Rep. John Murtha (D-PA),
By on Nov 17th, 2005 at 10:39 am
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA),
a former Marine, Vietnam veteran, and Iraq hawk, will call today for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
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Is the bad dream over?
“Stay the course is not a strategy. It’s a slogan”
-Sen. Carl Levin
November 17th, 2005 at 10:46 amMSNBC Home » World News » Conflict in Iraq
Live Vote
Do you agree with Vice President Cheney that Democratic critics of the Iraq war are ‘opportunists’?
Yes. The Democrats are trying to use the Iraq issue for political gain.
No. The Democrats are asking legitimate questions about the road to war in Iraq.
I’m not sure.
Vote to see results
Live Vote
Do you agree with Vice President Cheney that Democratic critics of the Iraq war are ‘opportunists’? * 13333 responses
Yes. The Democrats are trying to use the Iraq issue for political gain.
30%
No. The Democrats are asking legitimate questions about the road to war in Iraq.
69%
I’m not sure.
1%
Not a scientifically valid survey. Click to learn more.
November 17th, 2005 at 10:49 amHurrah!!
November 17th, 2005 at 10:50 amSeventy three per cent of Democrats want us out of Iraq but this will be the first Dem rep to call for immediate withdrawal. This announcement will have other Dem reps and particularly the Dem chicken hawk senators pissing in their pants like little boys caught doing something wrong behind the barn.
The Nation magazine has just announced that it will not support any candidate for national office who does not make a speedy end to the war in Iraq a major issue in his or her campaign, so that we can end this colonial-style occupation which has become a moral, political and financial catastrophe.
Your support of Rep. Murtha and the Nation would help build the momentum for peace. Click here to send your representative or senator a letter.
#2 – give the actual link please…
November 17th, 2005 at 11:05 am#3 – your link “here” doesn’t work…
try again, please!
Indeed. Support our troops by bringing them home.
It’ll be interesting to hear how the MSM treats John’s call to action.
November 17th, 2005 at 11:07 amWow. Chimpy already has an Oedipus complex, a fatal hubris and a God-cursed war. NOW, he’s being followed around by a “Greek Chorus” of congressmen and senators.
My only question is: Is this the 4th or the 5th act of this play?
November 17th, 2005 at 11:20 amOur Senator Russ Feingold voted against this war. He also said to bring the troops home by the end of next year 2006. I am proud to have him as my Senator from Wisconsin.
House of Representative is Sensenbrenner and he is a Right Wing Republican idiot.
November 17th, 2005 at 11:22 amGotta love it. The man speaks the truth.
“…Murtha voted to give the president authority to use force against Saddam Hussein in 2002. In recent months, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee defense panel has grown increasingly troubled with the direction of the war and with the Bush administration’s handling of it, particularly following the disclosure of purportedly secret CIA prisons in Eastern Europe.
“The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion,” Murtha said.”
from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051117/ap_on_re_us/congress_iraq
November 17th, 2005 at 11:24 amUse this URL to send a letter to your representative or senator:
November 17th, 2005 at 11:26 amhttp://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/.htm
“U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha . . had a long and distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990. . .”
Let’s compare that, shall we, to:
* Dennis Hastert: did not serve.
 * Tom Delay: did not serve.
 * Roy Blunt: did not serve.
 * Bill Frist: did not serve.
 * Mitch McConnell: did not serve.
 * Rick Santorum: did not serve.
 * Trent Lott: did not serve.
 * Dick Cheney: did not serve. Five deferments. “I had other priorities in the ’60s other than military service,” Cheney told a reporter in 1989.
 * John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.
 * Jeb Bush: did not serve.
 * Karl Rove: did not serve.
 * Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. “Bad knee.” The man who attacked Max Cleland’s patriotism. (Cleland lost both legs and an arm trying to pick up a grenade another soldier dropped in Viet Nam.)
 * Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.
 * Vin Weber: did not serve.
 * Richard Perle: did not serve.
 * Douglas Feith: did not serve.
 * Eliot Abrams: did not serve.
 * Richard Shelby: did not serve.
* Jon Kyl: did not serve.
* Tim Hutchison: did not serve.
* Christopher Cox: did not serve.
* Newt Gingrich: did not serve.
* Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as flight instructor.
