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| Judicial Watch Calls For Investigation Into Kerry's Medals, Anti-War Actions |
| 2004-08-19 |
| (Washington, D.C.) — Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today filed a request with the U.S. Navy and the Defense Department for an investigation into the awards granted to Sen. John Kerry during his service with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam. Judicial Watch also requested that military authorities investigate Kerry's anti-war activities, including his meeting with North Vietnamese and Viet Cong delegations in Paris, while a member of the Naval Reserve. Basing its requests on a recently published book, Unfit for Command, by former Navy officer John E. O'Neill and Harvard University professor Jerome R. Corsi, and on news media interviews of other officers and sailors who served with Kerry, Judicial Watch notes that unresolved allegations against Kerry include: false official reports and statements; dishonorable conduct; aiding the enemy; dereliction of duty; misuse and abuse of U.S. government equipment and property; war crimes; and multiple violations of U.S. Navy regulations and directives, the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the U.S. Code. Kerry was awarded three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star for "wounds" received and actions in Vietnam, but eyewitnesses refute his version of a number of the events that were the basis for receiving the commendations. Judicial Watch is asking the Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy, including its Department Board of Decorations and Medals, to look into the circumstances surrounding Kerry's awards. Judicial Watch also is requesting an investigation of Kerry's anti-war activities. After he was released from active duty but while he was a commissioned officer in the inactive Naval Reserve, Kerry joined the anti-war group Vietnam Veterans Against the War and traveled to Paris to meet with delegations from North Vietnam and the Communist Viet Cong. He held a press conference in Washington, D.C., following the meeting and advocated the "peace proposal," which included war damage reparations, put forth by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. "The allegations concerning Kerry's conduct during the Vietnam War are credible, serious and shocking," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "The sooner an investigation begins, the better." |
| Posted by:Norman Rogers |
| #5 What's with the cartoons yesterday? Was everyone rereading the Clutch Cargo thread from last year? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-08-20 7:21:50 AM |
| #4 I think Kerry is channeling Commander Mc Bragg from the Underdog Show. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-08-20 12:57:17 AM |
| #3 I wouldn't even bother with an investigation. Just expose his phony BS publicly and ridicule him publicly. There's other things more worthy of JW's time and money than Kerry's exaggerations/lies. The blogosphere is already doing a pretty good job of picking him apart. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-08-19 4:07:21 PM |
| #2 Upon the conclusion of the Viet Nam war, a study was done at the Pentagon concerning the criterion used by the services in recognizing âheroicâ action in a combat situation. In a nutshell, following Tet (Feb â68), there was a marked increase (explosion) in the type and number of awards. Not necessarily because there was an accompanying increase in heroic events, but rather there was a perceived need to create âheroesâ. What passed for âdoing oneâs jobâ became âgallantry in actionâ. Not all the services bought into the inflation program, with the Medal of Honor holding its unique status. The US Army and the Marines, for the most part, restrained the urge to âpassâem outâ while the USN and USAF were nearly tied for recognizing their own on every occasion. Even among the returning POWâs there was a distinct gap between what was considered âappropriateâ. The USAF and USN averaged seven and six awards per individual, while the US Army and Marines four. The most numerous medal issuedâ¦the Purple Heart. A Marine once wrote following his tour in Nam: Iâm reminded of Napoleonâs observation that he could get soldiers to risk their lives fighting his battles for nothing more than a piece of ribbon. But, there was a little of Napoleonâs soldier in all of us: we wanted to return home with at least one piece of ribbon. I guess some of us were willing to pay any price to get itâ¦right Mr. Kerry! |
| Posted by: RN 2004-08-19 3:46:15 PM |
| #1 Is Judicial Watch small enough to be ignored by the MSM? I guess we'll find out. |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2004-08-19 3:38:17 PM |