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Posted on 11/03/2008 8:45:25 AM PST by saganite
Republican congressional candidate Bill Russell's rally on Sunday featured several Iraq war veterans vehemently criticizing U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown), who they say betrayed them when he said troops in Iraq killed innocent civilians in Haditha "in cold blood."
Those remarks sparked Russell to run against Murtha and have been a theme of his campaign ever since.
During the rally, Shawn Bryan, a former sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps., said Murtha visited his unit in Iraq in 2005. At the time, Murtha told the soldiers "what a great job we did," Bryan said, only to see him tell his district back home he no longer supported the effort.
Bryan said he didn't put his life on the line for his country "just so some fat little bastard can come back and run his mouth."
It was the second time during his speech that Bryan, who flew in from Albuquerque, New Mexico, had called Murtha a "fat little bastard" during his speech. His remarks were not publicly repudiated at the rally.
In an interview after the rally, Russell told PolitickerPA.com Bryan's comments didn't reflect his own feelings, but he did the defend the fellow veteran.
The remarks are reflective of the anger many marines, who have lost dozens of fellow soldiers during combat, feel toward Murtha, he said.
"Am I going to throw him under the bus for it?" Russell asked. "No. I understand -- he's going to say what he believes."
Murtha, who himself served 37 years in the Marine Corps and won a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, said about the 2005 shootings of Iraq civilians in Haditha: "Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood."
Charges have been dropped against all but one of the Marines involved in the Haditha killings.
Hahaha! Spot on!
More like a ‘big, fat lying traitor’.
The truth shall set you free.
don’t know about the “little” part
Sgt Shawn Bryan,
Joe the Plumber,
Sarah Baracuda...
It just gets better and better.
With citizens like these, we can take on any white house.
WOW!
My, my how judgmental!
And, how magnificent.
God bless the direct approach of this real-man Marine.
This seems a little mild, not like a Marine to pull his punches.
He should tell us how he really feels.
I guess judging whether Murtha is big or small is subjective based on your own size. It could be the speaker is 6 foot five of kick a$$ Marine and Murtha is small to him. More likely he’s just referring to Murtha’s brain and heart though. ;^)
My dad had a certain way with words about people he didn't like...
Those dern marines sure do use descriptive language. Right On, Right On, RIGHT ON.
Good for former Marine Sgt. Bryan but I believe he cleaned his true feelings up.
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Unfortunately, comments like those of Mr. Murtha make it so difficult for our men and women in the military to carry out their oaths to defend the constitution. Why in the world do people keep voting for vermin like this?
Yes and as one who spent 11 years on active duty in the USMC and tha balance as a Reservist, after my husband retired from 33 years in the Service between the Navy as a Sea Bea and as a Marine pilot, I would love to see Murtha’s RRCR report....( Reserve Retirement Credit Report) to see just how many weekend drills he attended and how many ATDs ( two week active duty periods) he attended, courses attended to achieve the rank of Colone and just what number of points he racked up! He is a disgrace...If I were a betting person I would say he chalked up his retirement points using his position in Congress using some excuse that he represents the Corps 24/7 as a congressman while the rest of us put in our time and hard work in the Reserves and were proud to do so. We earned our rank and retirement the Old Fashioned Way..WE EARNED IT!
ps...I really had to work at keeping Marinespeak under control and Marines know what I mean ; )
Semper Fi!
Oh yeah...and our Birthday is coming up on the 10th so Happy Birthday out there to all Marines!
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