* George W. Bush: failed to complete his six-year Air National Guard tour of duty; asked for and received an assignment to Alabama so he could campaign for family friend running for U.S. Senate; failed to show up for required medical exam, disappeared from duty.
* Ronald Reagan: due to poor eyesight, served in a non-combat role making movies.
* “B-1†Bob Dornan: Consciously enlisted after fighting was over in Korea.
* Phil Gramm: did not serve.
* John McCain: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
* Dana Rohrabacher: did not serve.
* John M. McHugh: did not serve.
* JC Watts: did not serve.
* Jack Kemp: did not serve. “Knee problem,” although continued playing in the NFL for 8 years.
* Dan Quayle: Journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard.
* Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.
* George Pataki: did not serve.
* Spencer Abraham: did not serve.
* John Engler: did not serve.
* Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.
* Arnold Schwarzenegger: AWOL from Austrian army base.
* Sean Hannity: did not serve.
* Rush Limbaugh: did not serve (4-F with a ‘pilonidal cyst.’)
* Bill O’Reilly: did not serve.
* Michael Savage: did not serve.
* George Will: did not serve.
* Chris Matthews: did not serve.
* Paul Gigot: did not serve.
* Bill Bennett: did not serve.
* Pat Buchanan: did not serve.
* John Wayne: did not serve.
* Bill Kristol: did not serve.
* Kenneth Starr: did not serve.
* Antonin Scalia: did not serve.
* Clarence Thomas: did not serve.
* Ralph Reed: did not serve.
* Michael Medved: did not serve.
* Charlie Daniels: did not serve.
* Ted Nugent: did not serve.
Ahh, I just LOVE putting things in context.
November 17th, 2005 at 11:40 amGOP memo touts new terror attack as way to reverse party’s decline :
“A confidential memo circulating among senior Republican leaders suggests that a new attack by terrorists on U.S. soil could reverse the sagging fortunes of President George W. Bush as well as the GOP and “restore his image as a leader of the American people.”
…
“The closely-guarded memo lays out a list of scenarios to bring the Republican party back from the political brink, including a devastating attack by terrorists that could “validate†the President’s war on terror and allow Bush to “unite the country†in a “time of national shock and sorrow.â€
…
“The President’s popularity was at an all-time high following the 9/11 attacks,†admits one aide. “Americans band together at a time of crisis.â€
Iraq:
GOP memos no longer talk of “victory†in Iraq but use the term “successful resolution.â€
“A successful resolution would be us getting out intact and CIVIL WAR not breaking out until after the midterm elections,†says one insider.
____________________________________________
http://consortiumnews.com/2005/110705.html
“The other thing that no one ever likes to talk about is SUVs and oil and consumption,â€
“We had a discussion in (the State Department’s Office of) Policy Planning about actually mounting an operation to take the oilfields of the Middle East, internationalize them, put them under some sort of U.N. trusteeship and administer the revenues and the oil accordingly,†Wilkerson said. “That’s how serious we thought about it.â€
November 17th, 2005 at 11:46 am____________________
Bush has said that there will be no leaving as long as he is the president. That’s well in line with the PNAC policy.
#10,After reading this list several times recently,you just have to laugh when you hear Cheney talk about,”having no backbone”.
November 17th, 2005 at 11:48 amHow can anyone wish to have another attack on our country. That would be horrible.
As far as the oil I would not put anything pass this admin.
November 17th, 2005 at 11:56 am“I think that the proposition of going to Baghdad is also fallacious. I think if we were going to remove Saddam Hussein we would have had to go all the way to Baghdad, we would have to commit a lot of force because I do not believe he would wait in the Presidential Palace for us to arrive. I think we’d have had to hunt him down. And once we’d done that and we’d gotten rid of Saddam Hussein and his government, then we’d have had to put another government in its place. What kind of government? Should it be a Sunni government or Shi’i government or a Kurdish government or Ba’athist regime? Or maybe we want to bring in some of the Islamic fundamentalists? How long would we have had to stay in Baghdad to keep that government in place? What would happen to the government once U.S. forces withdrew? How many casualties should the United States accept in that effort to try to create clarity and stability in a situation that is inherently unstable? I think it is vitally important for a President to know when to use military force. I think it is also very important for him to know when not to commit U.S. military force. And it’s my view that the President got it right both times, THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE FOR US TO GET BOGGED DOWN IN THE QUAGMIRE INSIDE IRAQ.” 4-29-91 Cheney
“And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth? And the answer is not very damned many.” 8-92
“The notion that we oughta now go into Baghdad and somehow take control of the country strikes me as an extremely serious one in terms of what we would have to do once we got there. You’d probably have to put some new government in place, it’s not clear what kind of government what would be, how long you’d have to stay. For the US to get involved militarily in determining the outcome of the struggle over who’s going to govern in Iraq strike me as a classic definition of a quagmire.”
