Posted on 01/02/2006 5:36:07 PM PST by jmc1969
Rep. John Murtha, a key Democratic voice who favors pulling U.S. troops from Iraq, said in remarks airing on Monday that he would not join the U.S. military today.
A decorated Vietnam combat veteran who retired as a colonel after 37 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Murtha told ABC News' "Nightline" program that Iraq "absolutely" was a wrong war for President George W. Bush to have launched.
"Would you join (the military) today?," he was asked in an interview taped on Friday.
"No," replied Murtha of Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees defense spending and one of his party's leading spokesmen on military issues.
"And I think you're saying the average guy out there who's considering recruitment is justified in saying 'I don't want to serve'," the interviewer continued.
"Exactly right," said Murtha, who drew White House ire in November after becoming the first ranking Democrat to push for a pullout of U.S. forces from Iraq as soon as it could be done safely.
"Let me tell you, war is a nasty business. It sears the soul," he said, choking up. "And it made a difference. The shadow of those killings stay with you the rest of your life."
Asked for comment, a Defense Department spokesman, Lt. Col. John Skinner, said: "We have an all-volunteer military. People are free to choose whether they serve or not."
"Our freedom of speech in this country allows all of us the opportunity to voice an opinion. It's one of our great strengths as a nation," he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Does anyone else see the hypocrisy here? This man says he would not wish to serve in our military and even slams the military in a few ways, yet in his next breath, he cites "free speech," the very freedom (or one of the many) that our military protects.
ROUND UP THE MILITARY FIRING SQUAD FOR THIS TRAITOR!
Have you seen Murtha now?? As IF the Marines would accept such a fat-a$$ed slob!! Yeesh!!
You might talk to the National Guard. They sometimes wavier those in the 50's.
I just rejoined after ten years out and Murtha should know that I have never seen the Guard as well equiped and trained and morale is good at my unit. The guard of the 1980's seemed broke compared with today and back in the 80's we was all thanking Ronald Reagan for the new equipment and money.
Murtha should also be questioned about why he wants our disaster response undermanned. Both the National Guard and the Coast Guard is part of the military that responses to disasters.
Hope you can get back in, you will find a lot of changes I think for the better.
Thank you for you and your family's service to our great country!
Truly my honer. as well as my sons
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