Posted on 01/18/2006 12:41:31 PM PST by balch3
Edited on 01/18/2006 12:45:51 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
IT should come as no surprise that an arch-conservative Web site is questioning whether Representative John Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has been critical of the war in Iraq, deserved the combat awards he received in Vietnam.
After all, in recent years extremist Republican operatives have inverted a longstanding principle: that our combat veterans be accorded a place of honor in political circles. This trend began with the ugly insinuations leveled at Senator John McCain during the 2000 Republican primaries and continued with the slurs against Senators Max Cleland and John Kerry, and now Mr. Murtha.
Military people past and present have good reason to wonder if the current administration truly values their service beyond its immediate effect on its battlefield of choice. The casting of suspicion and doubt about the actions of veterans who have run against President Bush or opposed his policies has been a constant theme of his career. This pattern of denigrating the service of those with whom they disagree risks cheapening the public's appreciation of what it means to serve, and in the long term may hurt the Republicans themselves.
Go ahead and post Murtha's awards/citations so we can debate those too.
I would prefer to let veterans have their own personal legacy about their wartime experiences, whatever it is to them, and never want to question them. As far as I am concerned, a vet can make up whatever stories they want to, and I am not going to question them.
In my opinion, what happens with people like Murtha and Kerry is that they use their wartime legacy to fight political battles in wartime, and I believe it is harmful to my country. If their wartime experience is their currency, and they are buying the downfall of our country with that currency, then they should be challenged on that currency.
I'm not talking about what he did in 1969. His bravery then speaks for itself.
However, his citation for bravery then doesn't give him carte blanc to become some sort of apologist for the very conservatives who served with him during the Reagan years.
Yes, he has become a candy ass. And, yes, Oliver North kicked his ass in the ring.
This is exactly what Webb described, attacks by political opponents of Murtha's. I don't see any criticism of Murtha's service by any disinterested person, nor do I see any criticism of Murtha by anyone who served with him in Vietnam.
What he did in 1969 does give him carte blanche not to be called a "candy ass" by anyone, ever.
Odd how that Citation is readily available and Murtha's are locked away in the vault.
John Murtha has made his military service part and parcel of his credibility. His commentary on the Iraq war is relevant only because he can claim "war hero" status. It is entirely proper to examine that claim thoroughly. If it withstands the scrutiny, then he deserves the accolades. If not, then we've done the world a service by exposing a fraud.
Webb either does not understand or simply ignores the fact that during Vietnam, the Air National Guard, of which Bush was a member, was not necessarily the "safe haven" that the Army National Guard was at that time. Many Air Guard units were called to active duty, (officers & enlisted) as well as individual pilots being activated and assigned for duty in combat. It mattered more what types of aircraft they were certified in flying than the fact that they were "weekend warriors." And unlike the Army Guard of that era, the Air Guard was required by the Dept. of the Air Force to be at combat readiness at all time and many units, including Bush's interceptor squadron, participated in daily air patrols intercepting Soviet aircraft approaching US air space. It was an active duty job preformed by part time pilots.
Well said!
You are exactly right. And, in my view, that's what we need more of, patriots willing to call it as they see it, and not interested in promoting their own petty careers and ambitions.
The whole JFK story is fascinating. He was the only PT boat skipper in WWII to manage to have his boat rammed after he stopped his engines during a battle. He was on his way to a court-martial when Pappa Joe used his money and influence to not only stop the court martial, but get Kennedy a medal for losing two men. It's all part of the ghastly Kennedy Legacy of Lies and Cheating.
The whole JFK story is fascinating. He was the only PT boat skipper in WWII to manage to have his boat rammed after he stopped his engines during a battle. He was on his way to a court-martial when Pappa Joe used his money and influence to not only stop the court martial, but get Kennedy a medal for losing two men. It's all part of the ghastly Kennedy Legacy of Lies and Cheating.
I think he called them "Republican operatives."
Was he David Stockmans' brother?
Agreed. I was in Arizona from 63-66. The Army Guard units there would have a rumor about every 6 weeks that they were being sent. They would pack up, wait, then be told that they were not going.
Were you able to get righttalk at all?
It was impressive!
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