Rep. John MurthaThis is from CNN.Com:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House accused a senior House Democrat -- and a decorated Vietnam veteran -- who called for a swift withdrawal from Iraq of advocating surrender, comparing him to anti-war filmmaker Michael Moore.
In a broadside issued Thursday night, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said that it is "baffling that [Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha] is endorsing the policy positions of Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic party."
McClellan called Murtha, a retired Marine colonel who earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam, "a respected veteran and politician who has a record of supporting America."Scott McClellan
But McClellan added, "The eve of an historic democratic election in Iraq is not the time to surrender to the terrorists."
A senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Murtha had supported the resolution that authorized the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
But Thursday he called the Bush administration's management of the conflict "a flawed policy wrapped in illusion," and said the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is "uniting the enemy against us."
Excuse me Scotty? You're "baffled" that Murtha's left your Republican brainwashing and is now endorsing Democratic policy positions? Gee Scotty, maybe the reason Murtha withdrew his support for your "flawed policy wrapped in illusion" is because Murtha's seen this before in the rice patties of Vietnam. And now as a representative for the people in Pennsylvania, and this nation, Murtha has come to realize he was just as responsible for allowing your ilk to force this war down the American public's throats through lies, deceptions and threats--a war we should have never gotten into in the first place. Young American men are dying in Iraq--wasted, useless deaths--just as Murtha witnessed young American men were dying wasted, useless deaths in Vietnam. Congress never bothered placing a check against the Johnson Administration as we went to war in Vietnam. Well Scotty, history is repeating itself.
Murtha's coming out now to check you.
Over on The Christian Prophet blog the Holy Spirit asks in regard to this Murtha episode who it was who lived by the phrase "We shall overcome!" Apparently those who stick it out when the going is tough are spiritually strong while those who give up are spiritually weak.
ReplyDeleteChristian Prophet: First, I want to thank you for commenting on my blog.
ReplyDeleteYou claim that those who stick it out are spiritually strong, while those who give up are spiritually weak? And if this is true, then we should continue going down this cliff into an Iraqi quagmire that's looking more like Vietnam because we need to stick it out and be spiritually strong? Even though we may know, through the knowledge of our recent history and the parallels of Iraq and Vietnam, that this war may already be lost? We should continue sending this country down the cliff--wasting more young American lives and American treasure--because we need to be strong and tough it out. Is that what you're advocating?
Representative John Murtha is a decorated Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War. He has seen, first-hand, a growing insurgency against the United States in the jungles and rice patties of Vietnam. He has seen the effects of that type of insurgency--both against the moral of American soldiers stationed in Vietnam and in the incompetence of government officials misguided views that we should continue our mission (And this is during the Johnson administration!). Murtha clearly sees the parallels between Vietnam and Iraq. He recognizes that the Bush White House policy of "staying the course" means no clearly defined strategy--just as Johnson had no strategy for winning the war in Vietnam. Murtha recognized that Bush's marketing of intelligence claims taht Iraq was obtaining WMDs to sell the war to Congress is exactly the same strategy Johnson used to get his Gulf on Tonkin resolution through Congress. Bush wants to fight a war in Iraq, while promoting tax cuts, and not calling for sacrifices from the American people--exactly the same as Johnson's "limited war" policy of confining mobilization of American resources and reducing the disruption of the war on Americans everyday life. Even the insurgents have probably taken a lesson from Vietnam by initiating a protracted war of getting the U.S. bogged down in war they cannot win, while creating unfavorable conditions on the American political home front. These are just a few of the parallels between Iraq and Vietnam. And you're insisting we shall overcome if we stick it out because we're strong? You're insisting that we should continue down this reckless path of destroying the cultural and social fabric of the United States, because we need to be strong in Iraq? Tell me, what sacrifices have you made for this cause that you've so passionately supported? If you're so willing to be strong when this going is tough, then why don't you take a gun and head over to Iraq to kill the insurgents? Why don't you take the place of one U.S. soldier who has himself, and his family, endured tremendous suffering under the orders and incompetence of the current crooks and hypocrits that occupy the White House.
So Christian Prophet, do you need to go see an eye doctor? Do you need glasses? Because you are about as blind as a bat, regarding political matters here.