US and the World

Kerry a hero? An honest summary

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: A War Hero or a Phony?

This is as good - and honest - a summary of the Kerry war experience - and the way he uses it as a candidate - as I have seen. Conclusion:

The bottom line? Mr. Kerry has stretched the truth here and there, but earned his decorations. And the Swift Boat Veterans, contradicted by official records and virtually everyone who witnessed the incidents, are engaging in one of the ugliest smears in modern U.S. politics.