and cameras and the rightwing blogosphere and talk rado. Kerry’s audience didn’t jeer or boo his stupid line. They chuckled and later applauded this weak-minded nitwit. Not because they are college students, but because they are college students without the decency to comprehend that they own the words that they approved of in Kerry’s glib talk. Anyone defending his line, or his spin on that line, also owns Kerry’s words. And another thing, Kerry is a *$#@()!*&@#!**@, anyway. He hasn’t he guts to mean what he says and to say what he means. So he doesn’t know what will come out of his mouth at any given moment. He can’t recall the truth of anything he has ever done or said. He is the worst kind of self-professed smart guy. That is, Kerry is a really lazy and stupid smart guy. In polite terms, he is a fool’s fool. I found it amusing the way he delivered the line with the practiced air of having said it, and having heard it, a thousand times, but at the same time being too familiar with the line to pull-off a fresh delivery. Then he pretends not to get that he had insulted anyone who had served in this country’s military. Then he pretends to have made a joke that the rest of the world just wasn’t smart enough to “get”. Then the line was just his varying from his text, as if the “warm-up” lines were unrehearsed or lacked forethought. Then he says he messed up a good joke — which was really just a stab at delivering an insult to eager ears. Now he is in seclusion unable to defend his honor due to his lack of honor. Kerry is the sort of candidate for office that a challenger must surely dream about running against. But I guess for the nationally the Republicans benefit far too much from letting Kerry be Kerry, the junior of Ted Kennedy, also valued for his being Kennedy.
Comment by F. Rottles — 11/6/2006 @ 11:01 pm
Warfare Class… Christopher Hitchens’ “steel-toed kicking” of John Kerry is entertaining and on point. Underneath his dismantling of a man who is and always has been less than he seems, however, lies a point that doesn’t get……
Trackback by Winds of Change.NET — 11/7/2006 @ 8:46 pm
MR. Bay, This is the longest post I’ve ever seen on your blog. Good stuff. Kerry’s not a blueblood just a hanger on. Why was he allowed in 71 to be before the Senate Com. when he admitted that he didn’t see anything he spoke about but heard it from others. How’s that for speaking truth to power! I guess the truth is what you can get away with.
Comment by Nike in NY — 11/7/2006 @ 11:03 pm
In a gentler age Kerry would simply have been referred to as a fop, and that term still applies. Sadly it doesn’t address his complete lack of honor, but in that same gentler age a man would need to be taken seriously for that issue to arise–and Kerry merits no such consideration….
Comment by ipw533 — 11/8/2006 @ 8:53 pm
Outstanding piece Austin! Its chilling to think this guy almost became President of the United States of America. I salute the all men and women that have served and who are currently serving this great country. I despised John Kerry in the 1960’s for what he said and I despise John Kerry now for what he continues to say.
Comment by Brent E. Burnett — 11/11/2006 @ 5:39 pm
[…] Read this for background. […]
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