This "controversy" is about as manufactured as they come. The fact that the Bush team is pushing it so hard says more about them than it does about Kerry. Kerry served honorably, and behaved honorably in speaking out against the war after he came home. He never claimed that all, or most, American soldiers in Vietnam were committing atrocities, but he did point out -- correctly -- that atrocities were occurring over there, and that the US approach to this particular war fostered that to some degree. We can sit here over thirty years later and say that he shouldn't have used this word or that word, and Kerry acknowledges that he might say a few things differently if he had it to do over again. Big deal; the essential message was and is correct, as history has shown.

As for the "medals vs. ribbons" thing, when I was in the service I knew the difference, but didn't make a big deal about it. Medals were rarely worn; they only belonged on the dress uniform, which was mainly worn on ceremonial occasions. When wearing the "undress" uniform (which was the standard workday uniform when one wasn't in dungarees or fatigues), only ribbons were worn. But civilian friends would often ask me about the "medals" I was wearing, and I didn't bother to correct their terminology.

It would be nice if the news coverage focused more on real issues, and less on these sorts of orchestrated smear campaigns.