To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
Posted on 03/18/2009 9:32:54 PM PDT by Ooh-Ah
View Current Signatures - Sign the Petition
To: Secretary of the NavyOn March 5, 2009 Congressman John Murtha was awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award by the Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter. From the press release: It is the highest form of public service recognition bestowed by the Department of the Navy for a non-employee. According to the Department, nominations for this award will be limited to those extraordinary cases where individuals have demonstrated exceptionally outstanding service of substantial and long term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps, or as Department of the Navy as a whole.
The Citation reads:
Congressman Murtha's selfless devotion to the Nation's Sailors and Marines ensured they were provided the resources necessary to effectively conduct the Global War on Terrorism. His courageous leadership, vision, and loyalty to the men and women of the Department of the Navy greatly contributed to their quality of life and helped create the most modern and highly trained fighting force in history. As Chairman of Subcommittee on Defense of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Murtha's tireless advocacy helped maintain the Navy and Marine Corps team at the highest levels of combat readiness to meet the challenges of the 21st century. With grateful appreciation for his outstanding contributions to the Nation and the Navy and Marine Corps, Congressman Murtha is awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award.
John Murtha deserves no such award. He has routinely and deliberately undermined the United States military, slandered servicemen serving in combat, and caused irreparable damage to our international reputation. While serving as a Representative from Pennsylvania, Murtha called Marines from 3d Battalion, 1st Marines "cold blooded killers" who "murdered innocent civilians." Before an investigation into the Haditha incident was even conducted, Murtha went on numerous television news programs and announced that the Marines "went into houses and killed women and children." He said, "There's no question in my mind about what happened here. There was no gunfire, they killed four people in a taxi...24 people were killed." When asked specifically if he claimed that innocent civilians were intentionally executed by Marines, he said, "That's exactly what happened." Not content to slander those Marines directly involved, he went on to claim that if these Marines were not punished, "other Marines would say well I'll do the same thing." Murtha then continued to use this incident to lobby for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, citing it as evidence that our military was incapable of winning the war.
Eight Marines were originally charged. As of March 17th, 2009 all charges were dropped against six Marines, one was found not guilty on all counts in courts martial. The prosecution has delayed the court martial of the final defendant indefinitely. The original allegations of a massacre and the statements of Congressman Murtha have been thoroughly discredited. Despite the facts, John Murtha refuses to apologize to those he slandered.
We the undersigned are appalled that the Secretary of the Navy would bestow the Department's highest award for a non-employee to John Murtha after his vile and despicable attacks against U.S. servicemen. This petition is a vehicle to express our bitter disappointment at this betrayal of our combat veterans. Congressman John Murtha should apologize for slandering the Marines of 3/1, and for undermining the efforts of those servicemen and women who fought in Iraq. If he does not, the Secretary of the Navy should rescind this award as a sign of his unwavering support for those who served in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sincerely,
Friends,Congressman John Murtha was recently awarded the Department of the Navy's highest public service award for non-employees by the Secretary of the Navy. This is an outrage. As you probably know, John Murtha has been the worst of a bad lot in Congress who exploited those serving in combat for political purposes.
He was the most outspoken member of Congress in aggressively attacking Marines as "cold blooded killers" who "murdered women and children" after the Haditha incident in November, 2005, BEFORE AN INVESTIGATION WAS EVEN CONDUCTED. In fact, he slandered the Marines to such an extent, and with such disregard for the truth, that one of them sued him for libel (rumor says there's another libel suit to come soon).
It is inconceivable that the Secretary of the Navy would give such an award to such a man, yet it happened not two weeks ago with muted response. I have created an online petition to express our outrage and disgust and I'm asking you to join me in signing it.
Please use the link below to visit the petition and sign it; it will take less than two minutes. Additionally, please send it on to everyone you know who cares about the reputation of our active duty military and combat veterans, we can't allow this to pass by unnoticed.
Once we receive enough signatures, it will be noticed. It is essential that you forward on the link to others, it's the only way this will generate momentum. Please take a few minutes to make sure that this petition doesn't stop with you.
Fight Back
Semper Fi
Added my name to the petition.
To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
too late...the Sec. of Navy is gone
Secretary of the Navy Farewell Message to the Department, 13 March 2009
“As I relinquish my duties as Secretary of the Navy, I count myself blessed for having had the opportunity to serve as your secretary. I have held many interesting jobs but no period in my professional career can compare to the experiences I have had in this position.
Over the past three years, I have had the privilege of observing the daily commitment of our men and women who truly make our Naval service great. In challenging environments like Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Guantanamo, and across the Atlantic and Pacific, your service makes a difference every day. I have great confidence that your ongoing service will continue to do our Navy, Marine Corps, and Nation proud.
Every time I meet with Sailors and Marines, I come away impressed by the tremendous capability and flexibility of our warfighters to accomplish the mission, no matter what the challenge. You are the secret of our success, and observing you in action has given me great faith in the promise of your great generation. If our Nation is led by individuals of the talent, devotion, and integrity of our service members, we will not only survive, but prosper in the years to come.
I reflect on my tenure as your secretary and realize it has been an exceptionally unique period in my life, and likely to remain so. I am honored to have served you as your secretary. Thank you for your service to our Nation. May God bless our Navy, our marine corps, and the United States of America.”
Donald C. Winter
Secretary of the Navy
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/leadership/ldrDisplay.asp?m=325
Why not? I say Murtha worked hard to earn the a**hat of the year award. How can we let his tireless effort go to waste?
BJ Penn is the Acting SECNAV, Kelly. Maybe he’ll handle it.
Bio here...http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/pennBio.html
yea, well I won’t be holding my breath...
I hear ya...
I made # 70. It needs far more to do any good.
Non Gradus Anus Rodentum!
I don’t do petitions as a rule. However, in this case...
THANKS!
BTT
I would like a front row seat at the presentation ceremony (ROFLOL).
Thanks, I’d like to present the award.
Understandable.
chris freind of the Phila. Bulletin will be on with me tonight at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/freedom to report on all things PA corruption.
I don’t have a PA ping list, but you may have something applicable.
See Post Above.
Also with me will be freeper and blogger extraordinaire Tim Sumner of 9/11 Families for a Safe and secure America to talk about all things security and the release of prisoners into the US.
Join us Sunday night for Capt. Roger Hill and Sgt. Tommy Scott, two heroes who are being punished for being real American patriots, helping to save thier brothers in uniform.
Fantastic!
Ya’ll can have the sloppy leftovers after I’m done.
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