I believe that he cannot adjust to new reality of the War on Terror. When he says that the Army cannot do any more in Iraq he is right in the sense that there will be no set piece battles between even division sized forces. The Battle of Iraq is and will continue to consist of small unit actions and patrols where individual soldiers are prey for a non-conventional enemy.
Though he does not say it Murtha is probably deeply troubled in our forces "Nation Building" role in the face of an armed Insurgency. To lay this at the foot of the administration is to ignore the true cowardess shown by the UN and most of the developed world by their lack of assistance.
That said Murtha's pronouncements are simplistic, naive and ignore the hard won lesions of history. Murtha has stated the the US should pull out of Iraq and leave them to their fate, but remain in the area for support should matters in Iraq come a cropper. If we bailed out on Iraq, what nation in the area would have us on their soil? What nation in the area would put that target on their breast?
We have to stay the course our civilization demands no less of us. Congressman Murtha, thank you for your service and bravery but don't cripple our nation.
You have to understand where Murtha is coming from. Up until 1995, Jack Murtha was an extremely powerful man as the Democrats ruled the world. He chaired committees that controlled the military. Generals would shake in terror when they got a call from Murtha's office.
Now he is in the minority, and the world doesn't stop when Murtha speaks anymore. At age 74, he is starting to realize that he may never again be the capo di capo. That is very frustrating to a man who once wielded such power.
If it takes losing this war to get the Republicans and Bush out, he can somehow rationalize that as being worth the cost. He'll probably even show up when they dedicate the next Wall on the Mall for those who gave it all in vain.
In 1838, a young Abraham Lincoln spoke thus:
"All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years."
"At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."
Wish he were here today to see his prediction come true.