Count the Bullets: Blow Away All Arguments

[CVX]

“I believe that no discovery of fact, however trivial, can be wholly useless to the race, and that no trumpeting of falsehood, however virtuous in intent, can be anything but vicious. I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty.” ~ H.L. Mencken

Regular readers of STR know me as an avowed JFK-9-11 conspiracy freak. Indeed, I devoutly believe the same sort of people who conspired to kill Kennedy—wealthy, well-protected elites, war lovers and imperialists--also conspired to mastermind and thus profit from the events of 9-11.

Most of us who write for STR presently own guns, have shotguns, or received weapons training while in the US military. As a teenager, I owned shotguns and rifles, a semi-automatic .22 with 4x scope, was briefly a member of the NRA and an enthusiast at the local gun club. Later, I earned a sharpshooter ribbon with a weapon I had never shot before, the M-16, as a US Air Force trainee.

Perhaps the greatest reason many Americans believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and killed Kennedy is that a majority of Americans have never shot any guns, and certainly not a rifle with a scope. If the Warren Commission had been composed of unbiased shooters instead of senators and lawyers, the final verdict would likely have rejected the ludicrous assumption that Oswald acted alone. The “trumpeting of falsehood, however virtuous in intent,” was indeed a vicious lie, supported by the government then and now.

A Shooter Looks At The Shot Heard ‘Round The World

Recently I finished reading the definitive book (which I highly recommend) on the obviously, government-sanctioned, JFK assassination. Written from the unique perspective of a professional shooter, "Kill Zone: A Sniper Looks at Dealey Plaza," not only demolishes all the arguments of lone-assassin proponents, but examines the myriad reasons why Kennedy was killed.



“The reason I knew that Oswald could not have done it, was because I could not have done it,” said former US Marine sniper, Craig Roberts. Credited with numerous kills while serving in Vietnam , Roberts turned an objective eye on the shot heard ‘round the world. After he visited Dealey Plaza, after viewing the so-called “sniper’s lair,” on the sixth floor of the book depository, and after staring at the large oak tree overspreading much of Elm Street, Roberts said, “I walked away from the window in disgust. I had seen all I needed to know that Oswald could not have been the lone shooter.”

But Roberts, a retired police investigator, wanted to know what did happen. Not content to dismiss the improbable feat, he delved into the crime from every angle.

“First, I analyzed the scene as a sniper . . . I looked at the engagement angles. It was entirely wrong…Here, from what I could see, three problems arose that would influence my shots. First, the target was moving away at a drastic angle to the right from the window, meaning that I would have to position my body to compete with the wall and a set of vertical water pipes . . . This would be extremely difficult for a right-handed shooter. Second, I would have to be ready to fire exactly when the target emerged past some tree branches that obscured the kill zone. Finally, I would have to deal with two factors at the same time; the curve of the street, and the high-to-low angle formula—a law of physics Oswald would not have known.”

Not content with his own critical appraisal, Roberts turned to another, equally knowledgeable shooter. “According to my friend, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, the former senior instructor for the US Marine Corps Sniper Instructor School at Quantico, Virginia, it could not be done as described by the FBI investigators.”

“Let me tell you what we did at Quantico,” Hathcock recalls. “We reconstructed the whole thing: the angle, the range, the moving target, the time limit, the obstacles, everything. I don’t know how many times we tried it, but we couldn’t duplicate what the Warren Commission said Oswald did. Now if I can’t do it, how in the world could a guy who was a non-qual on the rifle range and later only qualified 'marksman' do it?”

Of course, sergeant Carlos Hathcock was only the most famous American military sniper in history, credited with a confirmed 93 kills. But apologists for a lone assassin, who continue to enjoy mainstream media sponsorship 40 years later, continue to argue that an average shooter like Oswald, using a decrepit, war surplus weapon, could have killed Kennedy. Case closed.

