'Veteran retracts criticism of Kerry'

[Chiwas]

Veteran retracts criticism of Kerry
By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff | August 6, 2004

WASHINGTON -- A week after Senator John F. Kerry heralded his wartime experience by surrounding himself at the Democratic convention with his Vietnam ''Band of Brothers," a separate group of veterans has launched a television ad campaign and a book that questions the basis for some of Kerry's combat medals.

But yesterday, a key figure in the anti-Kerry campaign, Kerry's former commanding officer, backed off one of the key contentions. Lieutenant Commander George Elliott said in an interview that he had made a ''terrible mistake" in signing an affidavit that suggests Kerry did not deserve the Silver Star -- one of the main allegations in the book. The affidavit was given to The Boston Globe by the anti-Kerry group to justify assertions in their ad and book.

Elliott is quoted as saying that Kerry ''lied about what occurred in Vietnam . . . for example, in connection with his Silver Star, I was never informed that he had simply shot a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back."

The statement refers to an episode in which Kerry killed a Viet Cong soldier who had been carrying a rocket launcher, part of a chain of events that formed the basis of his Silver Star. Over time, some Kerry critics have questioned whether the soldier posed a danger to Kerry's crew. Crew members have said Kerry's actions saved their lives.

Yesterday, reached at his home, Elliott said he regretted signing the affidavit and said he still thinks Kerry deserved the Silver Star.

''I still don't think he shot the guy in the back," Elliott said. ''It was a terrible mistake probably for me to sign the affidavit with those words. I'm the one in trouble here."

Elliott said he was no under personal or political pressure to sign the statement, but he did feel ''time pressure" from those involved in the book. ''That's no excuse," Elliott said. ''I knew it was wrong . . . In a hurry I signed it and faxed it back. That was a mistake."

The affidavit also contradicted earlier statements by Elliott, who came to Boston during Kerry's 1996 Senate campaign to defend Kerry on similar charges, saying that Kerry acted properly and deserved the Silver Star.

The book, ''Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," is to be published next week. Yesterday it reached number one on the bestseller list on Amazon.com, based on advance orders, in part because of publicity about it on the Drudge Report.

The book seeks to undermine one of the central claims of Kerry's campaign -- that his Vietnam War heroism would make him a good commander in chief.

While the Regnery Publishing yesterday declined to release an advance copy of the book, Drudge's website quotes it as saying, ''Elliott indicates that a Silver Star recommendation would not have been made by him had he been aware of the actual facts." Continued...

More...

[Dooby]

This is the kind of stuff I was referring to in my earlier post in the McCain thread.

[Drbio]

I have no problem with Kerry earning a Silver Star if he earned it. Since I (and none of us here) were there, who knows what really happened. HOWEVER....when the men who served for, next to and under you overwhelmingly state that the man is unfit to be commander-in-chief, that speaks volumes.

[FishForLunch]

Doc you dont get it "NEXT" to Kerry really means those you were close enough to smell his jock strap. Thats what the Dem lawyers are implying

[u2sarajevo]

Veteran retracts criticism of Kerry.......


OR not.....

Anti-Kerry Vietnam Veterans Hold Strong
link

The following statement from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is in response to an article appearing in the morning edition of the Boston Globe (“Veteran Retracts Criticism of Kerry”) which implies that one Vietnam Veteran wishes to retract an affidavit he signed regarding John Kerry’s actions during and after Kerry’s time in Vietnam. The signed affidavit can be seen below.
"Captain George Elliott describes an article appearing in today’s edition of the Boston Globe by Mike Kranish as extremely inaccurate and highly misstating his actual views. He reaffirms his statement in the current advertisement paid for by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Captain Elliott reaffirms his affidavit [see below] in support of that advertisement, and he reaffirms his request that the ad be played.

“Additional documentation will follow. “The article by Mr. Kranish is particularly surprising given page 102 of Mr. Kranish’s own book quoting John Kerry as acknowledging that he killed a single, wounded, fleeing Viet Cong soldier whom he was afraid would turn around.

“Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has more than 250 supporters who are revealing first hand, eyewitness accounts of numerous incidents concerning John Kerry’s military service record. The organization will continue to discuss much of what John Kerry has reported as fact concerning his four-month tour of duty in Vietnam.”

[Mavdog]

My opinion is that Mr. Elliot is being used. I have to assume that he is an elderly man, he was a Commander in 68 so he must be in his 70's at the least. Here's what he said about Kerry previously (he campaigned for Kerry in his Senate race BTW);

"In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed," wrote one of Kerry's commanding officers, Lieutenant Commander George Elliott. "He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity. . . . LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group. His bearing and appearance are above reproach."

[sturm und drang]

Originally posted by: FishForLunch
Doc you dont get it "NEXT" to Kerry really means those you were close enough to smell his jock strap. Thats what the Dem lawyers are implying

Please just go away. You have nothing to add. Ever.

[mavsman55]

Originally posted by: sturm und drang

Please just go away. You have nothing to add. Ever.

It was a joke. Don't you get it?

[Dooby]

Retraction retracted.

"Captain George Elliott describes an article appearing in today’s edition of the Boston Globe by Mike Kranish as extremely inaccurate and highly misstating his actual views."

[Mavdog]

I wonder, is he going to retract his retraction of his retraction of his statement, which contradicted his original statement?

[dude1394]

Maybe he'll vote for it before he votes against it.

[Chiwas]

Better to think twice than to not think any.

[dude1394]

Or 3 or 4 times would be even better huh? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Mavdog]

as yogi said "I made a wrong mistake."

[FishForLunch]

Please just go away. You have nothing to add. Ever.

Strum why dont you stay in the lounge and talk about Quotes or what movie is playing.

[dude1394]

Looks also as if the globe pulled a dowd on this fella.

Doh...Dowded again!

Here is the globe quote:

Elliott is quoted as saying that Kerry ''lied about what occurred in Vietnam . . . for example, in connection with his Silver Star, I was never informed that he had simply shot a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back."

Here is the complete quote without the "dowdifying ellipses".

[quote]
Let's restore the missing ellipsis, emboldening the excerpted bit:

When Kerry came back to the United States he lied about what ocurred in Vietnam, comparing his commanders to Lt. Calley of My Lai, comparing the American armed forces to the army of Ghengis Khan, and making similar misstatements. Kerry was also not forthright in Vietnam. For example, in connection with his Silver Star, I was never informed that he had simply shot a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back.

Hello, Mr. Reporter! When Capt. Elliot "backed off one of the key contentions", was it the My Lai complaint, or the Ghengis Khan comparison? Or was it one example preceded by "for example"?

[Evilmav2]

So, Michael Kranish, the Boston Globe clown who wrote the foreward to Kerry/Edward's campaign book "Our Plan for America" and was one of the ghost writers for "Tour of Duty", "broke" this story? And now Lieutenant Commander George Elliott says the obviously impartial Kranish fabricated that story and completely misrepresented what he said in interview?

The above posted article is obviously a heaping crock of stinky shit, and I sincerely hope that anyone who buys what Kranish and the Kerry campaign are selling here, heartily enjoy smacking into their corn-ridden, brown, runny sandwiches...