[SuperScout]

Ho-Hum, the lies continue. Just in case anybody's remotely curious, a review of Bush's military records reveals that he wasn't suspended from flying, and I'll type this real slowly so that all can comprehend. Bush had voluntarily removed himself from flight status, since the fighter in which he was qualified was being removed from the air force inventory. In order to qualify for the next iteration of aircraft, Bush would have to re-qualify, would have to incur additional ADT (active duty for training) time, and would exceed his previously agreed upon term of service. Bottom Line: he wasn't suspended from flight status, despite the ignoble efforts of such military authorities as Michael Moore, Molly Ivins, et. al, to broadcast such lies.

By the way, let's take a look at Mr. Kerry?s much-promoted Vietnam service, his military record was, indeed, remarkable in many ways. Several weeks ago, the former assistant secretary of defense and Fletcher School of Diplomacy professor, W. Scott Thompson, recalled a conversation with the late Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. that clearly had a slightly different take on Mr. Kerry?s recollection of their discussions:

?The fabled and distinguished chief of naval operations, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, told me ? 30 years ago when he was still CNO ?that during his own command of U.S. naval forces in Vietnam, just prior to his anointment as CNO, young Kerry had created great problems for him and the other top brass, by killing so many non-combatant civilians and going after other non-military targets. ?We had virtually to straitjacket him to keep him under control,? the admiral said. ?Bud? Zumwalt got it right when he assessed Kerry as having large ambitions ? but promised that his career in Vietnam would haunt him if he were ever on the national stage.? And this statement was made despite the fact Zumwalt had personally pinned a Silver Star on Mr. Kerry.

Mr. Kerry was assigned to Swiftboat 44 on December 1, 1968. Within 24 hours, he had his first Purple Heart. Mr. Kerry accumulated three Purple Hearts in four months with not even a day of duty lost from wounds, according to his training officer. It?s a pity one cannot read his Purple Heart medical treatment reports which have been withheld from the public. The only person preventing their release is Mr. Kerry.

By his own admission during those four months, Mr. Kerry continually kept ramming his Swiftboat onto an enemy-held shore on assorted occasions alone and with a few men, killing civilians and even a wounded enemy soldier. One can begin to appreciate Zumwalt?s problem with Mr. Kerry as commander of an unarmored craft dependent upon speed of maneuver to keep it and its crew from being shot to pieces. One can also wonder why Zumwalt just didn't solve the problem and relieve this grandstanding gloryhog in the first place. To continually place your crew and vessel in harm's way by shoreside exploits of questionable and perhaps illegal behavior is the sign of ineptitude, not real leadership.