Veterans with Bush Truth Squad blast attacks on Kerry's war record

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By Bret Hayworth, Journal staff writer

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Members of the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth group did not serve with Kerry in Vietnam, but question the particulars by which Kerry earned several military awards. Gil Zemansky, former senior adviser to the Vietnamese River Patrol Division in the early 1970s, called on the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth to stop a "smear campaign" that is politically based. Zemansky said he agreed with the remarks last week of Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam veteran, who called ads criticizing Kerry's Vietnam service as "dishonest and dishonorable."

Zemansky said the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth comprises Republican-connected persons, including John O'Neill, whose activities the president should condemn. "It goes beyond criticism, it is smearing," Zemansky said. Sioux City veterans Gene Ebner and Bob Miller said the Bush campaign is using low tactics by not disassociating from the swiftboat group.

State Rep. Roger Wendt of Sioux City said there were lots of ways of getting out of Vietnam War service, including fleeing to Canada, getting a college deferment or serving in the National Guard. Yet Kerry volunteered and found himself part of some "of the most dangerous assignments" in Vietnam, Wendt said.

Zemansky said Bush "didn't keep his commitment to the country when it was his turn to serve" (in the National Guard) and questioned Bush administration officials Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz leading the war effort after never serving in the military themselves.

More: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2004/08/14/news/local/bb9af540e11a3bed86256ef00018a9bf.txt

[molly]

1. This is another totally stupid ploy

by * backers. This will come back and bite them hard.