Posted on 01/02/2006 5:36:07 PM PST by jmc1969
Rep. John Murtha, a key Democratic voice who favors pulling U.S. troops from Iraq, said in remarks airing on Monday that he would not join the U.S. military today.
A decorated Vietnam combat veteran who retired as a colonel after 37 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Murtha told ABC News' "Nightline" program that Iraq "absolutely" was a wrong war for President George W. Bush to have launched.
"Would you join (the military) today?," he was asked in an interview taped on Friday.
"No," replied Murtha of Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees defense spending and one of his party's leading spokesmen on military issues.
"And I think you're saying the average guy out there who's considering recruitment is justified in saying 'I don't want to serve'," the interviewer continued.
"Exactly right," said Murtha, who drew White House ire in November after becoming the first ranking Democrat to push for a pullout of U.S. forces from Iraq as soon as it could be done safely.
"Let me tell you, war is a nasty business. It sears the soul," he said, choking up. "And it made a difference. The shadow of those killings stay with you the rest of your life."
Asked for comment, a Defense Department spokesman, Lt. Col. John Skinner, said: "We have an all-volunteer military. People are free to choose whether they serve or not."
"Our freedom of speech in this country allows all of us the opportunity to voice an opinion. It's one of our great strengths as a nation," he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Sir, Having spent the biggest part of my life accompanying my husband, who proudly served over 30 years as an officer in the Navy and USAF (all active duty) from base to base in many parts of the world, I think I can rightfully claim to know just a little about the military thankyou!
Time to start a "Mothball Murtha" PAC?
IIRC, he's not planning to run again. Wouldn't it be great to take away his (very fat) seat?
*I served 3 years in Pershing Missiles, US Army
*My dad was a gunnery officer on the Cleveland in WWII
*His dad was an ordinary seaman in WWI
*My mom's dad was an Army surgeon in WWII and made Lt Col in the Air Force reserves.
*3 of my 4 ggrandfathers served.
*At least 12 of my ancestors fought for the South including a Captain of Texas Calvary, Gen. Mouton - 18 Louisiana Inf., and Major General Gardner
*My ggggrandfather Ralph McGee (Battle of Bexar)and a couple of Taylors were in the Texas Revolution.
*His father David was at Valley Forge.
*Mom had several uncles in WWI (mostly Marines) some cousins in Korea and Viet Nam. and a great uncle in the Army of Cuban occupation.
We do our duty in this family and mine is to tell this "marine" to F**K OFF.
End of rant
Thank you for your service, Taxman.
And thank you for pointing to Sam Johnson!!
What would George Patton say to Mr. Murtha today?
The question this raises for me is this: Is he saying that our country would be better off if everybody made the choice he says he would make? Does he think that if the country is in a war that he thinks we shouldn't be in, the correct action is for everybody to quit the military, leaving our country defenseless?
Should a person chose to gto into the military based on the war we are fighting now, or based on defending our country from evil? Does Murtha believe that our country is no longer worth defending, and will he change his position if a democrat gets elected?
Should democrats be allowed to quite the military whenever a republican wins election? How about republicans whenever someone like Clinton is in power?
He's too old and fat, of course he wouldn't join!
I don't givvadam what he did in the last
war. I'm only interested in what he's
doing in THIS one.
What I've seen in our troops, Murtha
wouldn't qualify, and none of his
people would trust him at all.
Most of our troops have honest and integrity. Murtha
has neither.
(I have not served. My tagline honors my son and my cousin.)
Rep. John Murtha, a key Democratic voice who favors pulling U.S. troops from Iraq, said in remarks airing on Monday that he would not join the U.S. military today.
It's just as well. He wouldn't LAST in today's military.
Fine. Who wants a 70-year old recruit?
What an excellent question! Quite an entertaining thought. It would be sheer poetry, no doubt.
If he "cared" for the troops, he would respect them and not be shooting his mouth off getting them killed right now!
He has frequently visited the wounded in Bethesda and Walter Reed ... Hence his anti-war stance now.
I visit the wounded at Walter Reed every week. I never had an anti-war stance, but with every wounded warrior I talk to, my support for them and the war grows.
I have never met more honorable men and women in my life. All are proud of the just and noble mission for which they served. Many are itching to get back to Iraq to help complete the mission. Some had volunteered for 2nd and 3rd tours. They talk about the freedom the Iraqis now enjoy and how appreciative they are for what America has done for them.
No - if this pos really cared for the troops, he would listen to what they have to say, honor their sacrifice and support the completion of the mission.
Well done.
Are we suppose to be upset about this news??
The military wouldn't want losers like Murtha today either.
I know of a Vietnam Vet, who used to be a customer of mine, who not only said he'd be willing to go fight in Iraq, but he drove to the recruiting center with his fellow former Marines on their Harleys.
They went in 20+ strong, but were turned back because of being passed the legal age.
His wife just shook her head and said, "he's dead serious."
My thoughts exactly.
Murtha undermining the war effort and giving propaganda aid to the enemy, sickening.
Poetry in motion, no doubt, lol.
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