November 17th, 2005 at 12:00 pmDick Cheney ‘91
“I don’t think our troops ought to be used for what’s called nation-building”
Pres. George Bush, during a debate with then-Vice President Al Gore on Oct. 11, 2000
“Rebuilding Iraq will require a sustained commitment from many nations, including our own: We will remain in Iraq as long as necessary, and not a day more.”
Pres. Bush, during a radio address to the nation on Saturday, March 1, 2003
George W Bush was against nation-building before he was for it.
Seems like there are still flip-flops left in the White House.
November 17th, 2005 at 12:55 pm#10 = BRAVO!!! 4 points to you for this list…
November 17th, 2005 at 1:03 pm#10, You forgot one.
Republican trolls: Did not Serve…
:)
November 17th, 2005 at 1:12 pmAnybody talking about that Right Bros. CD today? HA HA HA HA HA!
November 17th, 2005 at 1:21 pmHawkish Democrat Calls for Iraq Pullout
Murtha, a Marine intelligence officer in Vietnam, angrily shot back at Cheney: “I like guys who’ve never been there that criticize us who’ve been there. I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don’t like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done.”
November 17th, 2005 at 1:36 pm#12: Let’s say for sake of argument that what you’ve written is true: Another attack on our soil would be the final nail in Bush’s coffin. He was given somewhat of a pass the first time, but if another attack happened on his watch, he will be finished. People will say what was he doing way over in Iraq when he should have been here protecting us. In fact, people are saying that anyway.
November 17th, 2005 at 1:40 pmMemo mentions “a new attack by terrorists on U.S. soil [that] could reverse the sagging fortunes of President George W. Bush”
Who would be surprised if the memo were suggesting a staged attack by hired and expendable “terrorists?”
November 17th, 2005 at 2:05 pmThank you Rep. Murtha for declaring what so many Americans have been saying for a while now. The Bush-Cheney Dog N Pony Show–I mean the war with Iraq–needs to end NOW. The Texas oil barons have lined their pockets with about as much gold from the alleged oil crisis, the alleged terrorist crisis, and the Iraq War as they possibly can. Now it’s time for these 2 weasels to crawl back in their holes. If they want to go to war, let THEIR kids go. You don’t see the Bush twins volunteering for the US Military, now do you? How many more young Americans are going to have to return home maimed — or worse, not return home at all– before we can say “it’s not working. Let’s bring our troops home.” We didn’t learn a thing from Vietnam, did we? I’m as patriotic as the next person, but this war is wrong. When we first invaded Afghanistan, it was on the pretense of hunting down Osama Bin Laden. In the words of Donald Trump “Here’s a 6 foot tall Arab who has to have dialysis on a regular basis. How hard would it be to find him?????” When we invaded Iraq, it was on the pretense of hunting down all those terrible weapons of mass destruction. Hmmmm. Haven’t seen or heard about Bid Laden or WMD in quite some time, have you?? It’s all about the oil, folks. And who better would know that than the 2 good ole boys from Texas who, by the way, never served a day in any war!! They laughing themselves all the way to the bank.
November 17th, 2005 at 2:19 pmIt takes courage to do what Murtha did. Every Democrat in the House and Senate should take a cue.
November 17th, 2005 at 2:19 pmcongraduations john murtha, it’s about time one of you democrats got his balls back.
November 17th, 2005 at 2:44 pmYou suck, you freaking coward.
November 17th, 2005 at 3:08 pmBob,
I agree. Bush does suck… That must be why his frat nickname was “Lips Bush”. Old habits appear to die hard for republicans :)
November 17th, 2005 at 3:58 pm#25 — cowardice is invading and occupying a country that did not threaten us, did not attack us, and that they knew did not have weapons of mass destruction.
