In Vietnam, Kerry met one of the Viet Cong who was in the ambush that led to Kerry's

[karynnj]

Silver star. This has to be an incredible emotional moment for Secretary Kerry on his last diplomatic mission in a career where he actually did help the world avoid at least one war ... with the Iran Nuclear Deal. Then his comment to his peers went back to what he experienced as a young sailor.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/back-on-the-mekong-delta-john-kerry-finds-a-man-who-once-tried-to-kill-him-and-exoneration/2017/01/14/89ae82a0-d9ce-11e6-a0e6-d502d6751bc8_story.html?utm_term=.5fd7dbf4a38b

[MBS]

1. What a wonderful story.

In addition to the humanity of this moment, it was also satisfying (given the Republicans' juvenile and unjustified attacks on Kerry's war record in 2004) to see the Vietnamese ex-Viet Cong soldier validate Kerry's heroism.

[karynnj]

2. One of the TV news shows validated the story by speaking to villagers in 2004,

but it is incredible that the US consulate obviously with the help of the Vietnamese found one of the Viet Cong. His comment here - that they heard the boat coming shows, first of all,shows how stupid and wasteful that entire using small boats on the canals "to show the flag" was. That NO ONE on Kerry's boat died now can be seen to because he led them in responding differently AND that his quick reflexes, courage, and athletic ability enabled him to prevent the gunner from killing everyone on that boat! (Odd that that almost sounds like the Onion Kerry caricature.)

[democrank]

3. Must have been such a bittersweet moment for veteran John Kerry.

~PEACE~

[karynnj]

5. You can kind of see that in the photos on the State Department site going there

He is shown with David Thorne, who has been his best friend since college who was also a vet. They do not have any photos there yet of the meeting or any after that. https://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos

His short comment to his peers after the Iran Nuclear Deal was done, where he chocked up as he said that his experience when he was young in the war, led him to hope that if he was ever in a position of power to prevent a war.

[brer cat]

4. Very moving account. K&R

[HoneyBadger]

6. That is pretty cool

Obviously we should forgive anything done in the context of war

[karynnj]

8. Not to mention, that this was an ambush - exactly like many that had killed and maimed

sailors in other swiftboats.

From Tour of Duty and other sources, Kerry had tried to figure out a way to respond that was different from being the sitting ducks that the swiftboats were in the narrow channels. (Kerry joined many others in protesting what they were assigned to do, but his superiors continued to assign those missions.)

From the book, Kerry spoke first to some of his crew and then to his peers, using paper cups to describe how they could surprise the enemy and actually attack them with all their guns facing the shore from which the Viet Cong were attacking from. The skippers of the other two boats with him bought into Kerry's plan ahead of time.

The result was that all the men on Kerry's boat and the other two boats survived. Kerry's athletic ability, quick reflexes and courage were needed as well. Without his action, many of the them would have been killed.

[appal_jack]

7. Kerry is a hero in so many ways.

Last edited Sat Jan 14, 2017, 02:31 PM - Edit history (1)

I am so proud to have John Kerry as Secretary of State, and grateful for the statecraft skills he has brought to the effort to promote international peace over the past four years, in addition to all his heroic service, from back in Vietnam to the present day.

On the other hand, I am so ashamed of those 'Americans' (i.e.- the worst of the Repubs) who saw fit to mock Kerry's service and sacrifice in 2004, running around with purple heart band aids on their bloated, contemptuous, and contemptible faces like they had some goddamned point to make.

We all need to heed the lesson that hateful ideology like the Swift Boat Veterans for 'Truth' (sic) attacks of 2004 can make Americans believe absurdities. And from there, it's only a small step to committing atrocities. The incoming administration seems to want us to believe many, many hateful absurdities...

-app

[karynnj]

9. He has been a hero on many many levels throughout his long career of public

service. He is the finest leader of his generation - skilled, principled, courageous and brilliant.

As to the SBVT attacks -- getting away with attacking Kerry's well documented service record, can be said to have led them to think they could challenge Obama's birth certificate (even when the Honolulu hospital listed his birth in the newspaper).