McCain is A Criminal, Not A Hero

It has to be said over and over again that John McCain is NOT a war hero; he is a war criminal. He flew 22 bombing missions lasting about 30 minutes each time dropping bombs not only on "military" targets but also on civilian centers. He broke the very Geneva Convention rules he claims to put so much stock in by violating the concept civilian centers are not to be endangered by use of weapons that indiscriminately kill enemy and non-enemy.

On McCain's 23rd mission he was shot down as he attempted to once again drop ordinance on areas with hundreds of civilians. Injured in the crash he was saved from villagers who could have well done him in. He did spend time in a POW camp but was treated preferentially for some time because he was the son of Admiral McCain of the Pacific fleet command.

McCain made several statements that were broadcast back to the States condemning the actions of pilots dropping bombs on civilians. He was the most frequently taped POW used for North Vietnamese propaganda. He was under severe duress few of us could ever understand but being captured doesn't make anyone a hero. It makes them a victim of war and a survivor.

McCain didn't have to see the results of his "work" on the ground as thousands of the combat troops in Vietnam had to do. He didn't have to endure heavy artillery, small arms fire and mortar rounds on a routine basis. He didn't have to walk trails as a daily routine looking for trip wires. He didn't have to see his best friend lose limbs or die bleeding out as evac helicopters were being waited on. McCain never had to see babies charred by napalm or entire villages burned to the ground by napalm. He never had to watch the results of white phosphorous on the human body.He never had to watch the parents crying as a result of his "work".

John McCain earned the bulk of his medals of valor automatically for being a POW not for the heroic act of facing enemy fire in an attempt to save other members of his unit. He never gave himself up to take wounded comrades out of harm's way. McCain never stormed a position of an enemy machine gun in an ambush. He was awarded the same medals of valor that those who did such things were awarded.

Much has been made of the reports by the Swift Boat idiots that smeared McCain and Kerry to further George W. Bush's career. One of the more notorious of that group has put out a lie filled book about Barack Obama which hit the top ten of many reader's lists because the right wing radical Christians bought the book in bulk for reading groups and to get the book on the lists.

We should be able to differientiate between the smear tactics of the right wing radicals and the truth of McCain's military record. We should realize McCain was a fuck up in the Naval Academy and during his flight school days to the point anybody but the son of a high ranking admiral would have been washed out more than likely with a less than honorable discharge. McCain was a "cowboy" who got away with recklessly crashing million dollar jets because he was the son of Admiral McCain. John McCain has always been part of a Praetorian Guard elitist group here in America.

The life of a POW is one that deserves recognition but isn't one that makes a man or woman necessarily a hero. A military record should be looked at for the entirety of the the time served in the military. When a man drops bombs indiscriminately on villages full of civilians he has acted without regard for human life and his actions are evil not heroic.Justifying such actions by saying one was just doing their duty or that it was just part of war doesn't detract from the criminality of the actions.

Whether we became part of My Lai type situations or dropped bombs on innocents, we who did time in Vietnam, weren't heroes for our actions simply because we spent time in combat or in a POW camp. We were participants in an immoral war that killed 3 million Vietnamese and left the lingering legacy of Agent Orange that still kills and deforms the Vietnamese.

John McCain started this campaign with an ad talking about those who told stories about war wistfully were either stupid or were never there. He has sold the press on his humility about his war record but at every stop his campaign has played the POW and hero card to sell his credentials for being a President. He made his "story" of POW a central part of the recent RNC speech he gave to accept the nomination.

His people made sure VFW members were up front for that speech. But McCain never mentioned VA care and benefits for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan despite a contingent of those vets marching in the streets to point out his poor record of helping other veterans.

McCain dismissed Adam Kokesh making it into XCEL to hold up a protest sign. Adam is a leader of veterans against the war. The ironic chant of "USA, USA" drowned out Adam, who went to war for those who were chanting. Their disregard was as bad as spitting on him.

The truth of John McCain's war is he spent about 24 to 48 total hours in an actual combat situation compared to an infantryman spending up to 13 months. His capture and time as a POW no doubt caused him great stress. He is without a doubt demonstrating symptoms of PTSD when he is observed to be Senator "McNasty" and when he screams at groups wanting him to support them on getting information about POW's whose bodies were never found.

McCain did block attempts to have the North Vietnamese release key documents that could help families determine if loved ones had been imprisoned or their bodies discovered by the Vietnamese. He verbally attacked a female in a wheelchair who was part of a POW family delegation demanding the release of documents from the North. According to that group, McCain was the only one opposing the release and his power on committees and his "hero" status kept the document release from occurring.

We must also remember John McCain, corruption fighter and reformer of this Presidential campaign, was a member of corrupt legislators called the Keating Five who enabled moneyed supporters to get away with stock scams back in the 80's. He continues to be in bed with lobbyists and money people who buy his influence with support for his campaign.

While others are hesitant to challenge the portrayal of McCain as a hero of this nation, I have no problem saying he was truly a "baby killer" by the action of dropping bombs on villages filled with innocent civilians. During an interview for Vanity Fair and The Nation in 2000, McCain told the interviewer his role as a naval pilot was the "perfect job" for him because he could shoot and blow up things and return in time for "happy hour".

McCain has never come across beng remorseful for the carnage he inflicted in those 22bombing runs before he was shotdown on the 23rd run. His remorse has always been about getting shot down and colluding with the enemy at times because of the duress he faced.

The experiences of John McCain has only made him a war monger who is unable to think of ways to avoid war by diplomatic process. He thinks only in terms of shallow "victory" in war without understanding the irreparable harm to civilians, American troops and the image of America around the world. He cares little we are looked upon as bullies and feared for our militarism. He cares little accidental bombings, that happen far too often, are incendiary symbols of our bullying and a great recruitment fodder for new insurgents, terrorists and others who come to hate America.

While it is important to keep the facts and sources straight about McCain, such as phony claims he's the Manchurian Candidate and the "songbird" of the Hanoi Hilton, there can be no refuting he did carry out those bombing missions that led to the deaths of countless numbers of civilians during terroristic bombing on North Vietnam by American forces. He wasn't a hero then and certainly isn't one now since he continues to make the same mistakes of war and violence as a way of American diplomacy.

John McCain, like many of us who have gone to war, has taken part in evil and unforgiveable acts against humanity. We can never give back the lives we took without reason. We can understand what we did and attempt to prevent it happening again. McCain has shown no tendency to work for the prevention of such atrocity. His failure to learn from our history makes him a fool and a criminal. Not a hero.

Wm. Terry Leichner, RN

Denver VVAW member

USMC combat veteran ('67-'69)