Count The Bullets: Blow Away All Arguments

But suppose we took a moment to examine the OBJECTS STRUCK rather than focus on the sound of gunfire witnesses claimed to have heard. Anyone who has seen the original film version of “The Day of The Jackal” realizes that a sniper rifle equipped with a silencer and flash suppressor may be virtually soundless.



1. The first shot strikes the street, sending sparks behind Kennedy's car. Almost unanimous agreement that this first shot--unbelievably--misses everything. Was this Oswald's first and only diversionary shot from the sniper's lair?



2. A second shot strikes a curb near the railroad overpass, wounding bystander James Tague on the cheek. Another shot reportedly gouges a hole in a curb along the north side of Elm, which is hastily patched in an effort to cover the evidence. (Some of these snipers seem to be either rank amateurs or reluctant assassins).

3. A third shot strikes a manhole cover and lodges in the grass. A group of policemen safeguard the site and an unidentified man removes the projectile and pockets it. A report of the find is recorded in newspaper accounts the following day and then denied by government officials.

4. A fourth shot strikes JFK in the back, well below the collar, four inches down from the nape of the neck and well to the right of his spine (John F. Kennedy Autopsy Photos). According to Dallas surgeons, the bullet did not enter deeply.

rest of the list here: http://www.strike-the-root.com/51/herman/herman16.html

[BuckTurgidson]

Ever wondered how the first shot could miss so badly and the other two (according to the popular myths) were 'hits'?

[Xxena]

Far Rider wrote: What a laugh, I have never believed Oswald could have made those shots, never. Ive been around guns all my life, made some good shots myself, but no way could I make a head shot from that distance, at that angle on a moving target, and fired 'righty' from that position. Impossible. We will never know the truth.

You just can't get that 'lucky'.


Yes you can... get lucky that is.. if you have the media, the Kennedy clan and 99% of DC making it up as they go along!

Like you, anyone that is an avid shooter knows that the facts in this one just don't jive. We watched one supposed documentary a few years back.. between our expertise in firearms and my former EMS background.. NO way that "exit wound" in the back of his head was the entry and the entrance wound in the front was the exit... But we live in a world where the mushroom people believe readily the fodder the media and powers to be feed them. Here's something to ponder.. a former friend of ours that was very politically connected in DC claims to be a very close friend of G. Gordon Liddy (well that part of the tale is true) but then further claims that He told HER in confidence that he was the shooter behind the grassy gnoll and was hired to do so by the late great Hoover doover cuz JF was about to have him axed for his antics in panties and heels behind closed doors. How's that for some interesting tidbits to banter around.

Other than that .. had to check out this topic .. I just love conspiracy Theories.. better than any murder mystery ever written for fiction.

For the record I don't believe that Marilyn Monroe died of an accidential overdose either.. more like accidental homicide at the hands of the Brothers Grimm Ever notice how the body count seems to add up around the Kennedy Clan .. tad odd isn't it ?

[Xxena]

If one does not try and find humor in the adversity of life, then you're crabby all the time and people won't talk to you :yh_laugh

[Wolverine]

did you also know that the secret service that day were issued the new unproven M-16 rifle. if someone is shot from behind, with a "tumbling" bullet, they lurch backward. toward the shot.

i think that an SS man heard the shots, lost his footing on the back of the limo, and popped JKF. completely by accident.

[Wolverine]

Xxena wrote: Ever notice how the body count seems to add up around the Kennedy Clan .. tad odd isn't it ?


so then why the hell is Teddy still breathing??:wah: :-2

[Xxena]

Wolverine wrote: so then why the hell is Teddy still breathing??:wah: :-2


Ever see what it takes to take down a whale :wah: , I think he found "Dorian Gray's Protrait and had his face painted over it !

[Wolverine]

Xxena wrote: Ever see what it takes to take down a whale :wah: , I think he found "Dorian Gray's Protrait and had his face painted over it !


Dorian Gray! HA!!:wah: