I Was a Vietnam Protester, but...

…these two posts by Peter Robinson greatly disturb me. One contains Kerry’s famous testimony about American servicemen cutting off the enemies’ ears and shooting them like “dogs for fun” in Vietnam [Didn’t you say some pretty extreme stuff back then?-ed. Yeah, but not that bad and not under oath.]. The other has more recent remarks (just the other day) from a Marine who served in Vietnam then and wishes Kerry would simply apologize. As Robinson himself writes of the current impasse:

At any time over the past year, John Kerry could have issued a statement that would have made the present, frenzied controversy all but inconceivable. “I am still proud of opposing the Vietnam War,” he might have said, “but I recognize that after returning from combat, and while still in my twenties, I made statements that were misjudged and intemperate. For any offense I may have caused–especially to my fellow veterans–I now wish to apologize.” Kerry wouldn’t do it. And he still won’t. What is he thinking?

Well, I guess that’s what makes politicians. They don’t apologize. [Unlike writers. You guys apologize when you get up in the morning.-ed. Hey, I snore.]

UPDATE: On a similar note.