Posted on 11/20/2005 12:34:27 PM PST by wagglebee
Undaunted by the House of Representatives’ overwhelming rejection on Friday of a proposal to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq, Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., told Tim Russert, host of "Meet the Press,” Sunday, that the U.S. will be out of Iraq "very quickly.”
"Let me predict this,” Murtha said. "We're going to be out of there, we're going to be out of there very quickly, and it's going to be close to the plan that I'm presenting right now.”
"You think we'll be out of Iraq by the end of 2006?” asked Russert.
"I think we'll be out of there; if not completely out of there, we'll be very close to being out of there,” said Murtha. "I think we could be out -- yeah, I predict we'll be out of there -- it'll be 2006."
"By Election Day 2006?” qualified Russert.
"You -- you have hit it on the head,” Murtha replied.
When confronted by Russert of charges that not a sufficient number of Iraqi forces have been ramped up to U.S. fighting standards, Murtha opined:
"They're going to let us do the fighting, as long as we're there, and, until we turn it over to them, they're not going to be up to standard. So I'm convinced that they can take over this battle and we could move our people to the periphery, out of danger.”
As to whether Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should be replaced, Murtha said that such a decision was up to President Bush. Murtha qualified, however, saying:
"Well, I'll put it this way: There have been an awful lot of mistakes made, and I don't know whether it's his fault, but when he forced the military -- now this is what I hear from the military. He forced them to go in with inadequate forces.”
As to whether the intelligence provided by the administration was deliberately misleading, Murtha said:
"I wouldn't say that. I don't think any president would mislead the public on the intelligence. They certainly exaggerated, but I don't think they deliberately misled us.”
During the Russert interview, Murtha returned more than once to the theme that the idea of a speedy withdrawal was not going away:
"I have never seen such an outpouring in the 32 years I've been in Congress, of support and people with tears in their eyes, people walking along clapping when I'm walking through the halls of Congress, saying something needed to be said. So they're thirsting for a solution to this and the president can't hide behind rhetoric and neither can the vice president.”
What "plan"? All we heard from Moveon Murtha was the same old tired used up Democrat spew. What PLAN Congressman? Same one John Kerry told us he had LAST year but never made public???? BTW, Congressman. Have YOU signed form 180 yet?
Don't you DARE say that about Pennsylvania. In every American war, PA has contributed more than its fair share of fighting men and women. We have taken heavy casualties in all wars since the Revolution. In this present war, we already have lost more than 150 men (boys really), and the number grows every day. That's almost 7% of American lives(military) lost in Iraq.
Murtha is hiding something
> "He forced them to go in with inadequate forces.”
>
> OMG.
>
> If all I have on when my house catches on fire, am I forced
> to run out of the house in my underwear?
Unfortunately I think Worthless Murth has a point here. We had months to plan, and Rumsfeld underestimated the number of troops needed to pacify Iraq.
That mistakes were made doesn't mean we cut and run, though.
> He's the guy in charge of defense spending for Congress. Not us.
A *Democrat* is in charge of defense spending for Congress? I don't think so.
+++++
Think again. He is the ranking Dem on the House Defense Appropriations Committee.
For most of his THIRTY YEARS in the House he has been the Chair of the Defense Appropiations committe.
A position he even held whilst he was shoving $$ down in pants handed him by Arab Sheiks during Abscam.
The problem with the Sunday talk shows of today is they play to the masses for ratings. It's for entertainment purposes now whereas pre-Clinton they resembled thoughtful discussion on meaningful issues. It's all about agendas now.
Iraq has oil reserves which means that they government will have something to generate revenue from in terms of direct sales and investment from the outside. They will be begging us to stay when they figure out that they don't want to become Iran II
Bush administration, on the other hand, has plenty of time -- not to mention reality -- on it's side.
Murtha is playing to the soccer-mom airhead vote of Pennsylvania.
I don't think it is out of the realm of possibilty that Murtha knew his kickback and grifting involving his brother's (and his former chief of staff) lobby operation was going to hit the fan.
What better way to head that off, but by coming out against the Iraq war?
Now when people complain about him steering MILLIONS of dollars in cash and contracts to his brother illegally, Murtha can cry "it's because I spoke out agains the war."
He should have been indicted twenty five years ago for Abscam. They let him skate because he ratted out his pals. Big mistake.
Once a crook, always a crook.
It is actaually pacified, you don't see large contingents on the Baghdad front do you. What you do see are cowardly hit and run attacks by crazy jihadis.
BTW, Vietnam had 500,000 troops and 50,000 deaths.
