In Search of Murtha's Army

American Spectator ^ | 12-13-05 | Jed Babbin

[knews_hound]

I have written several columns about the changes coming to Iraq.

The Dems are in for a world of hurt very soon as their defeatist rhetoric crashes headlong into Victory.

Some see it coming I think, Lieberman for instance, but the rest are committed to defeat and cannot change without alienating their core electorate.

Personally, I think this has been aided and abetted by the Bush administration. Purposely giving fodder to the moonbats as they have driven the entire Democrat party off the political edge.  Their only choice is to try to take credit for it and thats such a hard sell even Cal Worthington couldn't  pull it off.

Strategery?  I think so.

Time will tell.

Regardless, there is no good way out of this for the Dems.

Always keep in the back of your mind, the 06 Elections are in less than 10 months.

Cheers,

knews hound

[DoughtyOne]

Murtha's family should haul his ass home and put him out to pasture. His act is God awful.

[smoothsailing]

We will not break our word.

I believe they know that, at least the ones I know or have corresponded with.They're a smart bunch, and I'm mighty proud of them.

[happyathome]

If the last 5 years have proven anything it is that given enough time and opportunity, the Dems and lefties will hang themselves with extreme positions and stupid comments. If we just keep our heads down and slog forward - like our troops - we're going to come out winners across the whole spectrum of politics. We'll see growing success in Iraq starting with the election, growing economic confidence at home, growing desparation by the left, and eventually, positive momentum in the mid-term elections. If they lose more seats (even a few), that party's head will explode.

[smoothsailing]

Thanks for the post.

Leave it to the dems to alienate our military.It's as predictable as the sun coming up.

Regarding the '06 elections, we must make sure that every absentee military ballot is counted. You know the dems will throw them out if no one's watching.

[JasonC]

Of course we can win. Why anyone has the slightest doubt about it is the mystery. This is the US we are talking about. You have to be pretty darn clueless to expect to stop it with a rag tag militia of unjust, universally hated men.

[GeronL]

I wish we could run this in every newspaper in the country.

[Christian4Bush]

One 4th I.D. colonel said it best: "You want to break this army? Then break your word to it."

Worth repeating.

[smoothsailing]

You've got him pegged,PC.

Murtha's army isn't America's army nor is it the NEW Iraqi army.

From the article: Many Iraqi units are now at level 2.Which means they are better than most military's in the whole damn world.

[Jack Deth]

One must also remember, george. That the last "war" Murtha participated in, LBJ and McNamara were planning strategy from the Oval Office of the White House.

And we all remember just how effective that "leadership" proved to be. And the political fate of LBJ. Until a Republican bombed Hanoi back to Paris and got us out of that fiasco.

Jack.

[RTINSC]

"Is it true Murtha took 37 years to rise to and to retire as a Lt. Colonel ? "

Murtha has recently promoted himself to 5 star General.

[kimosabe31]

They only voted for the war because it was politically correct!

I think it is actually more devious than that. They supported going to war so that by later switching sides and labeling it George Bush's war they can destroy home front support and engineer a defeat for Bush...basically the same game plan they employed in vietnam. It was the democrats who put us into nam, escalated the conflict and prevented our forces from going for a victory. When Nixon became president in 68, it suddenly became "Nixon's war".

[NoCmpromiz]

later

[Republican Wildcat]

Murtha was making it up or is senile.

[Old Seadog]

He learned about military service from the bottom up, beginning as a raw recruit when he left Washington and Jefferson College in 1952 to join the Marines out of a growing sense of obligation to his country during the Korean War. There he earned the American Spirit Honor Medal, awarded to fewer than one in 10,000 recruits. He rose through the ranks to become a drill instructor at Parris Island and was selected for Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. He then was assigned to the Second Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 1959, Captain Murtha took command of the 34th Special Infantry Company, Marine Corps Reserves, in Johnstown. He remained in the Reserves after his discharge from active duty until he volunteered for Vietnam in 1966-67, receiving the Bronze Star with Combat "V", two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He remained in the Reserves until his retirement. This first-hand knowledge of military and defense issues has made him a trusted adviser to presidents of both parties and one of the most effective advocates for the national defense in Washington. At the request of Presidents and Speakers of the House, he served as chairman of delegations monitoring elections in the Philippines, El Salvador, Panama and Bosnia. He was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal by the Marine Corps Commandant when he retired from the Marines.

Excerpt from his biography at http://www.house.gov/murtha/

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Only about 18% of the attacks succeed in injuring people or damaging vehicles.

The number of attacks may be up, but if the number of attacks that are effective is down, Murtha is way off base.

[church16]

We are winning this! I see it firsthand from here at Balad AB/LSA Anaconda, and from 10,000' up over the convoys I escort and infantry I support via Close Air Support (CAS). I'm an "old man" compared these kids, and more cynical by far than they are. But they are winning! The price is tragic (I watch the continuous stream of red cross marked helos dropping off the grievously wounded at the Balad hospital for medical treatment before shipping to Germany via Medevac), but so was WWII, WWI, Korea and Vietnam. We lost more soldiers in 24 hours at Tarawa (about 4,000 I believe) taking 12 square miles. This is difficult, not impossible, and sadly we as a country have no sense of our past victories, toughness or resolve. I am surrounded by Americas finest, but I wish they were listened to at home. We want to finish this, Mr. Murtha doesn't know how badly we do. For the sake of our future and our kids, we will see this through.

P.S.
How can I post photos of these superb youngsters on Free Republic? Any advice on an easy way to do this appreciated.

[Wiseghy]

One 4th I.D. colonel said it best: "You want to break this army? Then break your word to it."

"Worth repeating."

Absolutely GD right. Someone send this quote to the WH.

[Wiseghy]

One 4th I.D. colonel said it best: "You want to break this army? Then break your word to it."

"Worth repeating."

Absolutely GD right. Someone send this quote to the WH.

[VietVet]

"Of course we can win..."

That is what the Democrats are afraid of. Much of the leadership of the Democratic Party today comes out of the anti-VietNam war protestors. Their article of faith is that the US could not win a guerilla war (and should not be able to). If the US can win in Iraq, then maybe it could have won in VietNam. If the US could have won in VietNam, then our leaving was not prudence, but cowardice, defeatism and a betrayal of our allies and the men who had served prior to our withdrawal. They can never admitt that, not to the country, not to the veterans of 'Nam, not even to themselves. So, to them, the War in Iraq is unwinable and therefore we are losing. QED.