McCain gets backing in US vote from former Vietnam jailer
Republican US presidential candidate John McCain got some unexpected support on Monday from his former Vietnam war jailer, who said he would vote for the former navy pilot if he could.
By Agencies |
LONDON: Republican US presidential candidate John McCain got some unexpected support on Monday from his former Vietnam war jailer, who said he would vote for the former navy pilot if he could.
Speaking to the BBC from Haiphong, Tran Trong Duyet also insisted that McCain's assertions that he was tortured during his time at the prison were lies, and that no one held there was ever subjected to torture.
Describing McCain as his "friend", Duyet told the broadcaster: "If I was American, I would vote for him."
The 71-year-old Arizona senator was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and jailed for five and a half years, mostly in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton".
"I don't know how he'd react if he met me again," Duyet told the BBC. "We used to argue about the war -- about whether it was right or wrong ... He is a very frank man -- very conservative, and very loyal to his country and the American ideal.
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"He had a very interesting accent and sometimes he taught me words in English and corrected my accent. I have followed his career since he left prison," said Duyet, who the BBC said is now a 75-year-old retiree and amateur ballroom dancer. "Of course the Americans started the war in Vietnam and killed so many people -- but now we want to leave the past behind.
"So now I consider John McCain my friend because he did much to mend relations between our two countries. And if he becomes president he will do more to improve those ties."
He also told the BBC that McCain's assertions that he was tortured were false. "We never tortured him," he was quoted as saying.
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"We never tortured any prisoners ... He did not tell the truth. "But I can somehow sympathise with him. He lies to American voters in order to get their support for his presidential election." Download
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