Bush and Co. knew there were no WMD’s because, after all, what other country we KNOW to have WMDs, with an equal or worse human rights record, have we attacked? Answer: NONE
November 17th, 2005 at 4:40 pmPS: #25, you listen to Murtha’s statement at
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/cnn_rep_murtha_end_iraq_051117b.mov
. . . and you still tell me if you think he’s a coward.
But I know you won’t. Or if you do, you won’t care what he says. “Cowardice” also means not being able to admit you’re wrong and change directions to ensure success.
November 17th, 2005 at 5:46 pmKudos to Murtha…his statement shows both judgement and courage.
November 17th, 2005 at 6:31 pmIn all my 61 years and 4 years in military during the 60’s I have never took the time to add a comment to any political statement but this one deserves a vote. The Mr. Murtha I take off my hat and say it takes a real man to stand against such matters. I have not seen many men lately in Washington…maybe Mr. Murtha is one…I am just one citizen and it seems my vote has never counted. It feels good to hear at lease one voice of courage in a such a war of stupitidy…at least our Viet Nam was started on some degree of logic!
November 17th, 2005 at 6:41 pmYes, yes; everyone knows that you severed in Viet Nam. . . But then you forgot what you were there to to. You were once a Marine. The old story of once a Marine always a Marine, with you it should be ONCE A MARINE. That’s it. You were once a Marine. Now you’ve retreated from the fight and ran from the enemy and have forshaken your comrades, and country men. All those that died in service in Viet Nam, and now in Iraq mean nothing to you. Thank you for giving aid and comfort to the enemies of our country for political opportunity. The millions of lost lives after we bailed from Viet Nam cry out for you to not let our troops and the Iraqi people down. You are a shame to America.
November 20th, 2005 at 5:09 pmMichael A. Mcgaw, I have one question did you serve?
November 22nd, 2005 at 10:40 amThere is no greater shame a comander and chief can do to servicemen, than to send them to a war based on lies for political gain. Michael J. Nash(USMC)
I’m a 20 year veteran. Democrats like you are a disgrace to this country and should be ashamed of your selves.Like John Kerry,another war hero who said only about 5000 innocent people would be killed if we pulled out of Viet Nam.How many do you think will be killed in Iraq if we pull out?I certainly agree with Mr.McGaw and I’m sure the majority of the troops serving over in Iraq will agree with us too,VICTORY and nothing less.I have yet to hear from any veteran saying that we should put our tails between our legs and run.From what I read here,I think most are like you,repeating the same Democrat BS
November 22nd, 2005 at 5:02 pmno one is saying that we should retreat. My point is even the Iracies dont want us there. When you have a intire administration that never served, exept for bush if you want to call that serving. How do you expect things to be going good. Before the war started Gen. zilan(USMC) predicted almost perbatem the after math to Bush, but insted of listening Bush just fired him for not being a team player. It isnt just democrats that opose this war. Its republicans like me who feel this president is far from being a republican. but i guess we should of figured Iraq would be the mess it is when you have a x coke head running it.
November 23rd, 2005 at 6:05 pmStay the corse is not the answer, how about a plan
November 23rd, 2005 at 6:12 pmThis message is to salute and honor Representative John Murtha for his courageous stand in speaking out clearly and knowledgeably against this illegal, assault on Iraq. Sir: Thank you for your courage and your deep belief in the wrongness of this hostile, inhuman treatment of people who have not wronged us. There are many of us here in America who are in total agreement with you and your call for removal of our forces from Iraq. Thank you and know we stand behind you.
November 27th, 2005 at 11:51 am12-07-05
December 7th, 2005 at 5:06 pmDear Senator Murtha,
How can you sleep at night? How can you; with your back ground of being a Marine and your service record say and do the things against our countries troops. You of all people should know that the whole scale slaughter that took place after we abandoned the Vietnamese people. Your mind has gone south. Your loyalty to country has vanished. Giving aid and comfort to the enemy during a time of war is treason. I don’t’ know how you qualify hurting our troops and choosing the terrorist over your own countrymen. But you are not the Marine Murtha that you once were. Shame on you; forsaking the fallen marines in Viet Nam, and those that defend our country today. Maybe that’s the part of honor that you have seemed to have forgotten. You once defended this country, you once fought for what is right, and just, and good. I guess that ONCE for you was a long time ago.
