"Carrie Seddon" wrote in message
...
Conduct Unbecoming
Kerry doesn't deserve Vietnam vets' support.

BY STEPHEN SHERMAN Guest to the Wall Street Journal
Monday, January 26, 2004

A turning point may have been reached in the Iowa caucuses when Special
Forces Lt. James Rassmann came forward to thank John Kerry for saving his
life
in Vietnam. Although Mr. Rassmann, like most of my veteran friends, is a
Republican, he said that he'd vote for Mr. Kerry. I don't know if the
incident
influenced the caucus results. But I took special interest in the story
because Jim served in my unit.

I think it was the $6.5 million Kerry got from mortgaging Mrs. Heinz' house
that bought the Iowa cacuses for Kerry.

Service in Vietnam is an important credential to me. Many felt that such
service was beneath them, and removed themselves from the manpower pool.
That
Mr. Kerry served at all is a reason for a bond with fellow veterans; that
his
service earned him a Bronze Star for Valor ("for personal bravery") and a
Silver Star ("for gallantry") is even more compelling.

More impressive was Representative Ford saying Kerry has 2 siver stars and a
bronze star on Fox this morning.

Unfortunately, Mr.
Kerry came home to Massachusetts, the one state George McGovern carried in
1972. He joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and emceed the Winter
Soldier Investigation (both financed by Jane Fonda). Many veterans believe
these protests led to more American deaths, and to the enslavement of the
people on whose behalf the protests were ostensibly being undertaken. But
being a take-charge kind of guy, Mr. Kerry became a leader in the VVAW and
even testified before Congress on the findings of the Investigation, which
he
accepted at face value.

Some South Viet Namese were literally sold into slavery, to pay the Soviet
Union for their support.