News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci
(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: Russia Pre-empts Secret Document Storm

Date: November 11, 1998

With so much attention focused on the blockbuster classified Russian document that Dmitri Volkogonov stated spoke of a program to transfer US POWs to the former USSR, the Russians have decided to create a distraction and release some Korean War files.

The USG apparently welcomes the diversion, praising the release as a 'dramatic breakthrough.'

What incredible timing! Such an ironic coincidence that only TWO DAYS after the Washington Times broke the Volkogonov statement, the Russians would feel so compelled to divest themselves of 5,000 pages of documents and some archival film footage that they have kept secret for 45 years.

Which begs us to ask... Why Now?

They've had 45 years to tell the truth and shed some light on dark questions. They haven't. Dr. Paul Cole and Peter Tsouras both wrote incredibly detailed reports of the USSR's penchant for taking and keeping US Korean War personnel. And the Soviets denied it. Phil Corso and Jan Sejna swore to the knowledge of US POWs being held back or transferred by the Soviets. The Soviets denied it.

All of a sudden, they realease 5,000 pages of material that SHOULD have been turned over to the US-Russian Commission years ago, but wasn't. Information that is said to contain; records of shoot-downs; date and place of loss; kinds of AC and identification numbers; observations of pilots ejecting and captures.

The American side of the US-Russian Commission, which is currently in Moscow, state that the Russians have offered assurances that 'interrogation reports' from the Second Indochina War would be forthcoming in 6 months.

Do these interrogation reports have anything to do with the 'evil secret' document that Volkogonov described?

The news reports do not say. However they do say that the Soviets were not permitted to directly interrogate US POWs in Hanoi, but had to pass along questions to their captors.

Mule Muffins. We know from Korea that claim is a myth at best. During the Korean War, the Soviets DID interrogate US POWs... directly. We know from the statements of Orlov, Cole, and others that the Soviets exploited mongoloid Soviet military personnel who were used to 'pass' as Chinese or North Koreans to interrogate the POWs. We have 451 Soviet interrogation protocols of men who NEVER RETURNED to prove it.

We have to wonder how many 'interrogation reports' of Vietnam War POWs who NEVER RETURNED will see the light of day.

It is a good thing that Russia is handing over this material. 45 Years too late for certain, but welcomed nonetheless for the answers it may offer. But we still keep wondering...

after all these years, why today?