MURTHA BREAKS (Dreher, The Corner)

The Corner ^ | Nov 17 05 | Rod Dreher

[churchillbuff]

Don't know how many of you caught Rep. John Murtha's very angry, very moving speech just now in which he called on the White House to institute an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. CNN didn't air the entire thing, but as I listened to it, I could feel the ground shift. Murtha, as you know, is not a Pelosi-style Chardonnay Democrat; he's a crusty retired career Marine who reminds me of the kinds of beer-slugging Democrats we used to have before the cultural left took over the party. Murtha, a conservative Dem who voted for the war, talked in detail about the sacrifices being borne by our soldiers and their families, and about his visits out to Walter Reed to look after the maimed, and how we've had enough, it's time to come home. He was hell on the president too.

If tough, non-effete guys like Murtha are willing to go this far, and can make the case in ways that Red America can relate to -- and listening to him talk was like listening to my dad, who's about the same age, and his hunting buddies -- then the president is in big trouble. I'm sure there's going to be an anti-Murtha pile-on in the conservative blogosphere, but from where I sit, conservatives would be fools not to take this man seriously.

[Unam Sanctam]

The idea is that democracy ultimately will be more stable for us since some of the dysfunctions that allow radical Islamism to fester will be eliminated. This is not "destabilization" for the heck of it. What a ridiculous characterization.

[kellynla]

"I wonder what you think about his chest-pounding and this talk about "chicken-hawks."

Like I said here and I said earlier today when I called Murtha's office today.

"We are not going to disgrace the memory of those who paid the ultimate price in Iraq and their families by pulling out. PERIOD!"

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[swheats]

"John Murtha has two wars as a Marine under his belt - Korea and Vietnam. He can say whatever he damn well pleases.
"

Grandstanding before the media was a heck of a way to use his war card. Our finally welcoming him home over Veteran's Day wasn't enough I guess.

[luvbach1]

Savage was heavily on the mark but his strategy will never be implemented. PC concerns and the domestic far Left (read most Democraps), who unfortunately have the ear of a sigificant number of Ameeicans, have him hogtied as far as any controlled escalation (read winning strategy) of the war is concerned.

[Dawgreg]

That "Murtha" can go to blazes!

[KC-10A BOOMER]

This set me off so badly I had to write my Congressman and Senators. I just can't take this defeatist S**T anymore. Glad these cowards weren't around to vote on WWII. I feel like going out to work to borrow an F-15E and let the Democrats know how I really feel with some precision munitions.

[Ann Archy]

Chuck Hagel NEVER smiles....Dead eyes also...he is pathetic.

[marty60]

On the day the Justices announced the opinion, April 5, 1971.

The Washington Post

After Congress' repeal of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and Nixon's statement of an imminent pullout from Vietnam, Senators were asking Nixon to set a date for the pullout. Senators Cooper of Kentucky and Church of Idaho said that any further military action in Vietnam would be illegal because Congress had removed the President's authority to make war in Vietnam. They said there was nothing left to do but leave.

Formerly unimpeachable, FBI Director Hoover had become the subject of heavy criticism from a variety of places. Civil libertarians and radicals, who had criticized Hoover for decades, were joined by mainstream Democrats and many Republicans in condemning Hoover's alleged abuse of power. Some Democrats were calling for his resignation.

NOTE THE DATE. DUMS NEVER CHANGE. WHERE ARE ALL OF THE VIETNAM VETS THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VN WAR BEING RAN FROM WASHINGTON POLITICIANS.

[Non-Sequitur]

Again, I ask you to point me to where it says he fought in Korea. I can only find that he was in the Marines during the Korean war.

Link

Happy?

[SevenMinusOne]

I don't give a damn what Murtha says, the United States Marine Corps is not going to disgrace the memory of those who paid the ultimate price in Iraq and their families by pulling out before the job is finished. PERIOD!

And I called Murtha's office today and told them that exactly!

I also told Murtha's office that Murtha disgraced the Marine Corps today with his remarks.