Rumsfeld's plan did it with a 1/4 of the troops and so far appx. 5% casualty rate of Vietnam.
At least until Iran, Syria, SA and the Palis are calmed down
___________________________________________
Yeah people act like we have bases in Germany, the UK, Japan, South Korea now because someone in the Pentagon did a study and decide those were the best places to site bases for recruiting soldiers.
Germany, Japan, etc were considered bad duty when we first had bases there. Even today some young recruits don't want to be out of the US. Similarly Iraq will not begin as a popular duty station but as the economy there develops, it will be come a better duty station.
Well, ok...what's YOUR explanation for your congressman?
This idiot is responsible for the deaths of our guys in Iraq today!
> Think again. He is the ranking Dem on the House Defense Appropriations Committee.
Since 1994 he can't have been in the majority of that committee, since Congress has been Repub since that time. That's my point. He may be on the committee but if the Repubs wanted to override him they very easily could.
He's saying that the Iraqis want our troops to leave, they have become the enemy.
He then says we have to let them know we're leaving as a means to motivate them to take control.
These argue to diametrically opposed mindsets...which is it?
Bush should say "Since our plans to begin troop withdrawals from Iraq has been disclosed by a Democrat operative, we will be required to remain current force levels in Iraq for the unforeseeable future".
Very quickly? Only 3 Congressmen voted for that, and you weren't one of them ace. Anotherwords you didn't even have the conviction to vote for what you demanded.
"Let me predict this,” Murtha said. "We're going to be out of there, we're going to be out of there very quickly, and it's going to be close to the plan that I'm presenting right now.”
On your web site it says, "Bring our troops home NOW". Is that the plan that you claim we're going to honor? LMRO, you don't even know your own plan.
<>"You think we'll be out of Iraq by the end of 2006?” asked Russert.
"I think we'll be out of there; if not completely out of there, we'll be very close to being out of there,” said Murtha. "I think we could be out -- yeah, I predict we'll be out of there -- it'll be 2006."
"By Election Day 2006?” qualified Russert.
"You -- you have hit it on the head,” Murtha replied.
Having our troops out by election day November 2006, is not what I'd call 'very quickly'. Murtha's use of that term is comical. As the Iraqi troops are trained and fielded, the U.S. will draw down numbers. Will that happen in 2006? Of course it will. It doesn't take a sage to figure that one out. <>When confronted by Russert of charges that not a sufficient number of Iraqi forces have been ramped up to U.S. fighting standards, Murtha opined:
"They're going to let us do the fighting, as long as we're there, and, until we turn it over to them, they're not going to be up to standard. So I'm convinced that they can take over this battle and we could move our people to the periphery, out of danger.”
And this is a guy who fought in the armed forces? It takes time to build up a respectable competent service. Murtha should know that. You simply can't throw untrained people out on the street and expect to hold ground. Our cutting and running would lead to the terrorists taking and occupying ground. The Iraqis cannot prevent that at this time.
As to whether Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should be replaced, Murtha said that such a decision was up to President Bush. Murtha qualified, however, saying:
Of course Rumsfeld serves at Bush's whim, so Murtha takes a pass. But running the war effort is something Murtha will not leave to the President. LOL
"Well, I'll put it this way: There have been an awful lot of mistakes made, and I don't know whether it's his fault, but when he forced the military -- now this is what I hear from the military. He forced them to go in with inadequate forces.”
Yes there have been some glaring mistakes, and I'd say shooting your mouth off like you did last week was the biggest I've seen so far. You are a part of the government dim-wit.
<>As to whether the intelligence provided by the administration was deliberately misleading, Murtha said:
"I wouldn't say that. I don't think any president would mislead the public on the intelligence. They certainly exaggerated, but I don't think they deliberately misled us.”
Just come out and tell us what you think Murtha. No use mincing words now.
During the Russert interview, Murtha returned more than once to the theme that the idea of a speedy withdrawal was not going away: We will withdraw when the war has been executed to the full extent we intended. Our objective was to replace Hussein with a peaceful benevolent government. We're almost there no old fool is going to change that goal and ultimate achievement.
"I have never seen such an outpouring in the 32 years I've been in Congress, of support and people with tears in their eyes, people walking along clapping when I'm walking through the halls of Congress, saying something needed to be said. So they're thirsting for a solution to this and the president can't hide behind rhetoric and neither can the vice president.”
Even you didn't have the courage to vote for the idiotic plan you advocated, yet you think many people in Congress are behind you. Well true enough, 403 people voted with you on Friday.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.