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Don't Honor John Murtha
Petition Online ^ | March 18, 2009

Posted on 03/18/2009 9:32:54 PM PDT by Ooh-Ah

View Current Signatures   -   Sign the Petition


To:  Secretary of the Navy

On 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,

The Undersigned



TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: haditha; military; murtha; veterans; vets; vetscor
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To: jazusamo; 1stbn27; 2111USMC; 2nd Bn, 11th Mar; 68 grunt; A.A. Cunningham; ASOC; AirForceBrat23; ...
ping

21 posted on 03/19/2009 4:34:55 PM PDT by freema (MarineNiece,Daughter,Wife,Friend,Sister,Friend,Aunt,Friend,Mother,Friend,Cousin, FRiend)
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To: HonestConservative
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.

Shocking news!

22 posted on 03/19/2009 4:47:25 PM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: HonestConservative; smoothsailing

Don’t have a PA ping list or know who does but maybe smoothsailing knows of one.


23 posted on 03/19/2009 5:31:16 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: freema

Ya’ll can have the sloppy leftovers after I’m done....”

That’s just a ploy to get us to clean up the mess. You ain’t fooling me!


24 posted on 03/19/2009 5:38:16 PM PDT by Islander7 (If you want to anger conservatives, lie to them. If you want to anger liberals, tell them the truth.)
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To: jazusamo; HonestConservative; Tribune7
I think Tribune7 has the PA ping list.
25 posted on 03/19/2009 6:50:57 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: freema

Nah, just set fire to whatever is left.


26 posted on 03/19/2009 7:23:08 PM PDT by SoldierDad (Proud Dad of a U.S. Army Infantry Soldier presently instructing at Ft. Benning.)
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To: Islander7

: )


27 posted on 03/19/2009 7:23:38 PM PDT by freema (MarineNiece,Daughter,Wife,Friend,Sister,Friend,Aunt,Friend,Mother,Friend,Cousin, FRiend)
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To: SoldierDad

And then we can both buy rounds of beer to help put the fire out : )


28 posted on 03/19/2009 8:01:17 PM PDT by freema (MarineNiece,Daughter,Wife,Friend,Sister,Friend,Aunt,Friend,Mother,Friend,Cousin, FRiend)
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To: freema

LOL - Okie dokie


29 posted on 03/19/2009 8:02:53 PM PDT by SoldierDad (Proud Dad of a U.S. Army Infantry Soldier presently instructing at Ft. Benning.)
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To: Ooh-Ah

John Murtha was a fellow Marine. But because of his actions, dishonoring our history and our Brothers/Sisters in the field, I wouldn’t cross the street to piss on him if he was on fire.


30 posted on 03/19/2009 8:08:26 PM PDT by Dead Corpse (1000110010101010100001001001111)
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To: Owl_Eagle; brityank; Physicist; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; GOPJ; abner; baseballmom; Mo1; Ciexyz; ...

ping


31 posted on 03/19/2009 8:34:01 PM PDT by Tribune7 (Obama wants to put the same crowd that ran Fannie Mae in charge of health care)
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To: Ooh-Ah

Thanks for posting.
Added my name to the petition.

Semper Fi,
Kelly


32 posted on 03/19/2009 9:55:43 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: Islander7

LOVE the graphic! Here’s an idea, why don’t we print this out and mail him copies to his office along with wrappers from pork rind bags? I think I will, and I’m not even in his district!


33 posted on 03/20/2009 5:06:30 AM PDT by Warrior_Queen ("The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing")
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