I truly hope that you have a Merry Christmas. I hope that while you are sitting in your warm comfortable home you might remember what you ONCE fought for . . . Remember while brave American soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen are putting it all in the line for your sorry ass.
Merry Christmas. . .
Sincerely Michael A. McGaw
Barstow, Ca.
mr murtha,
December 14th, 2005 at 3:51 ami agree with your right to free speech, you fought for it and earned it for us all. i grew up during vietnam, i have relatives who served during that conflict all of whom were there in veitnam. the one thing that strikes me about the veterans of that time is the dislike of hanoi jane. i dont know if you remember your feelings while you were serving towards jane fonda, but i can remember my relatives comments along with those of other vets. it was not and is not pleasant the comments and thoughts they had about her. if you had these same thoughts, or if you know someone who shared these feelings, then you might be wary of creating the same thoughts in todays service men.
disagree with the war that is your right, work to get our servicemen home , but please dont undermine them, dont give them the feeling our veitnam vets had. i support our troops. i pray for them and hope they all return safely. i dont want them to feel that we dont support them. or that we use them to promote our own agendas. our brave men and women in uniform need to know that we believe in them and will do all we can to support them even if we dont agree with why they are there. mr. murtha dont be a jane fonda dont prolong this conflict by publicly attacking our policies, this only strengthen the resolve of our enemies. and endangers our soldiers. you hold public office use that ofice properly to get the soldiers home, dont use them to run for president. dont use this conflict as a steping stone to the white house. i pray that your cooments so far haven’t caused more deaths and injuries amoung our troops. please sir dont get any more troops killed by publicly acting the current policies.
Well Senator Byrd had a long Career in the KKK…what’s your point?? If Murtha can’t change to be a coward, then we have to assume Byrd can’t change and is a Minority Killing Racist.
December 15th, 2005 at 12:14 pmDear Senator Murtha,
I do agree with Michael McGaw’s question “how can you sleep at night?” However my position differs. How can any politician sleep at night knowing that we were mislead into a war that we are not winning, and voting to authorize force based on false statements.
February 5th, 2006 at 6:12 pmThe Iraqis don’t want us there, there were no WMDs, we are supporting other countries that persecute and kill their own people, including China, a communist country! and over 1/2 of the country finally realizes that fighting over there in Iraq is not fighting to defend our freedom at all. Just GOP double-speak. In my 75 years of life, I have been thru WWII, my husband served proudly and he knew why he was serving his country, I have been through Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait and now Iraq. The first 4 conflicts were for a noble cause and purpose. All the while as a strong Republican. Those who have not served have no right to criticise or comment about your service to our country.
We are destabilizing the middle east, and when finally we leave Iraq, the papers say over 100,000 innocent Iraqis killed and over 2200 of our children dying in the desert. SO FAR.
Mr. Murtha, God Bless you for speaking out, God Bless you for serving with pride and honor to protect this country. Yes I am sure that you have lost sleep over voting to authorize this war, and I am sure you are losing sleep over the young men and women getting killed and maimed over there. Don’t lose sleep over stupid comments from politicians or those who wish to discredit you.
I hope that our troops can come home soon and leave behind a country better than they found it, without breaking the bank here back home and I hope that the other members of your party can get some backbone. Propose solutions to the bigger problems facing our country, poverty, crime, dependance on foreign oil, corruption in DC, my medicare benefits, and can you please get the GOP to honor their promise to go and get BinLaden because he was the start of all of this…and really fix the problems we have here. Then all of us can get a good night’s sleep, including Mr. McGaw, sounds like he need a good night’s sleep too because his comments sound like they come from a lack of sleep and are insulting to patriotic Americans everywhere!
OK, I only spent 25 years in the Military, am also a Vietnam Veteran, however I place
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:26 pmRep. Murtha in the same catagory as I do John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. Anti American Liberal jiberish is their language of choice.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we should have gotten into Iraq, and George “W” is not far behind the above mentioned individuals. Let’s not put down our Brave Service Women and Men … let’s bring them home … and concentrate on protecting our Country, not forcing our WONDERFUL way of life on those who don’t want or appreciate it.
God Bless America and God Bless our Military
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