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===Iraq War===

===Iraq War===

:''Main article:'' [[Operation Iraqi Freedom|Iraqi war]]

:''Main article:'' [[Operation Iraqi Freedom|Iraqi war]]

Kerry voted to give President George W. Bush the authority to go to [[Iraq War|war with Iraq]] in 2002, although in his 2004 Presidential bid he campaigned as being opposed to the war, and later said regarding his vote to give the President that authority, "There's nothing - nothing - in my life in public service I regret more, nothing even close. We should all be willing to say: I was wrong, I should not have voted for the Iraq War Resolution." <ref>https://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-kerry/mistakes-and-responsibili_b_31482.html</ref> Kerry's initial vote on the matter and subsequent revision on the topic caused many to label him a "flip-flopper" during his 2004 presidential bid.<ref>[http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040716-083945-7626r.htm Kerry’s skewed priorities], ''The Washington Times'', July 16, 2004.</ref>

Kerry voted to give President George W. Bush the authority to go to [[Iraq War|war with Iraq]] in 2002, although in his 2004 Presidential bid he campaigned as being opposed to the war, and later said regarding his vote to give the President that authority, "There's nothing - nothing - in my life in public service I regret more, nothing even close. We should all be willing to say: I was wrong, I should not have voted for the Iraq War Resolution."<ref>https://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-kerry/mistakes-and-responsibili_b_31482.html</ref> Kerry's initial vote on the matter and subsequent revision on the topic caused many to label him a "flip-flopper" during his 2004 presidential bid.<ref>[http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040716-083945-7626r.htm Kerry’s skewed priorities], ''The Washington Times'', July 16, 2004.</ref>

On October 30, 2006, eight days before the 2006 elections, Kerry was a headline speaker at a campaign rally being held for unsuccessful Democrat [[California]] gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. Speaking to an audience composed mainly of college students, Kerry said, "

On October 30, 2006, eight days before the 2006 elections, Kerry was a headline speaker at a campaign rally being held for unsuccessful Democrat [[California]] gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. Speaking to an audience composed mainly of college students, Kerry said, "

Kerry's military service in the [[Vietnam War]] has been tainted with his subsequent distortion of facts regarding his tour of duty which was exposed during the 2004 presidential election.  Marine Corps Maj. Michael E. McBride wrote in Townhall.com, Mr. Kerry "has always had the power to clear up any of the Swiftboater challenges; all he had to do is allow the Navy to distribute unaltered copies of his service record, medical records, and DD214. It is essential that these records come from [[Department of Defense]], so that they cannot be tampered with by Kerry or his supporters. The DOD copies are the true copies of record and the only viable evidence for these matters." Maj. McBride, citing Mr. Kerry's long reluctance to do so, goes on to write, "it is unlikely that any credible evidence exists to refute the base charges of the Swiftboaters."

Kerry's military service in the [[Vietnam War]] has been tainted with his subsequent distortion of facts regarding his tour of duty which was exposed during the 2004 presidential election.  Marine Corps Maj. Michael E. McBride wrote in Townhall.com, Mr. Kerry "has always had the power to clear up any of the Swiftboater challenges; all he had to do is allow the Navy to distribute unaltered copies of his service record, medical records, and DD214. It is essential that these records come from [[Department of Defense]], so that they cannot be tampered with by Kerry or his supporters. The DOD copies are the true copies of record and the only viable evidence for these matters." Maj. McBride, citing Mr. Kerry's long reluctance to do so, goes on to write, "it is unlikely that any credible evidence exists to refute the base charges of the Swiftboaters."

He concludes, "If any of my ex-squadron mates dumped on me like the Swift boat vets are dumping on Kerry, my records would have been available the next day ... ." <ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/COMMENTARY/847826179&template=nextpage</ref>

He concludes, "If any of my ex-squadron mates dumped on me like the Swift boat vets are dumping on Kerry, my records would have been available the next day ... ."<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/COMMENTARY/847826179&template=nextpage</ref>

Kerry also claimed on multiple occasions to have been in [[Cambodia]] during the Christmas of 1968.  When his claim was shown to be very improbable, his subordinates agreed that he was incorrect, but stated he was still there at a later time—a claim that likewise is considered to be dubious.<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40056</ref>

Kerry also claimed on multiple occasions to have been in [[Cambodia]] during the Christmas of 1968.  When his claim was shown to be very improbable, his subordinates agreed that he was incorrect, but stated he was still there at a later time—a claim that likewise is considered to be dubious.<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40056</ref>

An internal memorandum for Attorney General John Mitchell from a Nixon staffer released by the National Archives in July 2007 revealed the [[Nixon]] White House had considered recruiting John Kerry. The memorandum states in part,  

An internal memorandum for Attorney General John Mitchell from a Nixon staffer released by the National Archives in July 2007 revealed the [[Nixon]] White House had considered recruiting John Kerry. The memorandum states in part,  

{{Cquote|He was asked the direct question of how he voted in 1968.  He said "if he had voted (which he did not), he would have voted for Nixon." <ref>[http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/virtuallibrary/documents/donated/042671_chotiner.pdf Memo from Chotiner to Mitchell], April 26, 1971.</ref> }}

{{Cquote|He was asked the direct question of how he voted in 1968.  He said "if he had voted (which he did not), he would have voted for Nixon."<ref>[http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/virtuallibrary/documents/donated/042671_chotiner.pdf Memo from Chotiner to Mitchell], April 26, 1971.</ref> }}

===Allegations against fellow veterans===

===Allegations against fellow veterans===

Upon returning from Vietnam, Kerry joined [[Vietnam Veterans Against the War]] (VVAW), and became a chief spokesman for the anti-war movement.

Upon returning from Vietnam, Kerry joined [[Vietnam Veterans Against the War]] (VVAW), and became a chief spokesman for the anti-war movement.

Controversially referring to US servicemen in Vietnam before Sen. [[William Fulbright]]'s Foreign Affairs Committee as having been sent "''to die for the biggest mistake in history''," Kerry alleged that the military had "''created a monster''" in the form of violence-prone American soldiers, and recounted that soldiers had personally recollected stories of having "''personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads''," of Vietnamese citizens and rampaging across Vietnam "''[razing] villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan''".<ref>[http://www.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/JohnKerryTestimony.html John Kerry's Testimony before the Senate Foerein Relations Committee, April  22, 1971], Editorial Notes by Dr. Ernest Bolt, University of Richmond.</ref>  That these acts were "''not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command''." <ref>Ibid.</ref>

Controversially referring to US servicemen in Vietnam before Sen. [[William Fulbright]]'s Foreign Affairs Committee as having been sent "''to die for the biggest mistake in history''," Kerry alleged that the military had "''created a monster''" in the form of violence-prone American soldiers, and recounted that soldiers had personally recollected stories of having "''personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads''," of Vietnamese citizens and rampaging across Vietnam "''[razing] villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan''".<ref>[http://www.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/JohnKerryTestimony.html John Kerry's Testimony before the Senate Foerein Relations Committee, April  22, 1971], Editorial Notes by Dr. Ernest Bolt, University of Richmond.</ref>  That these acts were "''not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command''."<ref>Ibid.</ref>

On NBC's ''Meet The Press'' in 1971, Kerry was asked whether he had personally committed atrocities in Vietnam. He responded:

On NBC's ''Meet The Press'' in 1971, Kerry was asked whether he had personally committed atrocities in Vietnam. He responded: