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Old 07-27-2007, 13:44   #65
kgoerz
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: NC for now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sf11b_p
I wonder does the book mention the POW/MIA issues of wars prior to VN?

I understand the focus of VN as it's more recent history and deals with men who's names are known here, but VN isn't the first time the U.S. knowingly left men behind.

As early as WWI Soviet Bolshevik forces captured and held allied and American prisoners. The Soviets wanted recognition of their government.

In WWII a large number of allied soldiers “disappeared” at the end of the war. These were men still in or returned to German POW camps in territories that fell under Russian control. It happened partly as a result over, IIRC, the Yalta agreement dealing with POW exchange and the returning of Russian political prisoners to Russia. A number of those Russian POWs being men who fought with the Germans against Russia. Last the Russians wanted money.

To a lesser degree it’s claimed POWs were lost during the Korean War.
cnn.com/US/9609/17/korea.pows/index.html

I’d read a book some years ago that had researched the earlier POW/MIA issues, unfortunately I can’t remember the name. The following websites have some of what I remember from the book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yalta_Conference
taskforceomegainc.org/freedom.htm
nationalalliance.org/vietnam/ovrvw03.htm
geocities.com/pentagon/2527/jhww2.html
Yes it do's go a little into the history of POW'S. Just to show there is no comparison. Wonder why the swift boat episode was used to debunk Kerry during his run for president but not his involvement in the POW issue. Maybe the intel wasn't declassified yet? No wonder those VN Vets went after him. How someone like that came close to being our president is just scary.
My take was Kerry got involved in the POW investigation for his own advancement. He wanted to use it to boost his political career. When he realized he would never be able to prove they were still there. Not because there wasn't proof. But because it would be to much work, take to long.....etc.
He decided to convince everyone that there weren't any live Americans in VN. It was easier to say no then yes there are Americans being held.
Being caught on tape lying about the unannounced visit to a prison camp says it all. He tipped off the Vietnamese about his next days visit. A reporter taped him talking about what prison he wanted to visit the next day. Representatives from the VN Government were present.
Then he had a press conference at said prison saying "they wouldn't of let us do these unannounced visits if they were holding Americans" Then thanked the VN Government for their cooperation.
Thats where I would hide foreign prisoners in my country. In one of the largest prisons thats located in the capital
No matter what the consequences he wanted to be the hero. Just my take on his involvement.
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