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Dem House Representative calls for immediate troop withdrawal

Posted by: Sister Toldjah on November 17, 2005 at 8:06 pm

…. also known as the cut and run approach:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Warning that other global threats “cannot be ignored,” Rep. John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, a leading adviser on defense issues, called Thursday for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

“U.S. and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq,” the senior lawmaker said. “It’s time for a change in direction.”

He said he believes all the forces could be redeployed over a six-month period.

Murtha, a former Marine Corps colonel and veteran of the Vietnam war, is the first senior lawmaker to call for an immediate withdrawal. Other critics of the war have asked President Bush to set up a timetable for withdrawal.

And the mediots are falling all over themselves to inform us of his defense credentials (as noted a bit in the last paragraph above) in order to give his position more credibility. Surprise surprise.

But is this really news? No:

Murtha: Iraq ‘Unwinnable’
By Erin P. Billings and Emily Pierce
Roll Call Staff
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.”

Hat tip: KLo at NRO’s Corner. See this link also for more on Murtha’s “unwinnable” statement.

Glenn Reynolds’ asks “And he’s the Democrats’ hawk?”

Good question.

Thankfully, there is still one sane Democrat in the Congress: Joe Lieberman. Read his speech about the raging debate going on between Democrats and Republicans on Iraq here. He puts the handwringers on both sides to shame. My hat is off to you, Sen. Lieberman, for standing strong when so many on your side right now (and a few on my side) are making us look very weak to the enemy.

More commentary on Murtha’s call can be found at Protein Wisdom, Iowa Voice, Big Lizards, Tel-Chai Nation,

Update: Confederate Yankee notes a stirring piece by a veteran who chooses to go by the name as “Old Soldier” that is well worth reading. The piece is titled “America, Do Not Lose Heart …. Again”.

(edited to change title from “Senator” to “House Representative” 11/18 12:42 a.m. EDT– ST)

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    • 20 Responses to “Dem House Representative calls for immediate troop withdrawal”

    Comments

    1. Evon says:
      November 17, 2005 at 9:43 pm

      The Democrats are determined to prove that they cannot be trusted with national defense. What’s up with this latest policy? Are they hoping that they’ll get the “terrorist vote in ‘06 & 08?”

    2. Bachbone says:
      November 17, 2005 at 10:04 pm

      It appears Rep. Murtha has serious disagreements with Sec. Rumsfeld and Pres. Bush on how the war is being waged. As you noted, he’s been saying so for over 18 months. Murtha is also routinely characterized in news reports by the MSM as a Democrat, military supporter and Vietnam veteran, which are all true.

      I’ve not seen any news reports citing his ADA rating of 85 (possible 100). Nor that Murtha supported and campaigned with military trasher John Kerry during the last presidential election, and fed him information about Bush’s alleged plans to “call up large numbers” of reservists.

      Since the Iraq War began, I’ve seen numerous former military men employed as “experts” by various TV Networks. Most were also highly critical of Sec. Rumsfeld’s handling of matters. However, none of these “experts” was, so far as I know has been reported, in on the planning or execution of the war, which Gen. Tommy Franks described in his book as a new and different type of war given the US’s current weaponry. Gen. Franks also alluded to the hindrance he got from various military men in his planning for this new type war. Murtha sounds exactly like the old school military who wanted to fight a new century war like he’d once fought…in the old century.

      The facts presented by media sources for Murtha do not say he was any more knowledgeable about the planning and execution of the war than the TV “experts,” and merely being on the Defense Appropriations Committee may not make Murtha any more an “expert” in those areas than the armchair experts Gen. Franks describes.

      One can be a strong military supporter, appropriations committee member, former Marine and still not be a very good military stragetist.

    3. Baklava says:
      November 17, 2005 at 11:38 pm

      A = President
      B = Senator and Veteran

      B says we need to remove the troops now.
      A says that is not a good plan.
      B says, “How dare you criticize me I’m a veteran”

      I say B has got reading comprehension problems just like many leftists on this site.

    4. Brian says:
      November 18, 2005 at 12:38 am

      Actually, John Murtha is not a Senator, he is a Representative.

    5. Sister Toldjah says:
      November 18, 2005 at 12:43 am

      Noted and corrected.

      Any comments on the article?

    6. Evon says:
      November 18, 2005 at 6:53 am

      ST Did you coin the word “mediots?” It seems so appropriate.

    7. tommy in nyc says:
      November 18, 2005 at 9:40 am

      :cry: rep john murtha (d-pa) is a honest american who wants the best for our troops and country. this sailor (i was a boiler tech 3rd class during persian gulf 1) thinks he is justifibly becoming disillusioned with the bush 43 adminstration’s miscalculations fighting the GWOT. even after the elections coming up in december the only thing that is obvious is the facts on the ground are chaotic to put it mildly. we truly do need to think about an exit stragery prefably with an independent kurdistan taking a seat at the united nations.the kurds are this country only big-time muslims nations that love the u.s. along with albania,turkey, and to a lesser extent pakistan. and i trust the kurds a lot more than the pakistanis. let the shiite/sunnis tear themselves to bits at this point anyway. it is going to happen anyway soooooo…… back to more real,real reality it is going to be an absolute power vacuum happening if we just cut and run. we need to gradulally draw down our forces and almost hope for the best that’s what i think is going to happen. and we’ll be iraq’s air force for a decade. bush 43 made iraq sound a LOT easier than how it turned out.stay tuned boy and girls.peace out tommy

    8. PCD says:
      November 18, 2005 at 9:47 am

      Why do all the E-3s and E-4s think they know how to run (away) from a war?

    9. Battalion16 says:
      November 18, 2005 at 10:11 am

      There is a simple term to describe Rep. Murtha: “Bravo Foxtrot”. Honor, courage, commitment are NOT just words, it is a lifestyle. I guess Rep. Murtha forgot that .

    10. DON says:
      November 18, 2005 at 12:55 pm

      Murtha has initiated the Democratic surrender. I think people should send white hankeys to his office so he can wave ‘em when he talks about Iraq.

    11. Brian says:
      November 18, 2005 at 9:54 pm

      Sister Toldjah,

      I disagree with Rep. Murtha on immediate withdrawal of our troops.

    12. Baklava says:
      November 19, 2005 at 12:11 am

      I can’t believe you would sully the man Brian. He is a decorated war veteran!

    13. Ray says:
      June 14, 2006 at 9:23 am

      :( As a retired veteran I am sick of Carl Rove and the republicans. Carl Rove was not elected. He has not served in the military and has never been in combat. Bush and Cheny have never served in combat. For any of them to stand before the American people and refer to democrats as cut and run democrats because we have strong feelings about this war is not serving this country or its people. None of them or thier families are at risk in this fight. It is a sad state of affairs when you use terms like this to describe honest hard working people who disagree with sending our troops to a another country and just leave them there for ever. We are losing good men every day, our country is going deeply in and debt and becomming deeply divided over this stupid war. I say get our troops out. This is a civil war and must be decided buy the Iraqis. As George Bush said, Mission Accomplished. So when you accomplish the mission you send the troops home.

    14. Severian says:
      June 14, 2006 at 9:31 am

      Nice MoveOn talking points Ray, but you’d have more credibility if you learned to spell Rove’s name right.

      Of course, I don’t really expect much out of someone who has to resort to this level of necroposting to find something to say. :-?