Three more US soldiers died in Iraq over night. For
what? Litte more than a neo-con wet dream...The Bush
cabal has ordered that there be no published photos of
the flag draped caskets, and the "US mainstream news
media" has not gone to court to challenge
them...Meanwhile, Ann Coulter still .has a syndicated
radio show. Ann Coulter still has a syndicated column.
The White House has not denounced her deceitful
sliming of Max Cleland (D-GA), the RNC's Ed Gillespie
(forgive us, Dizzy) has not denounced it...No one has
gone to the floor of the US Senate to call for her
firing...No major city newspaper editorial board has
pilloried her and her keepers...What a disgrace!
Maury Cralle, www.buzzflash.com: The 2nd of the 12th
Cavalry was engaged in a combat operation at the time
of this incident. Max Cleland was with the Battalion
Forward Command Post in heavy combat involving the
attack of the 1st Cavalry Division up the valley to
relieve the Marines who were besieged and surrounded
at the Khe Shan Firebase.
Support Our Troops, Show Up for Democracy in 2004:
Defeat Bush (again!)
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/02/con04074.html
February 17, 2004 CONTRIBUTOR ARCHIVES
The True Story of Max Cleland's Vietnam Injuries
A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
by Christopher Crallé
I wrote last night in response to the column by Ann
Coulter. My father, who has close personal ties with
Max, has responded to me and I forward his reply.
What follows is the true account of Max Cleland's
injury in Vietnam.
---------
Thank you Chris. I did not have the links to this, but
Max called me about it in case I needed to tell the
real truth should someone want to know. This Ann
Coulter has written real slime. Only in America. Our
service men and women fight and die to defend your
right to a free press. The press needs to be aware of
their responsibility to use this democratic tool in a
responsibility way.
------------------------------
The 2nd of the 12th Cavalry was engaged in a combat
operation at the time of this incident. Max Cleland
was with the Battalion Forward Command Post in heavy
combat involving the attack of the 1st Cavalry
Division up the valley to relieve the Marines who were
besieged and surrounded at the Khe Shan Firebase. The
whole surrounding area was an active combat zone (some
might call the entire country of Vietnam a combat
zone). (Is Iraq a combat zone?) Max, the Battalion
Signal Officer, was engaged in a combat mission I
personally ordered to increase the effectiveness of
communications between the battalion combat forward
and rear support elements: e.g. Erect a radio relay
antenna on a mountain top. By the way, at one point
the battalion rear elements came under enemy artillery
fire so everyone was in harms way.
As they were getting off the helicopter, Max saw the
grenade on the ground and he instinctively went for
it. Soldiers in combat don't leave grenades lying
around on the ground. Later, in the hospital, he said
he thought it was his own but I doubt the concept of
"ownership" went through his mind in the split seconds
involved in reaching for the grenade. Nearly two
decades later another soldier came forward and
admitted it was actually his grenade. Does ownership
of the grenade really matter? It does not.
Maury Cralle'
Battalion Executive Officer
2d/12th Cavalry Battalion
1st Air Cavalry Division
During the assault on Khe Shan
-----------------------------
Love Dad
------
My outrage over this incident has not abated.
Christopher Crallé
A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
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