hard to throw political rocks at this guy!

[movie zombie]

but i''m sure some will despite these very good credentials:

"With a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, Murtha retired from the Marine Corps reserves as a colonel in 1990 after 37 years as a Marine, only a few years longer than he''s been in Congress. Elected in 1974, Murtha has become known as an authority on national security whose advice was sought out by Republican and Democratic administrations alike."

so when he makes remarks such as:

"I like guys who''ve never been there that criticize us who''ve been there," Murtha said. "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."

its going to be harder and harder to argue that we shouldn''t get out of Iraq when he has come to the conclusion that enough is enough.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051118/ap_on_go_co/congress_iraq

peace, movie zombie

 

[AGBF]

That story is just damned sad, MZ. It didn''t make me want to protest the war, just cry for that poor soldier who was maimed.

Deb

 

[movie zombie]

yes, the story at the end put me on the verge of tears. but he''s one of many and if we don''t get the hell out of there, there will be more like him or worse.

all this technicality regarding injury and death in iraq: did you know that the 2000 count US troops killed of last month was ONLY those killed in iraq and did not include those that were flown out and died later? so it doesn''t surprise me that the young man was denied his Purple Heart until our retired Marine colonel threatened to give him one of his. the sad thing is: how many others have been denied a Purple Heart for the same reason?! what about them?!

it is going to be hard to call a retired Marine colonel a pinky communist traitor and not good for troop morale when he''s put in the service he has. and to accuse him of being a leftist or even a progressive with his Congressional track record is also difficult: hence, the reference to Michael Moore! talk about LOL!!!!

peace, movie zombie

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/17/2005 11:03:02 PM
Author: movie zombie
it is going to be hard to call a retired Marine colonel a pinky communist traitor and not good for troop morale when he's put in the service he has. and to accuse him of being a leftist or even a progressive with his Congressional track record is also difficult....

But that is exactly what the Bush crowd did! It isn't hard for them to say anything! They immediately attacked him.

"'Congressman Murtha is a respected veteran and politician who has a record of supporting a strong America,' said White House press secretary Scott McClellan, with Bush in South Korea for a meeting with Asian leaders. 'So it is baffling that he is endorsing the policy positions of Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party.'"

In other words, if someone who is a distinguished veteran and a staunch supporter of the military says something they don't like, they wonder why he is siding with, "the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party"!!! Guilt by association. Very, very loose association, you would say, but now the White House hopes many people are going to read that he is siding with the "extreme liberal wing" of something and dismiss what he says out of hand.

It is sad how incredibly effective this strategy has been for...uh...the extreme right wing of the Republican Party.


Deb

 

[fire&ice]

Yeah, it is hard to throw rocks at this guy. People actually listen to this guy. He''s not just full of the "correct" rhetortic (sorry for the brain fart on spelling).

I heard this from a a Bush hater - so how much truth in it I can''t tell because it is hearsay - but he said that someone who works at Walter Reed said the real story is not in the dead. It''s in the wounded both phsyically & mentally.

 

[movie zombie]

f&i, yes, i've heard the same from many sources...........including veteran hospital staff. if the people in this country only knew the numbers of returning injured and the severity of those injuries, they'd be sad....but if they knew how little resources these injured have through the veterans' administration, they'd be appalled. and i can't just blame it on this administration: this congress marched right along with the administration.

deb, it is the reference to michael moore that made me LOL! if that's the best they can do with a man with his qualifications, they know they're in deep trouble.

peace, movie zombie

 

[Rank Amateur]

I rather doubt that Murtha is non-partisan and is not interested in grandstanding for political gain. In watching a bit of his speech he comes across as any other partisan political hack.

Other equally decorated vets and active duty guys do not think we should cut and run. No doubt, Murtha needs to speak his mind, but he is one opinion from one man. Holding up Murtha as the ultimate moral authority is similar to holding up Cindy Sheehan as the spokesperson for Moms of soldiers. Cindy''s voice was a tiny minority yet the media gave her wall-to-wall coverage (until something better came along).

You don''t like the President''s policy? Fine. Your stomach too weak for tough duty? Fine. Come up your own plan. Convince others. In fact, convince so many others that you can get your guys elected to office.

 

[fire&ice]

Murtha isn''t your run of the mill politician. He isn''t the type to go on and on with left wing drivel. That is why many people ARE listening. It was irresponsible for the women from Ohio to quote a low level political - "Cowards run". This man''s service to his country is legit. He''s a regular guy. Really - quite witty retorts by some Repubs - He''s just like Michael Moore? Is that because he''s a middle aged over weight white guy?

And, he didn''t call for a sudden withdrawl. He called for a plan for withdrawl - which currently isn''t on the table in any concrete way I know of. It is that criticism that is most disconcerting to me. Doesn''t sound like we had a plan that would work. I''m not sure we had a plan that didn''t look into rosey colored glasses.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/19/2005 10:45:29 AM
Author: fire&ice
He called for a plan for withdrawl - which currently isn''t on the table in any concrete way I know of. It is that criticism that is most disconcerting to me. Doesn''t sound like we had a plan that would work. I''m not sure we had a plan that didn''t look into rosey colored glasses.

I agree that, with hindsight, it looks as if the withdrawal was planned by someone wearing rose-colored glasses. The problem is that the United States expected to subdue any elements hostile to the United States (which they anticipated being just the Ba''ath party in the very worst case scenario); be embraced by the rest of Iraq; and leave with a peaceful and democratic Iraqi ally behind in the Middle East. Murtha obviously agreed that that would be the outcome or he wouldn''t have supported the invasion, as he did.

Can we agree that the situation there-for Iraqis and American troops-is sad?

Deborah

 

[movie zombie]

nicely stated, f&i!

peace, movie zombie