William B. Rood: `This is what I saw that day'
And the repudiations of the charges against Kerry by the Swift Boat Veterans for (apparently un-)Truth just keep coming. Released today were to eyewitness accounts that support Kerry's version of events and contradict, sharply, those of Bush's backers.
First is William B. Rood, who commanded another Swift Boat during the same operation and was awarded the Bronze Star himself for his role in attacking the Viet Cong ambushers. He said Kerry and he went ashore at the same time after being attacked by several Viet Cong onshore. Rood said he was the only other officer present. Rood is now an editor on the metropolitan desk of the Chicago Tribune, which published his first-person account of the incident in its Sunday edition. Rood said he had refused all interviews about Kerry's war record, even from reporters for his own paper, until motivated to speak up because Kerry's critics are telling "stories I know to be untrue" and "their version of events has splashed doubt on all of us." Read his piece. It's truly something special.
Then yesterday The Washington Post independently contacted a participant who has not spoken out so far in favor of either Kerry or his attackers who remembers coming under enemy fire. "There was a lot of firing going on, and it came from both sides of the river," said Wayne D. Langhofer, who manned a machine gun aboard PCF-43, the boat that was directly behind Kerry's. Langhofer said he distinctly remembered the "clack, clack, clack" of enemy AK-47s, as well as muzzle flashes from the riverbanks.
This really ought to be the last word on this whole sordid affair. But I'm sure it won't. Up next from the Swift Boat Vets for Lies is an attack ad centering on Kerry's anti-war protests.
Great. Just so long as we can keep the focus OFF all the fuckups and wrongdoing of the Bush administration these last 3.5 years. Geez.
First is William B. Rood, who commanded another Swift Boat during the same operation and was awarded the Bronze Star himself for his role in attacking the Viet Cong ambushers. He said Kerry and he went ashore at the same time after being attacked by several Viet Cong onshore. Rood said he was the only other officer present. Rood is now an editor on the metropolitan desk of the Chicago Tribune, which published his first-person account of the incident in its Sunday edition. Rood said he had refused all interviews about Kerry's war record, even from reporters for his own paper, until motivated to speak up because Kerry's critics are telling "stories I know to be untrue" and "their version of events has splashed doubt on all of us." Read his piece. It's truly something special.
Then yesterday The Washington Post independently contacted a participant who has not spoken out so far in favor of either Kerry or his attackers who remembers coming under enemy fire. "There was a lot of firing going on, and it came from both sides of the river," said Wayne D. Langhofer, who manned a machine gun aboard PCF-43, the boat that was directly behind Kerry's. Langhofer said he distinctly remembered the "clack, clack, clack" of enemy AK-47s, as well as muzzle flashes from the riverbanks.
This really ought to be the last word on this whole sordid affair. But I'm sure it won't. Up next from the Swift Boat Vets for Lies is an attack ad centering on Kerry's anti-war protests.
Great. Just so long as we can keep the focus OFF all the fuckups and wrongdoing of the Bush administration these last 3.5 years. Geez.
posted by Price at 1:25 PM
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