Gen. Franks Criticizes Kerry And a Know-Nothing for Kerry Responds

Yahoo! News - Retired Gen. Franks Criticizes Kerry
Here's an interesting tale of truth and fiction:

By MARTIN GRIFFITH, Associated Press Writer

RENO, Nev. - Retired Gen. Tommy Franks launched a four-state campaign swing for President Bush by criticizing Sen. John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activities and voting record on the military.

Franks, former commander of forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, faulted Kerry's votes on major weapons systems and intelligence issues, and against the 1991 Gulf War.

"If his voting record ruled the day, Saddam Hussein would not only be running Iraq but Kuwait," Franks told about 200 people Sunday at a Reno rally...Franks praised the Democratic challenger's military service during the Vietnam War, but said Kerry's later anti-war activities upset him. "The men I served with in Vietnam weren't war criminals and I'm proud I served with them," Franks said.

Franks, a registered independent in Florida who has voted for both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, said he decided to endorse Bush because of his handling of the war against terrorism...

"I know a commander in chief when I see one and there's only one on the ballot," Franks said. "After September 11th, we were blessed to have a commander in chief who said enough is enough. "There are two options: to fight them (terrorists) over there or to fight them over here. I'm an over-there-kind-of-guy," he said..."

General Franks is really one of the good guys. Speaks his mind and speaks it clearly and without nuance. Not much doubt about where he stands.

In response to his comments, the Kerry campaign offered up a total Know-Nothing:

Kerry spokesman Sean Smith accused Franks of distorting Kerry's Senate voting record...

Kerry never branded any U.S. troops in Vietnam as war criminals, Smith added.

"The men who served with him in Vietnam are with him in his campaign and have been with him for 35 years," he said. "I think that says it all."

Sean Smith must wander through life without learning much.

Here's part of Kerry's opening statement during his 1971 testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations:

"I would like to talk, representing all those veterans, and say that several months ago in Detroit, we had an investigation at which over 150 honorably discharged and many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia, not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command."

and this:

"We who have come here to Washington have come here because we feel we have to be winter soldiers now. We could come back to this country; we could be quiet; we could hold our silence; we could not tell what went on in Vietnam, but we feel because of what threatens this country, the fact that the crimes threaten it, no reds, and not redcoats but the crimes which we are committing that threaten it, that we have to speak out."

and this:

"We are here in Washington also to say that the problem of this war is not just a question of war and diplomacy. It is part and parcel of everything that we are trying as human beings to communicate to people in this country, the question of racism, which is rampant in the military, and so many other questions also, the use of weapons, the hypocrisy in our taking umbrage in the Geneva Conventions and using that as justification for a continuation of this war, when we are more guilty than any other body of violations of those Geneva Conventions, in the use of free fire zones, harassment interdiction fire, search and destroy missions, the bombings, the torture of prisoners, the killing of prisoners, accepted policy by many units in South Vietnam. That is what we are trying to say. It is party and parcel of everything."

and this:
http://ice.he.net/~freepnet/kerry/index.php?topic=Timeline

April 18, 1971 -- John Kerry and Al Hubbard appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" to allege widespread atrocities by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. Hubbard is introduced
as a former Air Force captain who had spent two years in Vietnam and was wounded in action. Kerry seems to admit to committing war crimes, saying, "There are all
kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages."

Well, Mr.Smith? Are you going to try again to say that John Kerry "Kerry never branded any U.S. troops in Vietnam as war criminals?" Is it really your position that if someone repeats a slander that means he didn't say it himself?

As for your contention that the "The men who served with him in Vietnam are with him in his campaign..." - I suggest you visit www.swiftvets.com and learn about those men who served with him who are not with him.

Update: Corrected posting date

Update: Beldar like General Franks line about "I know a commander in chief when I see one and there's only one on the ballot"