Semper Fi, Kelly

You have it exactly right! -

Furthermore this is nothing new - Murtha has been antiwar since early in 03 - This is nothing but a re-hash for the MSM and DEM's to try and counter back at the new offensive coming out the the WH regarding our need to be in Iraq -

As VP Cheney said so well yesterday. We cannot help those who have lost their memories or their SPINES! - Murtha lost his way back in 03 -

He is a fool -

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>May 6, 2004, "Signaling a new, more aggressive line against the Bush administration’s policy on Iraq, Rep. John Murtha (Pa.), the House Democrats’ most visible defense hawk, will join Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) today to make public his previously private statements that the conflict is “unwinnable.”"<<<

I knew he was a liar. I listened to him pulling a "Voinovich" tonight on the PBS News Hour. He pretended to be so sincere -- to be finally understanding the situation in Iraq; but he was still was able to inject the "Bush lied" mantra into the interview. He is a left-wing political hack and a disgrace to all Marines and to our nation. Go to hell where you belong, Murtha (or is that "Martha").

[TBall]

I can take him seriously, but I worry clinton has some serious blackmail power over him. Clinton sided with the enemy yesterday in a verbal attack on America. He is obviously scared sh pretty bad about something. Could it be Able Danger?

[fat city]

" John Murtha has two wars as a Marine under his belt ... He can say whatever he damn well pleases."

Of course he can. However, tomorrow's headline in all the MSM newspapers is going to read:

Murtha to Bush- "Pull Out Of Iraq Now!"

subhead: Ex-Marine Congressman Condemns Bush Policy

[AGreatPer]

Your basically right in that Murtha is a nothing and can't be re-elected. So, it is his turn in the barrel where he will retire in his 3 Million Dollar home in the Laural Highlands.

As far as Hillary goes in this effort, I don't think so. Remember, Hillary and Kerry are still fighting for guys like this. Kerry could as well be behind this too.

The reason the Dems are not gaining a lot of $ right now is they are so divided. I love it. Also, there is no policy from the DNC. What did they say last week?, We will tell you in "06. Oh, boy, what a policy.

[faithincowboys]

Something isn't right about him.... there simply is no trust factor.

[swheats]

Which causes me to wonder if Able Danger holds some stuff that could sink Hillary and many other democrats for years to come.

[ReaganRevolution]

Oh my!! Don't get me started on Hillary, LOL!!! Yes, she has to be defeated, but we have to get our guys in line first. The next couple years are going to be wild.

[rainboe50]

You and your moonbat sidekicks are going to get us all killed if we withdraw before the Iraqis can take over. Besides, do you want another genocide like Cambodia and 'Nam when we quit?
Get your your head out of your rearend
Rainboe 50
Korean War Vet-USAF

[faithincowboys]

Was he in Korea? No, I don't think so...

And does Duncan Hunter-- who fought in Nam and has a son in Iraq-- trump John Murtha.

[TomasUSMC]

Murtha rose through the ranks of the Marine Corps from private to colonel. He left college in 1952 to join the Marines and serve in the Korean War. He later attended Officer Candidate School and, after retiring to the part-time Marine Reserves and attending the University of Pittsburgh on the G.I. Bill, volunteered for service in Vietnam War and won a Bronze Star medal for valor. He retired from Marine Reserve as a colonel in 1990.

-went to Vietnam for a year at the age of 35(!)

With a life like that so dedicated to America, I believe he needs to be heard. He is the only Combat Vietnam Vet in the House, right?

Big points he made are that
- after 2 years, there are still 700 attacks a week.
- this is the first long war where we have had tax cuts, no draft and no mobilization.

So if we are winning why are the enemies attacks so high? Are they at 700 a week?
Our casualties are climbing thats for sure. For the first time coalition KIA hit 80 per month in 4 out of 6 months and this month we have lost 54 already. Are our tactics the best they could be?

-Why do we still send out troops room to room when we can level the block from the air?
-Why do we allow the terrorist sanctuary in Iran and Syria?
-Why are our troops fighting to prop up a regime that mandates Islam as the offical religion and that no law shall contradict Islam,
-and why do we support a Prime Minister who sides with his fellow Shiite Iran and says he will implement Sharia Law?

If the terrorist can fight without a Superpower's support, why can't the Iraqis win with a Superpower's support?

Maybe a timetable for pulling out will encourage the "good" Iraqis to turn up their effort. I mean, its not like Iraq is under martial law, or have a draft - why not? Don't they think the situation is grave enough.

Well maybe they should.

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